Worried about my Ammonia rating

[nuwave59]

Hi!

This is Day 10 of my cycle, I put 2 big dead shrimps in there and my ammonia ratings are still reading 0.50 ppm. One shrimp has decomposed, they other one, which I added 2 days ago is 50% gone. I plan to add 2-3 more tomorrow. I'm worried about having a mini cycle and miss my shot. How many days did it take you to get a 3-4 ppm reading using this method? Tank is a 30g with 25 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of base rock.

 

[Kmurraylhs]

Might have had enough bacteria on the live rock to deal with most of the ammonia. I wouldn't add more shrimp and see if ammonia goes to zero.

 

[nuwave59]

Made another test this morning and it seems that it's starting to drop. Looks like something like 0.25 ppm.....I'll start looking for nitrites and nitrates. Maybe I'll start with a 10$ damsel and see how it's like, then return it to the LFS. But I heard those are fast and hard to catch...hummm.....but the false percula are tank raised and are hardy. If I prepare lots of water in case of emmergency water change and feed them carefully I think it'll be ok....but I'm not in a hurry. I'll wait for the ammonia and nitrite to be 0, and my nitrates below 10 ppm.

 

[carey]

You have to continue to dose up your ammonia, even after it hits 0. You want a nitrite reading adn then want that to drop to 0. So you'll probably have to add more ammonia source. But we'll wait and see what your trites read out at.

 

[nuwave59]

So if I got you right, I add more shrimps tonight?

 

[carey]

If you test with no nitrites yet, then yes, you gotta keep the ammonia level up so that it will convert to nitrites. The only way to get to nitrates is through nitrites converting and then dropping all by themselves to 0. OS no fish just yet. You dont want any damsels in there anyways, they are an aggressive and hard to catch bunch. And you wouldnt want to make a poor nemo suffer either would you? lol I didn't think so!

 

[nuwave59]

Oh no! Ok sorry if I repeat myself but I just want to make sure I understand.....When my shrimp are decomposed, I add other ones until I start to get nitrites readings, then I can stop adding them. Right?

 

[carey]

You will stop adding an ammonia source when your nitrites spike and then drop to 0. Til then you gotta keep the ammonia levels up.

 

[carey]

Did you read this article?

Cycle your salt tank

 

[nuwave59]

Yes I read it, but I understood that you added a shrimp at the beginning and that's all. So sorry to repeat again, but I think I got it now Remember that we speak french here in Quebec? I continue to add shrimps until I have 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites?, Then they will convert to Nitrates, I make a PWC, then when my Nitrates are below 10 ppm, I can add Marlin and Coral. Right?

 

[carey]

Correct. Since your ammonia and nitrites will be at 0 only should there be nitrates which you take out with water change. THEN you are ready. Just got to get those nitrites to show up and then drop. This is probably the longest part of cycling, the nitrites.

Good luck

 

[nuwave59]

Okay! thanks a lot again for the clear and precise advice Carey! Good luck you too with your new tank plumbing!

 

[carey]

Thanks so much! I'll be on here asking a ton of questions I'm sure of it.

 

[nuwave59]

Hummmmmmmmmm.....just made tests.....Amonnia 0 Nitrite 0 and.......Nitrates.....between 0 and 5 ppm? Day 11? Is it possible?

 

[carey]

Have you had a nitrite reading yet? As in any time since you started?
If not you probably need to re dose the ammonia and keep going...

 

[nuwave59]

I checked the Nitrites like.....3 or 4 times.....and saw nothing yet. So I'll wait for my Nitrites to spike......no hurry!