2.5 weeks and cycle ended?

[sweeper]

Okay guys this is where I currently stand, help is needed.

 

I started a 20L with RO/DI water, 30lbs of LS, and 9lbs of LR.

I added the LR 48 hrs after LS and SW was in the tank.

 

5 days later, filter running etc I took a water sample to petco for tests and it came out perfect, 0 across the board. I went to another LFS and same results.

 

They told me to add a damsel because it should be safe but just incase if a cycle occurs they are strong and can do fine.

 

So then I put in 2 damsel in the tank and about 6 days ago I went back to petco and my ammonia was very slightly up and was told you should see it spike then drop so it turns into nitrite/nitrate within a week to 2 weeks which indicates your cycle. I went in today, which is about 5 days after and my ammonia was sitting in between .5 and 1, 0 nitrate, 0 nitrite. the guy said a partial water change is needed to see if we can get rid of the ammonia that way. I asked if its a cycle starting since its about 2.5 weeks old he said it should have started by now but since you took LR from an established tank with fish and shrimps and starfish etc in it it could be that it already caused the cycle to end very quickly if a small one occurred. So now I am stuck here not knowing what to do, whether to do the water change, add my clownfish from my other tank that is being transfered into here or not because I dont know if the water is safe or it hasn't even started a cycle or it has and its was a very small one.

[pmemmer]

Give it a few more weeks, keep testing your water, and then move the clown. Don't rush. And get yourself some test kits of your own, too: you're going to need them anyway.

[sweeper]

I am about ot order the TK now, so I shouldn't do the partial water change now?

[sweeper]

just went and bought 6 more lbs of Fiji live rock cured

[TristanC]

If ammonia is still up the cycle hasn't finished, wait till you get only nitrates, water change, wait, check if all zero, then it should be done. water change then add clowns after a weeks worth of 0,0,0 readings.

[tinkerer]

is this your second or third thread on this matter?

[Rosti]

give it 2 more weeks to be safe,

[marinebiologist]

the new live rock will most likely have die off. so if thats the case your going to start up another mini cycle anyways.

[sweeper]

If ammonia is still up the cycle hasn't finished, wait till you get only nitrates, water change, wait, check if all zero, then it should be done. water change then add clowns after a weeks worth of 0,0,0 readings.

 

 

thanks.

 

I wasn't expecting the ammonia to last about a week without any nitrite showing up.