Stalled Cycle? Or just being impatient...

[baldbean]

Hi everyone.

 

I started a new tank and this is the first time I have used dead/dried rock (BRS Pukani). My last tank I used live rock from a couple LFSs in my area.

 

I used fish food to kick things and get the ammonia going. My original plan was to wait until it got to 2ppm and then add biospira. The thing is out of nowhere I started reading Nitrites and this was before I added anything.One thing I did do was add a powerhead that was in my last tank, but it was in a plastic bag for at least 4 months, Here is my current tank log using an API test kit :

 

Date 8/24 8/26 8/28 9/2 9/4 9/7 9/9 9/12

Temp 79.7 79 80 83 83 85.6 85.2 85.6

SG 1.024 1.024 1.025 1.025 1.025 1.025 1.024 1.026

Amm 0.25 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 0.25 0.2 0.1

Nitrite 0 0 0 0 5 2 2 2

Nitrate 0 0 0 0 20 40 40 40

I have a small mesh media bag in the bag in the tank that has fish food (pellets and flake) that has turned into mush. Its still there and I *think* it is still acting as an ammonia source.

 

The past week it has been stuck. Should I add the biospira (it may be dead now lol) or give it more time to do its thing?

 

[reefone]

I would take the bag of food out and let the tank finish doing its thing.

 

as for the biospira I would return it. if you feel you need to use it go a head it cant hurt.

[khuzdul]

I just finished cycling a tank with Pukani, it took almost two months, what with all the debris in the rock. I am surprised that your ammonia did not go off the charts between keeping the bag of fish food and the debris in the dry rock.

[baldbean]

Thanks for the replies.

 

On my laptop my numbers are nice and lined up. On my phone... holy crap they are a mess. Sorry for any confusion that may have

 

@reefone

I don't think I am going to use the biospira, we'll see. I thought the bacteria needed a constant food source and I assumed the food baggy was taking care of that. I was thinking of removing it anyway, so we'll see how it goes.

 

@khuzdul

My rocks weren't too dirty, they were just really dusty and bone dry. My ammonia didn't budge until I added the bag with food. I didn't add too much just a pinch of pellets and a few large flakes. I dis notice som floaties coming off of them though.

 

Thanks again.

[Mariaface]

The bacteria do need a constant food source, though fish food is going to supply a lot more than just pure ammonia (which you can also get and dose to exactly the concentration that you want).

 

It's been two weeks, and that pattern sounds about right. Ammonia comes up until the first kind catches up and turns it into nitrite, which builds until the second kind turns it into nitrate. Ammonia's coming down, so you may want to invest in scent/surfactant -free ammonia so keep it around 2-3ppm. When your bacteria can process that much within 12-24h, you'll know they're able to keep up.

 

The bioload that your tank will be able to handle once cycled is going to depend on how high a concentration of ammonia it can process within a day. If you don't keep ammonia up there, you'll need to start off with a lower bioload. Which is fine, just slower.

 

Good luck!