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View Full Version : New tank nitrates have spiked ! cycle almost complete ?

Acipenser
10-30-2011, 06:29 PM
specs :
26 G Bowfront
at least 30lbs of live rock
2 inches of caribe sugar "live" sand
2 450 gph power heads
100 w fluval heater

ph 8.0
ammonia < 0.25 ppm
nitrites 0.0 ppm
nitrates spiked to 40 ppm
salinity 1.0245
temp 78 deg f

Tank has been running for 1 week, I just did a 4 gallon change and will retest tonight
I am having a hard time being patient and REALLY want to add somthing to my tank .
Wayne
10-30-2011, 07:03 PM
I am having a hard time being patient and REALLY want to add somthing to my tank .

Please just wait, you won't regret it. Hopefully next week if things have leveled out you can start throwing a clean up crew in to have something to look at :biggrin:
Money pit
10-30-2011, 07:04 PM
Give it a bit more time, unless this was pre cured rock, its likely just the first wave, all the bacteria that turned your No2 to NO3 will die off as you now have 0 No2. Its probably already started to happen, giving you the .25 ammonia reading. Keep testing and you should begin to see lower and lower spikes until things stabilize. On the other hand if the rock has already been cured, you may be lucky, keep testing and you will see when it stabilizes.
Once the cycle is over, do a large water change to knock the No3 down. That is unless you plan on doing w/c during the cycle.
Acipenser
10-30-2011, 07:08 PM
That live rock came out of a well established tank. Ill keep checking every day and plan on next week to add my clean up crew.
Cal_stir
10-30-2011, 08:04 PM
the only thing that happens fast in this hobby is a CRASH!

BE PATIENT
Myka
10-30-2011, 10:37 PM
ph 8.0
ammonia < 0.25 ppm
nitrites 0.0 ppm
nitrates spiked to 40 ppm

I am having a hard time being patient and REALLY want to add somthing to my tank .

Based on the ammonia level you probably have at least another 2 weeks of waiting for ammonia to go to 0, and then another week to make sure it stays at zero. Let's say a month. If you know you have a month to wait you will have more patience than thinking "maybe tomorrow". It won't be tomorrow, and it won't be in a few days.

the only thing that happens fast in this hobby is a CRASH!

BE PATIENT

Agreed! :neutral: