cycle finished, but no nitrates?

[darkfish]

This is my first tank. I have been cycling with uncured rock for a month now and my nitrites are finally down from their spike off the charts. I did my first nitrate test yesterday and a second today (maybe I should have started sooner). Both tests had 0 nitrates. Is this normal. I was expecting the nitrite spike to be followed by a nitrate spike but maybe I missed it or it is still coming.
When is it safe to add some cleanup crew

 

[jayking232003]

test for ammonia next! Usually uneaten food and other stuff like that causes nitrates. If your not feeding,,,,, it may be 0.
I have yet to see mine at 0.... I can get it to .5,, but nothing lower

 

[darkfish]

Thanks for a fast reply! I don't have an ammonia tester. The fish store lady said I didn't need one since nitrite would indicate the same thing

.
I am just confused why a nitrite spike would just disapear without leaving nitrates. Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[darkfish]

bump

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by Darkfish
http:///forum/post/2994470
I don't have an ammonia tester. The fish store lady said I didn't need one since nitrite would indicate the same thing

.
Lose the LFS. You need an ammonia test kit. Ammonia spike will alert you to possible death in your tank. You need to be able to test for ammonia.
Originally Posted by Darkfish
http:///forum/post/2994470
I am just confused why a nitrite spike would just disapear without leaving nitrates. Anyone have an opinion on this?
What was your nitrite test result?
What was your nitrate test result?
Were you ghost feeding your LR?

 

[darkfish]

nitrites are now somewhere between 0 and .25
nitrates are somewhere between 0 and 5 but the color looks like 0 to me.
I don't ghost feed. Was this a newbie mistake?

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by Darkfish
http:///forum/post/2994729
nitrites are now somewhere between 0 and .25
nitrates are somewhere between 0 and 5 but the color looks like 0 to me.
I don't ghost feed. Was this a newbie mistake?
It gives your bacteria a food source to ensure growth of the colony. You may not have had enough die off to start the nitrogen cycle. Your rock simply had a enough bacteria present to convert the compuonds. Increasing bioload may induce a cycle as bacteria increases to handle the extra waste. If you feed the tank it will ensure that the bacteria has a food source to build the colony. You may not have cycled but had a small spike from the die off from your rock. You could add a cocktail shrimp and measure your levels, or start ghost feeding and watch for a nitrogen cycle. Google "nitrogen cycle in marine aquariums" for details.

 

[darkfish]

There was tons of die off. This was uncured rock and I know there was at least 1 dead crab as well as many feather dusters that I am sure would have started a roaring cycle.
So you are saying that every true cycle has a nitrate spike at the end that lasts a week at least?

 

[geoj]

I think you missed it, that the nitrates were there and now are not. How long from start to cycle finished.

 

[locoyo386]

Originally Posted by Darkfish
http:///forum/post/2994462
This is my first tank. I have been cycling with uncured rock for a month now and my nitrites are finally down from their spike off the charts. I did my first nitrate test yesterday and a second today (maybe I should have started sooner). Both tests had 0 nitrates. Is this normal. I was expecting the nitrite spike to be followed by a nitrate spike but maybe I missed it or it is still coming.
When is it safe to add some cleanup crew

If you cycled with live rock, you should be ghost feeding. Once your nitrites go to zero, than you should be able to add your first fish. This is where an ammonia testing solution is handy. That way you could check and make sure you do not get ammonia when you add new fish. This will assure you that the colony of bacteria is keeping up with the additional ammonia from the new fish.

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/2995326
I think you missed it, that the nitrates were there and now are not.
I tend to agree, here.
You said you had nitrites "off the charts" would lead me to believe you simply may have missed the trates.
Feed the tank for a day or two and see if you have a spike. If not, begin adding livestock.
Buy an ammonia test kit.

 

[locoyo386]

Hi there,
Originally Posted by socal57che
http:///forum/post/2995335
I tend to agree, here.
You said you had nitrites "off the charts" would lead me to believe you simply may have missed the trates.
Not sure what you mean by the above statement. I believe that once the nitrates start to go up, they will not come back down on their own. The only way nitrates could have been missed is if there was a water change (before testing for nitrates) big enough to bring them to zero or if denitrification was acheived and nitrates were reduced to zero before testing was done (not very likely).
Feed the tank for a day or two and see if you have a ("an ammonia spike") spike. If not, begin adding livestock.
Buy an ammonia test kit.

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by locoyo386
http:///forum/post/2995341
Hi there,
Originally Posted by socal57che
I tend to agree, here.
You said you had nitrites "off the charts" would lead me to believe you simply may have missed the trates.
Originally Posted by locoyo386
http:///forum/post/2995341
Not sure what you mean by the above statement.
If nitrites came own as Darkfish said, there must have been a nitrate increase. Bad test kit, maybe.
Originally Posted by locoyo386
http:///forum/post/2995341
I believe that once the nitrates start to go up, they will not come back down on their own. The only way nitrates could have been missed is if there was a water change (before testing for nitrates) big enough to bring them to zero or if denitrification was acheived and nitrates were reduced to zero before testing was done (not very likely).
I agree. Same goes for nitrites. They were reduced, so the trate spike must have been overlooked either with a water change or bad test kit.
Feed the tank for a day or two and see if you have a ("an ammonia spike") spike. If not, begin adding livestock.
Buy an ammonia test kit.
Yes.
Hence the statement "buy an ammonia test kit."
We agree here, it's just a matter of the reason for no nitrate reading.

 

[darkfish]

Ok thanks all for the input. I now know what i need to do. I think I will make a trip to the fish store today, have them test the water just to be sure my test kits are working. I will also get an ammonia tester and get some food for feeding the ghosts in the water!