Water Cycling Parameter After one Week

[LucyPark]

I started Cycling a little over a week ago. I know the ammonia should spike, then nitrite then nitrate until all are zero. I had three set of readings for a period of one week.
Ammonia = 0.5, 0.5, 0.0
Nitrite = 0.5, 5.0, 5.0
Nitrate = 10, 20, 40
** I added Bioptim/ Biodigest immediately after the second readings.
I didn't expect the Ammonia will drop that soon and hence rise of NO2, NO3.
My worry is the ammonia was not high enough to have a good amount of colony of bacteria, (Is it so?)
I am planning to add a small shrimp just to add ammonia again (I need advice here)
Please help. Thanks in advance.


50g DT; 20g Sump
Sun-dried live rocks/ Live sand
Running Skimmer

[obet_carlos]

you may add a small shrimp to add more waste to your tank.. then after a few more weeks, add 1-2 small fishes.. or you may leave it like that without adding anything else..

I cycled my tanks without shrimps.. i just took my time adding things (fishes, corals, inverts, etc.) in my tank..

[mindfreak]

you may or may not add additional shrimp bro. IMO, just let the tank take it course (about 6-8 weeks, if you can wait some more then the better) take water test every once in a while to monitor your progress. Don't expect nitrate to go down to untraceable level unless you do major water change. Your initial objective is to reach 'O' level with your ammonia and nitrite.

[LucyPark]

Thanks a lot...

I will take the time and be patient. I am just concern that I will not have enough bacteria
after the cycle. You know little cycling here and there every time I add LS (even just a single fish), fish dying because the amount of ammonia released could not handle by the pre-existing bacteria (if my logic is correct)

Your advice is adding up. The whole system will balance itself just give it some time.
I decided to put one shrimp anyway just want to see how the ammonia will spike and eventually goes zero. I really want to be amazed by it.

Thanks Obet and Mindfreak.

[bruppy]

halos ganyan din readings ko, and i used bioptm and bio digest, ganun din matagal rin siya mag cycle, hindi naman niya napabilis ang cycle.. mabilis lang bumaba yung ammonia and nitrite pero yung nitrate mataas talga... im thinking that i might be better off without dosing biotm and biodigest. my tank is almost 2 months old na, still mataas pa rin nitrates niya

[meekosbc]

Guys, question, last week, May 26, nagcycle ako ng 15G DT with 10G na sump with 15lbs white sand and about 10 lbs of cured live rock. both the DT and Sump is not brand new and was also a saltwater tank before.

Prior to the cycle, I already put SW, sand and LR on the tanks while fixing the plumbing. it had the SW and others for around a week.

When I did start the cycle, the parameters were:

Ammonia : 8.8
Nitrite : 2.0
Nitrate : 5.0.

When I checked today, the parameters are:

Ammonia : 0
Nitrite : 0
Nitrate : 80

I only use distilled water for top off, skimmerless.

Would just like to ask if this is normal? just around 2 weeks? Masters, what do you suggest I do next?

[mindfreak]

perhaps nitrifying bacteria is still present in your system and/or the nitrogen cycle already starts when you put SW in it that expedites the absorption of ammonia. but still, just wait for another 2-4 weeks. if your NH3 and NO2 stays within '0' then do a major change to lower your NO3.

[meekosbc]

[mindfreak]

if not much of silicate present in your water baka hindi naman ganun diatoms bloom mo same with algae. also factor din ang lighting kung magkaka algae bloom ka man.

[meekosbc]

Thanks sir! Hopefully by two weeks time, constant 0 na ang Ammonia and Nitrites ko so I can start adding LS and some corals.