A little confused with my cycle.

[Oscarr19]

Ok so 17G, about ~30lbs of live rock, 20lbs live sand.

Been running fully for a week now and I've have a shrimp in there that fully decomposed. My highest ammonia reading was ~0.6ppm, nitrate went from 0 to 0.3 back to zero, and my nitrate went from 5, to a little darker than 5, to now 10ppm.

I haven't seen an ammonia or nitrite spike, yet my nitrates are rising. Currently, my ammonia still sits at 0.6. I had cloudy water suggesting a bacterial bloom but it's cleared up pretty much by now. Should I add in another shrimp?

 

[Oscarr19]

Bump. Bump.

 

[woody390]

What test kit is it? If no spike off rotting shrimp something doesn't sound right IMO

 

[Oscarr19]

What test kit is it? If no spike off rotting shrimp something doesn't sound right IMO

Nutrafin mini master test kit.

 

[Oscarr19]

Should I add another shrimp? I'm going to test again tonight.

 

[Trueerfan]

If you have nitrates, you had a cycle.

 

[Callen]

I cycled with the same cocktail shrimp method and had your same question about ammonia. I never saw it get to a high number, but my Nitrites did spike and then my nitrates steadily climbed too.

When your cycle is done, Ammonia and nitrites REALLY WILL go down to zero. Just keep testing every few days until you see that, then do a big water change to get your nitrates down.

It will come along

 

[Ingy]

With 30 lbs of LR in a 17 gal tank, I wouldn't expect much of a cycle at all. That much LR should have all the bacteria you need.

 

[Callen]

+1 on the live rock. I also had about 2x as much live rock as tank volume (150 lbs rock for a 75 gallon tank) Everyone told me that helped reduce my cycle time.

 

[Oscarr19]

Sweet haha thanks guys! Gonna keep doing parameter checks every other day until I hit zero ammonia and nitrite. I might dose a little more ammonia somehow just to be safe before I add any inverts.

 

[Oscarr19]

Ok I just tested and here's what I got.

0.6ppm Ammonia
0ppm Nitrite
20ppm Nitrate

My nitrates are rising but this stubborn ammonia doesn't want to hit zero -.-

 

[Callen]

Did you dose the ammonia again like you said you were going to do? If you tested too quickly after that it might cause your reading to be high since the bacteria haven't had a chance to consume it all just yet.

Also, to spare you some grief, do not add any inverts yet. I put some in my tank too early and have been lucky so far, but everyone here ( and things I have read since) advises to wait 9-12 months until a tank matured before adding inverts.

 

[Oscarr19]

I haven't added another shrimp. Still the same shrimp there's still some flesh swinging around that's stuck on some live rock but I mean it's barely there. So I shouldn't really have an ammonia reading. I'm confused as to why I'm still catching this 0.6 yet, my nitrites are converting to nitrates :s

I've been told/heard otherwise on the invert thing though.

 

[Oscarr19]

Same results today so I added two more small shrimps.

 

[Callen]

Can't hurt to add those shrimp. If you've got the BB built up they will convert it. Eventually that ammo is will hit zero... I promise!

 

[Oscarr19]

Can't hurt to add those shrimp. If you've got the BB built up they will convert it. Eventually that ammo is will hit zero... I promise!

I'll just have to keep testing and hope for the best!

 

[Oscarr19]

Shrimps clouded my water again. Hopefully when I get home I'll see that ammonia spike. I want it to raise and then I'll remove the shrimp and let the bacteria do it's job.

 

[Oscarr19]

No ammonia spike but 0.1 nitrites and nearly 50ppm nitrate so I'm guessing I'm missing the ammonia spikes. Gonna pull the shrimp out Sunday morning and hopefully by Monday I should have 0 across the board except for nitrates.

 

[Callen]

How is it coming along Oscar?

 

[Oscarr19]

Good! I've added my snails and I'm picking up some more inverts tomorrow. I think the constant ammonia reading is due to my test kit. Freshly made saltwater also tests at 0.6 ammonia.