0 ammonia on fish-less cycled tank

[mx_fire]

Hi again, I’m expecting the breakdown of ammonia to be completed in the next couple of days.

 

I won’t be able to get any livestock still at least the weekend so my question is whether I should continue dosing a small amount of ammonia to keep my BB alive till I’m ready to add fish.

 

thanks! 

[ReefGoat]

Those bacteria will survive for longer than you realize without adding additional ammonia. As long as you're sure your tank can process the waste that adding livestock will produce. I'd leave it alone and not add anymore ammonia. If your tank is truly cycled....one week with adding absolutely nothing to the tank won't hurt anything. 

[Clown79]

Bacteria will not die unless you dry out the rock.

 

Over time bacteria will go dormant but it doesn't die.

 

So once the tank is cycled, there is no need to continue adding ammonia 

[mx_fire]

Ok great, thanks! So I’ll jsut leave it till I’m able to get my initial fish and CUC - do a large waterchange the day before and should be good to go? 

[OPtasia]

I think you need to slow down and measure your nitrites before you can safely add things to your tank. Be patient. Don't rush things. Nothing good in this hobby happens quickly.

 

Remember your nitrogen cycle goes like this: Ammonia > NitrITE > NitRATE

 

Just because you have zero ammonia doesn't mean you have zero nitrite. Nitrite is equally toxic. You need to wait until the nitrite is also undetectable. Then, through water changes with a good sea salt and RO/DI water, bring your nitrates below 10 ppm and you should be okay to start adding CUC. Hold off on any corals until after your first diatom bloom is over.

[Clown79]

On 10/8/2018 at 12:11 PM, mx_fire said:

Ok great, thanks! So I’ll jsut leave it till I’m able to get my initial fish and CUC - do a large waterchange the day before and should be good to go? 

A completed cycle is 

 

Ammonia rises and processes to 0, nitrite does the same, nitrates are reduced by waterchanges.

 

If you are dosing ammonia, you want 2ppm of ammonia to process in 24hrs.

 

Once your cycle is complete, a waterchange is done. The percentage depends on nitrate levels.

You want the final nitrates between 5-10ppm so some people have to do 50, 80, 100% waterchange.

 

After this you can slowly start adding livestock.

 

 

[squamptonbc]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php