Nitrites, Nitrates and Ammonia at 0

[ReefMagician]

Hey guys,

I setup my 125g tank about 45~50 days ago with live sand, and some live rock (mostly dry rock). Over this time, I have added:

2 clownfish
1 foxface
Several turbo snails
Several hermit crabs
2x emerald crabs (1 died out of nowhere)
Diamond Goby (just today)

I have on 1 side of my tank a sump, and on the other side I have an Eheim professional 4+ (mechanical filtration). I have been testing the water every few days since I setup the tank. At the start, I tested daily. I have been keeping careful notes using my Apex controller for a while. Here they are:

April 23: Ammonia at 0, Nitrite at 0, Nitrate at 0.

April 24: Ammonia at 0, Nitrite at 0, Nitrate at 0.

April 25: Ammonia at 0, Nitrite at 0, Nitrate at 0.

May 6th: First water change (17%)

May 8th (I added 2 corals): Ammonia at 0, Nitrite at 0, Nitrate at 0 Alkalinity at 8.4


These are just the ones I have on my Apex controller. These results have been the same since I setup the tank in mid/late March. I used the 2 clown-fish for a fish-in cycle. I used Start Smart originally and saw:

Ammonia increase -> Ammonia decrease -> Nitrite increase -> Nitrite decrease -> Nitrate increase


Then I added 2 bottles of BioSpiras suggested by several members here. Since then, the results have been 0, 0, 0 in every test I have done. I have tried 3 different tests kits:

1. API strip tests (inaccurate so I got a API test kit)
2. API Saltmater master Test kit
3. Red Sea Master Test kit


I have shaken all the bottles and even hit them against the counter multiple times. The results are always the same. The fish seem extremely happy, vibrant and active. Have I done something wrong or am I missing something?

 

[JammyBirch]

What did your nitrate read before your first water change...ie after the cycle was complete?

The best way to verify the cycle has ended and your bio-load is capable of processing fish waste is to spike the tank with ammonia chloride to 2ppm. I think I mentioned that in your last post, anyway you'll want to measure your water parameters and make sure your tank can process that much ammonia in one day...down to zero levels. This should only be done on an empty tank, no livestock.

At this stage of the game it's a guess as to what your tank is capable of doing. I'd continue to measure and keep up with water changes and don't add anything else until you're confident that it won't die.

 

[ReefMagician]

What did your nitrate read before your first water change...ie after the cycle was complete?

The best way to verify the cycle has ended and your bio-load is capable of processing fish waste is to spike the tank with ammonia chloride to 2ppm. I think I mentioned that in your last post, anyway you'll want to measure your water parameters and make sure your tank can process that much ammonia in one day...down to zero levels. This should only be done on an empty tank, no livestock.

At this stage of the game it's a guess as to what your tank is capable of doing. I'd continue to measure and keep up with water changes and don't add anything else until you're confident that it won't die.

First water change was over a month after the tank was setup because Nitrates were at 0. Before the first water change, Nitrates were at 0. After, they were also at 0. I'm seeing growth in the tank of the fish, and of algae. It would appear everything is fine but I just wanted to confirm.

 

[reenact12321]

Your tank is so big, Your fish could produce enough ammonia to be readable, but once the cycle is in place, nitrates are going to take a long time to move the needle. You have about the same bioload as my 40B and even that I do water changes for every reason but Nitrates. Short of a skimmer blow-up I had, I haven't seen nitrates really since I started.

By now, I wouldn't worry about Ammonia too much, i think you're over the hump. However, if you have any concerns about Ammonia, go get a better test kit, the API yellow to orange one, I tested everything from tank to tap, to RO/DI and got the same vague "I think there's some ammonia in there" BS results. I found the sensor tests to be much more readable and reliable.