HELP with cycling!

[hotjeepinmomma]

Hey guys i'm confused! The 20 gal was cycled everything was at 0 for two days i tested again today and:
ammonia .50
Nitrites 0
Nitrates .15
Temp 78
Salt .20 a lil low cause i topped it off yesterday.
I don't understand why it keeps doing this! This is the third time its went to zero, but this time it stayed for two days, last 2 times it was only for a day. Thank god i didn't by fish today!! Please help and let me know if you need any more info! Thanks so much!

 

[austin]

dont worry just let everything do what it does... make to ghost feed every few days.. but for mine i just let the tank sit for a month cycling

 

[hotjeepinmomma]

Originally Posted by austin
http:///forum/post/2454444
dont worry just let everything do what it does... make to ghost feed every few days.. but for mine i just let the tank sit for a month cycling
Well this one has been cycling for 6 weeks already! I just dont get why it keeps spiking like this!

 

[lexluethar]

Hmm, how did you cycle? If you cycled properly it could just be a false positive. Test in a few hours, or tomorrow and see if you still get an ammonia reading. What your readings tell me is that you've already cycled (because you have nitrates) and that something was recently added or recently died. Did you just add a fish? Or some LR? If no, how high did your ammonia reach when you first cycled?
I would also be worried about your SG/Salinity, i don't know if you mean 1.020 - which is really low, or 20 ppt which is really really low. At 1.020 any inverts you add will more than likely die, you need to increase this to around 1.026 or 34 ppt.

 

[hotjeepinmomma]

Originally Posted by LexLuethar
http:///forum/post/2454502
Hmm, how did you cycle? If you cycled properly it could just be a false positive. Test in a few hours, or tomorrow and see if you still get an ammonia reading. What your readings tell me is that you've already cycled (because you have nitrates) and that something was recently added or recently died. Did you just add a fish? Or some LR? If no, how high did your ammonia reach when you first cycled?
I would also be worried about your SG/Salinity, i don't know if you mean 1.020 - which is really low, or 20 ppt which is really really low. At 1.020 any inverts you add will more than likely die, you need to increase this to around 1.026 or 34 ppt.
Its been cycling for a while i already ghost fed. I haven't added anything new at all i started with everything when i begun the cycle! I know the salt is low 1.020 cause i added fresh water yesterday to top it off... should i do a water change?
here are my readings:
When i started the cycle one day after that ammonia was .50 then .75 then 1.5 then back down to 0, then 1.5 then 1.0 then .50 then zero, for two days and now they are .15.
Nitrates have went no higher than 15 until today was 20.
Nitrites was .5 then .10 then zero all the way till today and its .25.
See what i mean they go up and down up and down constantly... i checked it and had the lfs check it there readings were a little bit higher than mine were!!
Any suggestions!?

 

[apos]

Yes, you need your salinity up, and soon (though, not FAST: better to learn to do it gradually), if only because it can hurt critters in your live rock to have it that low. Very slowly increase the salinity by mixing water change water with a bit higher than normal salinity, relative to your total water volume and the amount of water you are changing. Then siphon that new water in slowly after siphoning out the old water.
The salinity could actually be the reason for your spikes: the low salnity is causing random things in the LR to die, which then release toxic chemicals, which cause more things to die, and all this death releases ammonia, which might take your bacteria unawares.
However, cycling sometimes can just take awhile. It really depends on the tank. It's very good that you are being so cautious. It will save you time and money in the future.
However, topping off should not ever be a cause of a DROP in your salinity from your target salinity. The way it works is that you set your target salinity, and then water evaporates and this slightly INCREASES your salinity, and then you top off with treated freshwater... which should then bring everything back to the target salinity. Topping off should never drop your salinity below the amount that you set to begin with during the last water change. The best way to do this right is to mark the water level in your tank or your sump right after a water change and when the salinity is where you want it. Then you can simply topoff to that established line. You'll have to move the line every water change, of course.

 

[lexluethar]

I can't agree more, since you said you have things in your tank already (LR) i bet the low SG is killing things, so every few days something dies, spiking your tank causing another cycle. Get that target SG to about 1.025 then keep it within 1.024 (when you top off with RO/DI water) and 1.026 (when your water level is lower) - then i bet you will see those mini cycles stop.

 

[hotjeepinmomma]

Originally Posted by LexLuethar
http:///forum/post/2454735
I can't agree more, since you said you have things in your tank already (LR) i bet the low SG is killing things, so every few days something dies, spiking your tank causing another cycle. Get that target SG to about 1.025 then keep it within 1.024 (when you top off with RO/DI water) and 1.026 (when your water level is lower) - then i bet you will see those mini cycles stop.
ok thanks! well the salt has only been that low today, so what could be causing the other spikes, its always been at 1.022!!

 

[apos]

1.022 is still a little low. Don't pay attention to your hydrometers claimed "good" range. Pay attention to what a good reefing book says the salinity should be for a reef tank. Hydrometers suck all around (but refractometers are way overpriced and hard to find anywhere but the internet, so what you gonna do?)

 

[lexluethar]

The reason for the other spikes is they are all releated to ammonia. Ammonia turns into NItrite, which then turns into Nitrate. So when something dies, poops, or breaks down, ammonia is created. Bacteria colonize your tank and eat the ammonia and turn it into nitrite, then anotehr one turns nitrite into nitrate. So when you get ammonia spikes, everything else will go up eventually.
I hope you are using RO/DI water, if not you need to start doing so. There could be metals and chemicals in the water that could be killing anything living in your tank. And if you can get your hands on a refractometer do so ASAP.

 

[hotjeepinmomma]

Originally Posted by LexLuethar
http:///forum/post/2454762
The reason for the other spikes is they are all releated to ammonia. Ammonia turns into NItrite, which then turns into Nitrate. So when something dies, poops, or breaks down, ammonia is created. Bacteria colonize your tank and eat the ammonia and turn it into nitrite, then anotehr one turns nitrite into nitrate. So when you get ammonia spikes, everything else will go up eventually.
I hope you are using RO/DI water, if not you need to start doing so. There could be metals and chemicals in the water that could be killing anything living in your tank. And if you can get your hands on a refractometer do so ASAP.
Okay i've never hurd of keeping your salt that high only for reef tanks! I've always kept mine at 1.022 for the past year!

 

[sh2000]

Originally Posted by LexLuethar
http:///forum/post/2454762
The reason for the other spikes is they are all releated to ammonia. Ammonia turns into NItrite, which then turns into Nitrate. So when something dies, poops, or breaks down, ammonia is created. Bacteria colonize your tank and eat the ammonia and turn it into nitrite, then anotehr one turns nitrite into nitrate. So when you get ammonia spikes, everything else will go up eventually.
I hope you are using RO/DI water, if not you need to start doing so. There could be metals and chemicals in the water that could be killing anything living in your tank. And if you can get your hands on a refractometer do so ASAP.
would natrual spring water kill copepods ? off lr ?
I doubt there are metals or copper in this water is purified and humand drink it so i dunno.

 

[sh2000]

Any responses ?