Odd Cycle..?

[User]

So I started my cycle two days ago and my results were very surprising. I am using two dead shrimp to cycle my tank.

Why its weird:

-I put the shrimp in two days ago and have readings for everything. Could it have triggered my Live Rock to die off? My live rock was not dying when I first put it in for some reason.

-Ammonia 1ppm
-NitrIte 5ppm
-NitrAte 40ppm

Does anyone know whats happening?

 

[User]

Here is the picture of my results:

 

[Sharklover]

Im pretty sure thats supposed to happen but w8 4 sum1 wit more experience

 

[millerb7]

Dose the ammonia back up to 4ppm... you're about ready for your 50% water change.... basically want to get the nitrItes and nitrAtes off the chart, then do a 50% water change so you can read them again... then keep going... soon after you'll nitrItes and ammonia will read 0 and you're nitrAtes will be really high... then its basically done.. time for the 90% change and cooling the water back down before you put fish in to get the nitrAtes under 20 for the fish.

That's how I understood the fish less cycle anyways as it was written up on here... again, I'm in the middle of mine as well, my first tank, so take what i say with a grain of salt, I'm new too.

 

[millerb7]

Oh yeah... not a bad idea to do a pH test now too.

BTW did you have any seeding material? 48 hours for the cycle is REALLY fast, like unheard of from what I've been reading without seeding material.


But alas, you're in salt water, and I've never dabbled with it at all... so who knows... maybe I'm completely off

 

[User]

Dose the ammonia back up to 4ppm... you're about ready for your 50% water change.... basically want to get the nitrItes and nitrAtes off the chart, then do a 50% water change so you can read them again... then keep going... soon after you'll nitrItes and ammonia will read 0 and you're nitrAtes will be really high... then its basically done.. time for the 90% change and cooling the water back down before you put fish in to get the nitrAtes under 20 for the fish.

That's how I understood the fish less cycle anyways as it was written up on here... again, I'm in the middle of mine as well, my first tank, so take what i say with a grain of salt, I'm new too.

Is it weird that it has been two days?

 

[User]

Cant dose the ammonia due to the shrimp is the ammonia source. If live rock rubble is seeding material then i guess that is it. I guess I will find out whats going on over the next week...

 

[David S]

where did you get the rock from,If from another tank you'll find the bacteria is doing its job,leave the shrimp in there for a few more days,dont worry about testing for nitrates just yet.Take the shrimp out if there is any left after a couple of days then test for amm and trites.when the amm is 0 test for trites and trates,when the trites are zero and your trates start to drop then its time for a water change of around 20% if reading around 20 more if reading is higher.then your ready to stock.

 

[User]

where did you get the rock from,If from another tank you'll find the bacteria is doing its job,leave the shrimp in there for a few more days,dont worry about testing for nitrates just yet.Take the shrimp out if there is any left after a couple of days then test for amm and trites.when the amm is 0 test for trites and trates,when the trites are zero and your trates start to drop then its time for a water change of around 20% if reading around 20 more if reading is higher.then your ready to stock.

I got most of the rock from a friend, it was dead live rock. i then bought 4lbs of live rock and 4 pounds of lr rubble from a fish store near me.

 

[David S]

what size tank is it

 

[User]

10gal standard size

 

[David S]

It wont take long for a tank that small with live rock to cycle,

 

[User]

I just did that. Thanks! I hope itll help..

 

[kurtyboh]

yes but those images were not even close to cycled...

 

[David S]

yes but those images were not even close to cycled...

He hasn't actually said it was cycled, he just thought the readings where weird.

 

[kurtyboh]

my bad, i saw "i think i just did that" and assumed he finished his cycle