High trates and trites

[Calebsanders]

Hey guys I am setting up a 55gallon saltwater tank. It has been cycling for a little over 3 weeks now.
The 1st week was just water.
2nd was with 13lbs uncured live rock from my LFS. After that week I attempted to wash the rock off and scrub off as much die off as I could with a new toothbrush and fresh saltwater. Then I did a 25-30% water change and put the live rock back in with 20lbs of base dead rock. When I put that back in my ammonia levels were at .25 and trates and trites were off the chart.

Now, a week later, my ammonia is as close to 0 as it possibly could be. And my trates and trites are still off the chart with my liquid test kit.

What can I do to get the trates and trites to go down? My LFS says all I can do is wait, but patience is not somthing I'm great at! Haha

I am new to saltwater tanks but I was wondering if maybe I needed to add a small source of ammonia to restart the cycling process or would that just throw it all out of whack?

Sorry for such a long post but I tried to add as much detail as I can think you'd need!

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Calebsanders]

Oh btw my PH is at 8.0-8.1 range

 

[Ingy]

PH is fine. As for trites, best to just keep waiting. Perhaps a small piece of shrimp just to keep the ammonia bacteria fed while you wait for the final stage of the cycle to complete. Once nitrite hits zero, remove shrimp and wait 24 hrs to make sure ammonia hits 0 again. Big PWC to remove trates and yer ready.

 

[Calebsanders]

Ok so I was right about the ammonia source. Now would it be a saltwater shrimp or just like a shrimp you eat?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

In my experience, I would add very cured live rock and my tank almost instantly cycled.

 

[Calebsanders]

Yea well this rock wasnt cured so I knew I'd have to cure it then cycle the tank but disn't think it'd take this long

 

[Ingy]

Your getting there.

Table shrimp, but not a whole one just to maintain some ammonia source. 1/2 for tank, 1:2 for you.

 

[Calebsanders]

Alright cool thanks!

 

[Calebsanders]

So an update to my aquarium. I put the half shrimp in there and it's been 72 hrs. I tested my water and the levels are the exact same as they were before.

 

[Ingy]

Trites take awhile. Patience.

 

[Pisces3473]

So an update to my aquarium. I put the half shrimp in there and it's been 72 hrs. I tested my water and the levels are the exact same as they were before.

When i was fish in cycling my 55 fresh a while ago I stalled the cycle and unfortunately lost a fish before the process was over. I truly believe that little orange molly that died was the reason the cycle finished, cause when I got back from vacation all was done and the nitrates were at 60 ppm. Water change and done. I agree with Ingy, "Patience."

 

[Gti_Leo]

PH is fine. As for trites, best to just keep waiting. Perhaps a small piece of shrimp just to keep the ammonia bacteria fed while you wait for the final stage of the cycle to complete. Once nitrite hits zero, remove shrimp and wait 24 hrs to make sure ammonia hits 0 again. Big PWC to remove trates and yer ready.

don't seed more ammonia,


it'll take time to push all the nitrites out, just wait it out and once thats done you'll also notice the nitrates will drop also.

this hobby is not abotu speed, when you rush things you cause problems

 

[Budda619]

Everytime you add a new piece if live rock your system will go through a minicycle, patience is a virtue

 

[Gti_Leo]

Everytime you add a new piece if live rock your system will go through a minicycle, patience is a virtue

noit really it may just add an ammonia spike if there is alot of die off, but the bacteria colony you already have will consume the spike pretty quickly, the thing is if the spike is large enough more sensitive corals and fish could be effected, so the real question is it worth the risk