14g Biocube: Paranoid Cycling Question

[tlkng1]

Good morning all

I am getting a constant Ammonia reading of .25 and I wasn't checking for Nitrates figuring the cycle was still ongoing. Since I was testing the fresh tanks, I went ahead and did the Nitrate on the reef and got a reading of 160. I just did about a 75% water change and will retest here in a few hours, but, is the high Nitrate reading indicative that the cycle is complete? All other paramters, Calcium, Phospahte, pH and hardness are at proper levels.

Tank has been running 22 days with liverock and 15 days with the CUC plus two Peppermint Shrimp (my Aiptasia hunters).

 

[slitherbomb]

Check again in a few hours for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. If ammonia and nitrite are at 0, and you have nitrates, it should be done.

 

[tlkng1]

Can I use a regular freshwater Nitrite test? The reef master kit doesn't have Nitrite.

 

[slitherbomb]

To be honest I'm not sure... I have the API test kit and it says on those that you can use it for fresh and salt water.

 

[carey]

The test is the same the colors are just different. With nitrite its easy, if it changes color you've got some LOL. Just can't be sure on hte reading, but the colors are close for fw and for sw.

 

[slitherbomb]

Lol