Nitrate during cycle

[Johnbarmy]

I've been cycling my tank for about a month now and my nitrates are still high 80ppm and was wondering when I can start to run lights or just wait till it's completely done

 

[oscarreef]

If you have nitrates then your cycle is done !!! Especially at 80 ppm !!!!!!! Did you use live rock or dry rock and live sand or dry sand ?

 

[heathlindner25]

No3 at 80!...water changes to near zero ,is your next step.

 

[Johnbarmy]

I used dry rock and sand so I should do a water change and my cycle is complete???

 

[oscarreef]

Yes If I was in your shoes I would try to do a big waterchange . Or small ones once a week. Till the nitrates drop then get your water change schedule setup . Are you running a fuge ?

 

[seamonster124]

What are your nitrites? YOu can get false nitrate reading if you have nitrites.

 

[Johnbarmy]

Oscarreef, yea I am ok I will work on that water change this weekend.....

Seamonster24, my ammonia and nitrites are 0 and I tested at home and took water to lfs 3 times last week same readings and they thought it was weird cause I didn't have algae bloom even though I'm not running lights they said I should still a bloom from the leakage from all the windows all day

 

[seamonster124]

Then you might be good to start doing water changes. I cycled with all dry rock and sand and nitrates were very high after cycle; only came close to zero 3.5 months later

 

[oscarreef]

I didn't get a bloom till I turned on the lights. Every tank is different you will get blooms every now and then you learn your tank basically. If I tell you an orange taste like an apple to me may taste like strawberries to you. Plus don't believe the LFS on some advice. Go ahead and start running your lights and see your algea kick you in the shins. Once they go away you will be happy haha because my uglies were really bad my clown fish couldn't even see what was in front of him. From so much green. Show us the money when it gets going.

 

[oscarreef]

Then you might be good to start doing water changes. I cycled with all dry rock and sand and nitrates were very high after cycle; only came close to zero 3.5 months later

As soon as I saw nitrates I started water changes now I'm struggling with to much of clean water. I have to overfeed because I'm at zero.

 

[Johnbarmy]

Ok I will definitely..... So is 50% too much of a first water change??

 

[oscarreef]

Split do 25% one day and the next day do another 25%

 

[Johnbarmy]

Ok perfect.... So after that can I start with a couple colonies of zoas and 2 fish to start with or less?????!!!?

 

[seamonster124]

Ok perfect.... So after that can I start with a couple colonies of zoas and 2 fish to start with or less?????!!!?

Thats just what I did....nothing expensive, just in case :fun2:

 

[Johnbarmy]

Yea 1 have in there now last week the lfs gave it to me as a tester

 

[oscarreef]

If you were in South Florida I would have gave you a welcoming frag of zoa lol

 

[oscarreef]

Remember take it slow and add stuff once a week. I would do do one fish a week or 2 making sure the bacteria builds up slowly.

 

[Johnbarmy]

Ahh man I preciate that I wish I was there too I'm from Jax they're really strict here bout everything in your tank

 

[oscarreef]

Strict as in what?

 

[Johnbarmy]

The laws on what we can have in our saltwater tanks