Early nitrates - prime the culprit?

[dingusplease]

Hello all,
So my 55 fowlr is a week into it's cycle, with all dry rock (except for a few small pieces of LR.) All dry sand as well. Tap water used with prime conditioner, but only for the initial fillup.

Weirdly enough, here are my params:
- ammonia: 2
- nitrite: 5
- nitrate: 80

I'm stumped about the nitrite and nitrate, since I expected the curing process to take much longer. Any ideas?

 

[dingusplease]

Also, my tap is perfectly clean of nitrates. Could prime be the source?

 

[daler81]

I would say that tap water is a no no no mater what your water from your tap shows! For the nitrite and nitrate issues if not from your tap i would say your tank hasn t enough bacteria built up! Only way to remove that high of nitrates is large water change maybe 2 a wk


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[daler81]

Are you feeding the tank?


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[daler81]

Its only a wk old give it time!


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[dingusplease]

I'm using tap primarily because of cost, but also because I checked out my city water quality report and found out my tap is straight from an aquifer - I checked everything including tds, no2, no3, ammonia, heavy metals, etc.

I'm not feeding the tank, nor were there any bacterial cultures added.

Thanks for replying, I agree it just needs time. I was just wondering what the source of the nitrates could be, given such sparse bacteria seeding.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Could be some stuff leaching out of the dry rock. Do you have phosphates too?


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[daler81]

Put your live rock you do have ontop of the dry it will help filter the nitrates


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[daler81]

Hope that helps


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[BigRedsReefs10]

Put your live rock you do have ontop of the dry it will help filter the nitrates


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How would that do anything?


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[dingusplease]

Could be some stuff leaching out of the dry rock. Do you have phosphates too?


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Could be, I didn't do an acid bath with the knowledge that it might leach phosphates etc.
Phosphates are at 1.5 but some must be bound by the early algae.

 

[dingusplease]

Put your live rock you do have ontop of the dry it will help filter the nitrates


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Not sure I understand what you're getting at - do you mean placing the existing LR in more direct flow?

 

[daler81]

Yah more water flow over rock


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[daler81]

Maybe even rinse your food off in r o water alot of food is pacaged in phosphate


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[dingusplease]

Yah more water flow over rock


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Not currently feeding the tank, as there are no inhabitants and I have already initiated the cycle.

I have them in good flow currently, and no disrespect intended but I'm not trying to get the cycle to go any faster - the bacterial seeding is already done.

What Red mentioned seems like a good explanation, as I'm not feeding the tank right now.

 

[daler81]

No worries i was commenting on a different post of yours were you fed homemade food! I crossed post my bad lol! Nice to be able to have discussions and get knowledge on the hobby we all enjoy!


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[dingusplease]

No worries i was commenting on a different post of yours were you fed homemade food! I crossed post my bad lol! Nice to be able to have discussions and get knowledge on the hobby we all enjoy!


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No prob glad to have discussion! Seems like the rocks are the best explanation. The diatoms are really taking off at this point btw, and the ammo is starting to drop.