Shoild I add more amonia?

JingoFresh

New member
My tank was set up for two months with live rock and live sand, and I hadn't realized I need ammonia to start the cycle.

Sunday I started adding ammonia as well as some of Dr Tim's starter bacteria (They can't hurt even if they don't help).

Last night I saw some nitrites and ammonia spiked a little bit. This morning nitrites are 0, ammonia is very low maybe 1 or 0.5ppm and no nitrates.

Should I test again later, or feed more ammonia to the bacteria? I know that too much can be dangerous so want to be careful.
 
With Dr. tims it suggests to use a certain amount of ammonia, so many drops for some many gallons..so make sure you are doing that correctly..second, yes you could add more ammonia, it sounds to me like maybe you didn't add enough.. or you just have not gotten nitrites yet. maybe wait a couple more days, and see if you get nitrites, then when ammonia comes down to .25 then you can add more.

Also as long as you don't have any live stock in your tank at this time ammonia is not dangerous, it helps populate the bacteria..if you do have live stock in your tank you shouldn't be adding ammonia at all!!
 
I think you are fine as is. 1ppm ammonia is not low, I've cycled several tanks where the ammonia only reached 1ppm without issue. While I like to get 2-3ppm for an ammonia spike, 1 ppm works. I suspect you already have at least some established bacteria in the tank. I would simply continue to test and once your ammonia and nitrites drop to zero add your CUC and then SLOWLY add fish.
 
Hmm, thanks.

Just waiting for nitrates I guess. My ammonia was at 0.25 so got it back up to 2ppm, hopefully nitrates will show soon.
 
The presence or lack of nitrates is not really related to the cycle. Ammonia and then nitrites are what you want to track. When both have risen and fall to zero the initial cycle is complete.
 
Actually you are waiting for nitrites, and then you want your nitrites to go back to 0 and your ammonia
 
How are nitrates not related to the cycle? That's the end result of the cycle, is it not?

Keep seeing nitrites as amonia goes down, keep adding ammonia to kepe nitries up, eventually should see nitrates.

Is that not it?

I saw nitrites, they went back to 0, so I redosed the ammonia and am waiting again for more nitrites, nitrates.
 
Not all tanks will see nitrates depending on the quality and efficency of your live rock. My tank has been set up for almost a year and I don't register any nitrates at all.
 
Huh that's interesting.

So I guess I know the cycle is done when I add ammonia and within 12 hours ammonia and nitrites are 0?
 
My tank was set up for two months with live rock and live sand, and I hadn't realized I need ammonia to start the cycle.

Sunday I started adding ammonia as well as some of Dr Tim's starter bacteria (They can't hurt even if they don't help).

Last night I saw some nitrites and ammonia spiked a little bit. This morning nitrites are 0, ammonia is very low maybe 1 or 0.5ppm and no nitrates.

Should I test again later, or feed more ammonia to the bacteria? I know that too much can be dangerous so want to be careful.

The live rock and live sand should have started the cycle IIRC.
 
Huh that's interesting.

So I guess I know the cycle is done when I add ammonia and within 12 hours ammonia and nitrites are 0?

yes when the bacteria can handle the ammonia you put in in a 12 hour period and your nitrites are 0 then, at least that phase is over, I say it like that because I think that at least some algae break out is part of a cycle also, everyone goes through it..But when your nitrites and ammonia go up and then down to 0 and your bacteria can handle ammonia in a 12 hour period then you can start slowly adding things..But not too quickly.. I waited about a week or so untill I started seeing algae after the cycle to add CUC..and I still don't have fish yet..my tank has been cycled for almost a month
 
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