Help! Reef Tank Cycle

[rpd]

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can help me to understand what's going on in regards my tank and the cycle. I have now been cycling my reef tank for 2 weeks doing a fishless cycle using pure ammonia and live rock and live sand. I have been adding ammonia to raise its levels to 3ppm when it has dropped to 0.2ppm as I have read on many articles, forums and so on. Last time I added ammonia was 3 days ago and I have now 0 ammonia, 2ppm NO2 and 5ppm NO3.

I want to believe I'm going in the right direction as I understand that nitrosomonas bacteria population grows faster than the nitrobacter bacteria population.

Should I add more ammonia? Should I just wait until NO2 levels dropped to 0 to consider my cycle done? Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Sniperhank]

You want to keep dosing the ammonia levels. Your goal, is to dose your tank with ammonia and have all of the ammonia and nitrites be consumed in 24 hours, so no detectable levels of such after dosing in 24 hours.

 

[spoonman]

You have to keep dosing. It is simulating having fish in there that are eating and pooping...etc. When the cycle is complete you will convert 4ppm of ammonia into 0 ammonia, 0 NitrIte and high nitrAtes within 24 hours. Then a big water change to get the nitrAtes down and you are good to go.