Cycling

lawdawg161

lawdawg161

Member
I am in the middle of my cycle. I got an ammonia spike after about 2 days (4.0 ppm), and then a few days later the nitrate and nitrite went up (NO2 = >5.0 and NO3 around 40). The problem that I'm having is that these levels haven't changed at all in like 10 days. The ammonia level has been at 0 for over a week, but the NO2 and NO3 haven't changed even a fraction.
I know this takes time, but after the way the NH3 spiked and reduced so quickly, I wanna make sure I'm not doing something wrong.
55 gal
10lb live rock
40-50lb base rock
penguin 330 biowheel filter
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
What do you have in there to kick start the ammonia?
You need something to produce an ammonnia spike.
Maybe a dead uncooked shrimp should help.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
he already kick started his cycle his problem is his other readings arent falling. Once your nitrites fall to 0 do a water change it will help with the nitrates.
 
lawdawg161

lawdawg161

Member
That was my intention, but I was expecting to see at least a little movement in the nitrates/nitrites by now. I guess I'm just being impatient. I don't have a skimmer yet, I can't remember if that has anything to do with removal of nitrates/nitrites. I don't think it does.
 
K

ky reefer

Guest

Originally posted by RUBBERDUCK
i would wai a little longer before becoming worried
:yes: :yes:
 
vlondi

vlondi

Member

Originally posted by lawdawg161
I'm not sure "worried" is the right word. I would go with a combination of excited/impatient.
I know the feeling. I just started my 55 gallon cycling on Thursday and did my first parameter reading on Friday. I looked at the results and was like, "What?!? No super-spike yet?"
Heh, patience is all I suppose. I can't remember which of my tests it is, but I think that the Nitrites test is a bit finicky; you have to be sure you are doing everything correctly or you get an inaccurate reading. My suggestion is just to recheck your test methods and be sure you are administering/reading them accurately.
Also, what are you cycling your tank with? If you are using only the LR and it is fully cured you may not get enough die-off to really jump start your cycle; although a little bit would make ammonia jump you may not get enough to really let your nitrite bacteria establish well. If you haven't yet, add something to decompose and get the tank kickin' off right.
 
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