What is going on?!?!? someone help me!

[rotarymagic]

Originally Posted by JTT
http:///forum/post/2810859
Sorry i was supposed to update this yesterday, but i was too exhausted from work. yesterday was totally the same as the day before, but today... something weird happens in my nitrates... yes... nitrAtes not nitrItes.
does anyone have any explanation as to whats going on?!?!
Day 8~
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
Day 9~Today
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 20 !!!!!!!!!!!!
you're gettin there... the low pH might be causing die off still, check the alkalinity and get it up to 12dKH.. should stabilize the pH..

 

[jtt]

did another text late tonight, since i tested that this morning...
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites:0
Nitrates: 20
so the ammonia is gone... nitrates are up... its day 9.... wtf?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by JTT
http:///forum/post/2812481
did another text late tonight, since i tested that this morning...
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites:0
Nitrates: 20
so the ammonia is gone... nitrates are up... its day 9.... wtf?

I see nothing abnormal.

 

[jtt]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2812546
I see nothing abnormal.
but is it supposed to have cycled already by day 9? i didnt see an ammonia spike any bigger than 0.5 and no nitrite spike.... the LR i bought is covered in that purple algae that is apparently extremely desirable. my brother has been into saltwater fish for ages, he rekons that the bacteria was doin its job and it didnt need to spike ammonia or nitrites... what do you think?

 

[bang guy]

I think your tank is cycled but not stable yet. I never allow ammonia to stay higher than 0.5ppm when cycling a tank.
When a cycling tank is at the stage yours is I typically ghost feed a tiny amount of food to keep the bacteria populations high for at least a couple of weeks before adding any livestock.
That's what I would do, there are dozens of ways to finish a cycle and they all work to varying degrees.