New tank wk 7 still no nitrite?

[AnnieT]

Set up my new tank 11th jan. Is a 35 litre biube (yip i know not popular & already thinking of upgrading!)
Anyway.. decided not to add LR or CUC to just get 2 small fish when tank has cycled.
Is now wk 7 ammonia spiked at 8ppm 2 wks ago after i added raw shrimp to kick start cycle (removed them when hit 8 overnight!). Amm now down to 4 (since 24/2) but still no sign of nitrite (or nitrate)
Am i being impatient or have i gone wrong somewhere??!
To get amm down i did 25% water change and replaced filter.
Ive also added 2 doses of instant aquarium on 15/2 and 1/3.

Any advice would be welcome!

Thanks!

[nxb161]

What is your setup like? I have a 29G Biocube, and I cycled in a month or so. But I did use LR, even took out the bioballs and put LR rubble in the back (I didn't make the bioball switch until a month or two after I cycled though) I'd avoid adding any chemicals or magic bacteria. Just with the raw shrimp in there, and let nature take its course. Did you double check your water parameters with a LFS? Also make sure you don't do any water changes until your cycle is complete. Oh, just noticed that you removed the shrimp...you should leave that in until your cycle is complete. That is your source of ammonia, and will continue to feed the cycle. One you remove that, the ammonia die down, and then there is nothing to feed your nitrite bloom. I actually left mine in after the cycle, but I see you don't want hermits, so you probably should take it out AFTER the tank is cycled completely.

[AnnieT]

Thanks so much for quick reply & advice!
Will pop another shrimp in the tank & keep it in there until i see nitrites. At least it will be something to look at in tank!!
Didnt realise water change & instant aquarium would set me back so will not do that anymore until cycle complete?
I just have the ceramic media & piece of fake rock that came in the biube marine conversion kit. Do you think i am missing out on a better tank set up by not having LR & a wee hermit crab? I was just afraid of overloading tank as 9G biube so small. Am i too late to add now?
Sorry for extra Qs!!

[kurtyboh]

if your ammonia went from 8 to 4 without a water change something in your tank had to use it... which would be your Nitrosomonas working for you. If ammonia is down because you did a pwc its a different story. Either way 8ppm ammonia isnt a bad thing because you have nothing living in your tank yet, ie nothing to harm. I know it's hard to wait, but your lfs may be able to help you out. Mine gave me a hunk of filter to help the process (anything in a tank already has Nitrosomonas-converting ammonia into nitrite and Nitrobacter-converting nitrite to nitrate on it).
remember once your bacteria's start to grow they need food or die, meaning Nitrosomonas need ammonia and Nitrobacters need nitrite.
Hope the info helps, and that the process starts soon.

kurt

[kurtyboh]

I was apparently typing as you were. No its not too late to add things now, live rock will have bacteria already on it so it can help as they just need to repopulate then but I don't have it in my tank which only took 3 weeks to cylce... I was just lucky about that I guess. Aslo I forgot to mention heat, and darkness helps any bacteria grow.