Cycle ?'s

[JohnVH]

I am 2 weeks into my cycle and Diatoms have started to appear along with some Hair Algae. I am doing a fishless cycle using a raw table shrimp. I am running my lights and skimmer through the cycle. I am running my lights through the cycle because the 20lbs of Live Rock I used to seed my dry rock has several colonies of GSP's and a few Mushroom Corals.​

? #1 - Is Hair Algae a normal part of the cycle (I am also running a Phosban Reactor w/ Rowaphos) Phosphate has never shown more than a slight trace on testing so far.​

? #2 - I used Seachem Stability for the 1st week of the cycle for the benefit of the corals on the Live Rock so I was wondering if this was going to affect my Ammonia Spike. My Ammonia level has not gone over 0.50 and I tested it today and it seems to be going down to 0.25 (today) How much of an Ammonia spike reading can I expect?​

? #3 - My NO2 Nitrite has never gone over 0.25 and today is 0. How much of a spike should I expect for NO2​

? #4 - My NO3 Nitrate has never gone over 0.50 and today is 0. How much of a spike should I expect for NO3​

Water Parameters tested today are
PH - 8.0 - 8.2 Consistantly since cycle started
Ammonia - 0.25
NO2 Nitrite - 0
NO3 Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - Maybe a slight trace (it's hard to tell if there is any color difference in the test kit) so it might be 0.25
SG 1.024​

Tank Specs:
70 Gallon tall
30 Gallon Sump
Temp. 78.5 consistanly
Phosban Reactor
Vertex N100 Skimmer
API Test Kit​

 

[robbrouse]

How might as your ammonia reached? Mind reached 3 or 4 ppm then dropped to 0.

 

[Northstar24]

It looks like your ammonia may be on the downswing

Its hard to say exactly what readings you'll get, but you'll see a spike in Ammonia, followed afterwards by a spike in nitrite.

Nitrate does not 'spike' you'll always have to deal with nitrates (most people address them with regular water changes)

 

[JohnVH]

My Ammonia has not gone over 0.50 yet. It seems to be on the down swing at the moment. My Nitrite has only got up to 0.25 and tested 0 today.