Still Cycling?????

[RAYRAY]

Just Need Some Input.
I Test My Water Every Other Day. Today(4/27) Being One Of Those Days.
My Figures Are Wierd To Me .....
My Ammonia Seems To Be Down From Between 1.0 & 3.0 To 0.5 & 0
Which Is A Good Thing. But The Weird Thing To Me Is That My Nitrite Did Spike About 2 Days Ago Reading Around 3.0
Now That Dropped To Right Around .5-1.0 Which Is Still High.
I Thought That Once The Nitrite Started Falling The Nitrate Was Going To Spike Or Rise.
It Has Been Staying The Same For About A Week Now Right At 20
Is There A Chance That The Nitrate Will Not Really Go Up But The Nitrite And Ammonia Still Drop ?????? Little Confused.
I'm Not In A Rush But Just Want To Make Sure Everything Is Normal Right Now. I Want To Add About 15 More Lbs Of Fully Cured Reef Rock That Has No Growth At All On It So It Shouldn't Start The Cycle Again. Any Suggestions Would Be Great
Thanks Like Always!!!!
Ray

 

[RigoSharon]

it looks like everyting is cycling ok...i see no bad in adding more live rock...just keep monitoring your parameters..

 

[reeffreak]

Hey RAYRAY are you seeing any algae yet?Some people don't always see a large nitrate spike after the cycle.The algae could be using it up or maybe some anerobic bacteria is breaking it down.Even adding fully cure live rock can start a mini cycle again,just be aware that the possibility is there.

Good luck...you are almost there.

 

[RAYRAY]

ALL MY REEF ROCK THAT I BOUGHT WAS PURE WHITE, RIGHT NOW I DO HAVE WHAT LOOKS TO BE GREEN ALGEA ON ONE OF THE BASE ROCKS WHICH LOOKS PRETTY COOL, IT ISNT SLIMMY , IT LOOKS LIKE A PART OF THE ROCK. I WAS HOPING IT WAS coralline algae.

 

[reeffreak]

Did you receive my pm?...just encase
When looking for live rock try to get some with decent coralline coverage,it will seed the rocks you have and help spread the coralline.Yeah it may start a cycle again but it should go pretty quick.

 

[NewbReefer]

Can Coraline algea be green?

 

[reeffreak]

Coralline can be green,if its hard and flakes off like the purple,pink stuff.

 

[NewbReefer]

interesting i've never heard or seen that. thats cool

 

[RAYRAY]

Well Now I Have Brown Algea Staring To Show Up... Not Good Right ???except That I Know My Tank Is Almost Cycled Right. I Changed The Time That My Lamps Are On To Just About 4 Hours Now So That Might Help With The Algea. I Want To Get A Clean Up Crewm But The Nitrites Are Not At Zero Yet. Guess Its Just The Waiting Game Now ??????

 

[reeffreak]

Wait til Ammonia and Nitrite is at zero before adding a cleanup crew.
Good Luck

 

[yote]

Thats the hardest part of this hobby.I hate waiting.
When the ammonia and nitrites are 0,just do 10 or 15% water change and add a clean up crew.
Just dont add to many at once,kinda use the algae as a guide as to how many of what to add.

 

[RAYRAY]

Man I Am Glad That I Have Patience!!!!! Seems Like Everything Just Is At A Stand Still. I Have Been Adding About A Gallon Of Purified Water Every 3 Days Or So But All My Numbers Are Staying The Same.
Ammonia = 0 Nitrtate = 1.5 Or So And Nitrites= 1.5-2.0
Maybe Its Mt Test Kit I Will Have To Check It Out????????

 

[RigoSharon]

probably what your tank needs ray is a boost...if it was me...ill add some cleaning crue..inverts...and coral banded shrimp..that will help the cycle..in mine it did....

 

[RAYRAY]

I Thinking About That , But I Dont Want To Lose Any Animals If My Nitrits Are Too High.....

 

[yote]

Have your LFS test your water,just to double check your test kit.I have known of them being way off.
I take in a cup full of water about once a month and let the store check it.

 

[NewbReefer]

What brand test kit do you use? im using Mardel, anyone had good or bad experience with that brand?

 

[reeffreak]

It could possibly be your test kit.Inverts are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite so wait until your sure they are at zero.I found that live bacteria culture that you can buy at the LFS can help boost the nitrifying bacteria population in new setups.Since your cycle is almost complete,its probably not worth it.

Did your add more live rock?If so,that might prolong the cycle.
Good Luck and try to be patient(I know its hard)

 

[reeffreak]

I'm not familiar with the Mardel test kit.I have two separate test kits an API and RedSea.The Salifert test kits are widely considered the best.IMO,stay away from the test strips,they are highly inaccurate...stick to the liquid test kits.

 

[RAYRAY]

FIGURES......... I'M USING TEST STRIPS lol ..... I THINK IM ALMOST THER GUYS. TESTED TODAY WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WHORK AND THE NITRITES ARE ALMOST DOWN TO ZERO. THIS IS MY FIRST MARINE TANK SO IM BEING VERY CAUTIOUS !!!!!!!

 

[NewbReefer]

Mardel are test strips too, i'll have my water tested by the LFS when i go in tomorrow and compare to what my test strips read.