Aggrivated with my cycle

triga22

Active Member
My cycle has been going on for a week and 2 days. Ive had ammonia readings everyday around .50-.75 since day 2. Im using some freeze dried krill to cycle my tank.Ive never gotten a reading of trates' or trites'. Im starting to get really mad. Last time I cycled with fish and I had readings of everthing within 3 days(my cycle also took 3 weeks then) What is wrong?
Thanks
 

triga22

Active Member
I know I need patience but like I said the last time I cycled it started within 3 days. Anyways. Yes I have live rock I think 20-25 pounds(rest in a 10 gallon with damsel.. long story).Yes I have live sand.
 

teen

Active Member
im sure krill will work, i would have started with something more "meaty" like a shrimp.
i cycled my tank with just uncured LR.
 

krull001

New Member
Once your cycle has started you need to leave the tank alone turn the lights off and let the tank do its thing... the more you mess with the tank the longer it could take for the tank to cycle.... let it run its corse!!!!! No water changes or anything only top the tank off with fresh RO water nothing else! Adding Krill to the tank will only cause your ammonia to stay at high levels! Let it run its corse!!!!!
 

triga22

Active Member
Thats all I have ammonia. When is the other stuff going to go up. I know not to do water changes. Ive done it with fish and it was much easier!!! Its been a Week n a half almost 2
 

m0nk

Active Member
When I cycled my 12 gallon it took over 2 weeks for anything other than ammonia to show up. I'm still somewhat new to the hobby, but I've read that it takes time because the ammonia has to kill off stuff from the LR and LS in order for the nitrites and nitrates to start spiking. Be patient. I'm sure someone has mentioned this somewhere but every cycle is different and just because your other one took X amount of time doesn't mean this one will. Hope that helps some.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by TriGa22
Thats all I have ammonia. When is the other stuff going to go up. I know not to do water changes. Ive done it with fish and it was much easier!!! Its been a Week n a half almost 2

There is no reason it should have been. All the fish were was an ammonia source...the same as the krill. I know you may be thinking the fish contributed something to the equation, but they do not.
Every tank cycling is different. Most fish cycling tanks I used to promote (yes, I did...when I didn't know better) took 6 weeks or so to cycle.
Well, you have decent ammonia readings...you are expecting to see more but with LR you may not. That may be a significant difference. I see no reason that krill wouldn't work...but if you wish go get a "meatier" shrimp from the grocery store. But you still may not see a lot of ammonia. Your test kits may not yet register
the nitrites or nitrates, but they may be there. What kind of test kit are you using? Red Sea (notorious for .25 false ammonia readings)?
What is your pH and alkalinity?
 

triga22

Active Member
Ok. I just tested and I have a little trates little. Im using the Saltwater Master liquid test kit. My ph is 8.2-8.3. I dont have an alkalinity test. Should I go get one?
 

gatorwpb

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
What kind of test kit are you using? Red Sea (notorious for .25 false ammonia readings)?
Red Sea Ammonia kits are horrible. I had zero ammonia days before I knew it because the test kit was so poor.
 

triga22

Active Member
Im not using that one though.Im using the Master test kit. Should I leave it or would I be better off getting Jumbo Shrimp?
 

triga22

Active Member
Alright this is starting to get annoying. 2 weeks gone by .50 ammonia. Trates-0.00 Trites-0.00 Ph-8.2 OMG Im going to shoot my tank!!!
 
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