Parameters after 1st week of cycle

nfrench2100

nfrench2100

New member
Good evening reefers! So today is the mark of my first week of my cycle! I am super excited and growing impatient! Lol. So I decided to use my API Saltwater Test Kit just for fun. I was hoping some of you could chime in for a little assurance and let me know how my parameters are so far. And also to know what my next step should be from here!

High Range Ph: 8.8 (Possibly off the chart. If not, it's very close due to darkish purple color)
Ammonia: Between 0.25ppm and 0.50ppm (was a little hard to tell)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5.0ppm
Salinity: 1.025

Tank specs are listed in Signature

Thanks in advance!!
 
nfrench2100 said:
Good evening reefers! So today is the mark of my first week of my cycle! I am super excited and growing impatient! Lol. So I decided to use my API Saltwater Test Kit just for fun. I was hoping some of you could chime in for a little assurance and let me know how my parameters are so far. And also to know what my next step should be from here!



High Range Ph: 8.8 (Possibly off the chart. If not, it's very close due to darkish purple color)

Ammonia: Between 0.25ppm and 0.50ppm (was a little hard to tell)

Nitrite: 0ppm

Nitrate: 5.0ppm

Salinity: 1.025



Tank specs are listed in Signature



Thanks in advance!!
Click to expand...



To be expected after a week... your next step wait for 2 more and test again lol! This is a game of patience!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Was your live rock purchased locally and kept wet/damp? or shipped to you wrapped in paper or similar?

When using locally sourced live rock you can have little to no cycle at all...
API test kits are also kind of known to sometimes report false ammonia readings..
 
Hey mcgyvr, LR was purchased from LFS. It was kept damn with newspaper and transported in styrofoam cooler. It was only out of water for an hour tops. So should I get another test kit for better accuracy?
 
nfrench2100 said:
Hey mcgyvr, LR was purchased from LFS. It was kept damn with newspaper and transported in styrofoam cooler. It was only out of water for an hour tops. So should I get another test kit for better accuracy?
Click to expand...

No I wouldn't really worry about it unless you have some specific reason you need to hurry.. (and hint.. there is no good reason for that)
Just wait.. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby..

But I'd bet you will have little to no cycle..
 
mcgyvr said:
No I wouldn't really worry about it unless you have some specific reason you need to hurry.. (and hint.. there is no good reason for that)
Just wait.. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby..

But I'd bet you will have little to no cycle..
Click to expand...
Awesome! Good to hear! I don't mind the wait either actually lol. It's very exciting. I would like to add, while I've got you all here, that I did notice some bubble algae last night. Should I just leave it for now during the cycle? Or should I go ahead and take measures now to rid it?
 
I personally don't concern myself with bubble algae.. It never becomes a problem when you keep nutrients low.

If you want you can certainly go after it at this point too.. BUT.. Don't pop it in the tank..
Remove rock and gently/quickly pry it off is the best way IMO then put rock right back into the tank
 
nfrench2100 said:
Nereefpat I honestly don't know the answer to that because last night was the fist water test that I've done since it's cycle
Click to expand...

Typically, the best way to cycle a tank is to initially bring the ammonia level up to the 1-2ppm level. Then bacteria populations grow and the NH4 is processed into NO2 and then NO3, and eventually the NH4 and NO3 is zero. Then the tank is cycled.

As mentioned above, however, enough cured liverock can make this process nearly instantaneous.

Edit: NO2
 
So, "assuming," that my tank has cycled. Is there any way to be absolutely sure about it? And if so, would it be safe to go on to the next step? Or should I just wait out another 4-5 weeks just to be sure?
 
Hello nfrench!

I'm new here as well, and currently in my 3rd week of cycling a new tank.

From my understanding, one recommended way to be sure your tank is cycled I'd to spike your tank with ammonia to 2ppm. If cycled, level should return to zero within 24 hours. Hope this helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
JSPerry said:
Hello nfrench!

I'm new here as well, and currently in my 3rd week of cycling a new tank.

From my understanding, one recommended way to be sure your tank is cycled I'd to spike your tank with ammonia to 2ppm. If cycled, level should return to zero within 24 hours. Hope this helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info! I am making a trip later today to my LFS and will run that info by them and see what they have to say as well
 
Quick update! So I made a trip to LFS 3 days ago and talked to the owners who have been so helpful during my cycling. They informed me that I am "definitely" not finished with my cycle. They gave me a nice big scoop of live sand from one of their display established tanks. Said to put that in my tank and I'd watch the ammonia spike. Well, my ammonia only went to 0.25-0.50ppm. I tested it all levels today, and this is what they are

PH-8.4
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-5
Salinity 1.025

So my main question is, have I already cycled? Mcgyvr mentioned that I would have little to no cycle. I don't mind waiting longer if I need to. But what is everyone's opinion on this?

My tank has been crystal clear since filling it on 9-1-17 I haven't had any diatom blooms (not that I've noticed at least, and I've had my eye on this tank for almost 2 weeks now lol)

All opinions would be greatly appreciated!
 
nfrench2100 said:
Quick update! So I made a trip to LFS 3 days ago and talked to the owners who have been so helpful during my cycling. They informed me that I am "definitely" not finished with my cycle. They gave me a nice big scoop of live sand from one of their display established tanks. Said to put that in my tank and I'd watch the ammonia spike
Click to expand...

Definitely not cycled based on what? And how would sand from a display help? Didn't you already have liverock? And why would sand cause an ammonia spike?
 
nereefpat said:
Definitely not cycled based on what? And how would sand from a display help? Didn't you already have liverock? And why would sand cause an ammonia spike?
Click to expand...
LFS said I wasn't cycled yet due to no major Ammonia spike, and all so the absence of a diatom bloom. They gave me the scoop of livesand, I'm guessing for the die-off of bacteria to kickstart an ammonia spike (can't quite remember the EXACT reason they gave) And yes, I already had liverock. I bought my LR the day that I filled my tank (9-1-17)
 
I dont think you will see an ammonia spike with live rock that wasnt out of water for a while. I think your tank is already "cycled".

My tank started with dry rock (soaked a while separately) and live rock from an LFS, I never saw any spike.
 
nfrench2100 said:
So, "assuming," that my tank has cycled. Is there any way to be absolutely sure about it?
Click to expand...

Here is the question you want answered.

The answer is:

Dose tank with pure ammonia. Put in enough to get 1-2ppm NH3 in the tank. Test to make sure that you hit your target of 1-2ppm.

24hrs later, test ammonia again. If properly cycled, bacteria in the tank will process the ammonia, and the ammonia reading will be 0ppm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Saltwater cycle possible stuck
2
Replies
26
Views
7K
Guygettnby
Guygettnby
A
Please help reef tank
Replies
2
Views
650
SantaMonica
S
A
Please help reef tank
Replies
9
Views
806
wvned
wvned
E
What's Old is New Again
Replies
2
Views
375
Uncle99
Uncle99
T
Tank Crashing
Replies
14
Views
176
brandon429
brandon429
Back
Top