survey question

[sold boat]

I'm curious as to what ammonia levels people have had after their first week of tank cycling

 

[teatime]

I never measured mine. I just assumed it would be bad and waited 1 month. Then it was 0.

 

[byrself]

i never measured mine either. i wouldn't worry about it. actually the higher the better as far as the cycling is concerned in my opinion. will be better cured once it's finished. if you are using damsels to cycle, i'm sure they are catching h@## though.

 

[nm reef]

I cycled my system with damsels and 45 lbs of un-cured LR. Ammonia spiked as high as 2.0 ppm...followed with lowering ammonia and a nitrite spike of near 2.0 ppm also. As the nitrites began to fall nitrates rose...but not nearly as high as the ammonia/nitrite did. I tested about every other day and the rise in ammonia was fairly rapid(within the first 2 weeks)...nitrite rose and fell slower. I think it would be a good idea to test a cycling system on a very regular basis just so you'll know what changes in the water chemistry are taking place. In time ammonia/nitrite will fall and nitrates will stabalise.Then you can begin the fun part...building your system to the ecosystem you want!

 

[jason weber]

I read mine at 2.5 ppm.

 

[nacl-h2o]

On my first reef cycle it was off the chart that went to 4.0ppm. My second reef cycle went to a color between 2 & 4 I assume around 3.0ppm. HTH

 

[carrie1429]

Mine was 0 all through the cycle.

 

[stacy]

On my last cycle I used the raw shrimp method. The ammonia was off the charts within a couple of days it was over 8.0 ppm. Thats as high as my test kit would read.

 

[jamiev3]

Mine was also 0 throughout the cycle. I watched my Am and Nitrite closely, neither ever really spiked. Slowly my Nitrate began to rise and the algee stared to take hold. I waited another 4-5 days to be safe, then got a LFS test to be safe again. Then I was done. HTH

 

[joe's reefer]

never measured during the cycle but it was like a month/month and a half and it was zero

 

[sold boat]

It's been just over a week with a damsel and cured live rock and its only up to .25 ppm amm
and about the same for nitrites.

 

[frankl15207]

If you start the tank off with live rock and sand immediately and it is truly "cured" live rock, you shouldn't have much of a spike. That's because the bacteria is already in place. Even if that is the case, it is still a good management practice to wait for 6 or 8 weeks before diving in head first into live stock. The tank and water still need to age. Young tanks also have a tendancy to recycle even if something small goes wrong.

 

[byrself]

how big is your tank? if it's around a 55 or bigger, one damsel isn't gonna raise it that much that quick. especially if the live rock is already cured. i cycled my 20 with 2 damsels and no live rock (originally). didn't test so i can't give you the readings i had, but that might be why you aren't getting very high readings.

 

[sold boat]

good point frank i have a 75 gallon tank and i added tlc bacteria not sure if anyone is familiar with that but it seems to work really good tends to lock up the ammonia and seeds the wet dry. goin on week 2 and the skimmer is starting to collect foam