Hello All,
I dont even want to ask the questions given the timeframe I understand about cycling but please someone give input. This is my first saltwater tank.
I have 55g corner. Stablized salinity and temperature over labor day weekend. Found a source of 70lbs LR having been cured for 5 months only 10 minute drive from home. I put all this LR in tank immediately on 3 Sept. I believe there was very little if any die off. I pulled ~10lbs out for my final aquascape. New sand substrate went in on 3rd. This was not live sand.
Ammonia tests on 3,4,5 september were 0. So after testing on 5 semptember I added 3 shrimp. Didn't test on 6th. On 7th ammonia was up to 0.5, 1.0 on 8th, 0.5 on 9th, and 0.2 today. During this entire time I have had readings of 0.0 for nitrite. The 8th I measured first reading of nitrate, 2.0, then 10.0 on 9th, now 20.0 today. I have not added any off the shelf bacteria or other supplements.
Is it time to pull out the shrimp and let the ammonia go to zero? Will I ever see any nitrites? After ammonia goes to zero & nitrites remain at zero, is this considered cycled, even in this short of time? Is this typical when starting with 100% good, cured, LR?
Thanks,
Jason
I dont even want to ask the questions given the timeframe I understand about cycling but please someone give input. This is my first saltwater tank.
I have 55g corner. Stablized salinity and temperature over labor day weekend. Found a source of 70lbs LR having been cured for 5 months only 10 minute drive from home. I put all this LR in tank immediately on 3 Sept. I believe there was very little if any die off. I pulled ~10lbs out for my final aquascape. New sand substrate went in on 3rd. This was not live sand.
Ammonia tests on 3,4,5 september were 0. So after testing on 5 semptember I added 3 shrimp. Didn't test on 6th. On 7th ammonia was up to 0.5, 1.0 on 8th, 0.5 on 9th, and 0.2 today. During this entire time I have had readings of 0.0 for nitrite. The 8th I measured first reading of nitrate, 2.0, then 10.0 on 9th, now 20.0 today. I have not added any off the shelf bacteria or other supplements.
Is it time to pull out the shrimp and let the ammonia go to zero? Will I ever see any nitrites? After ammonia goes to zero & nitrites remain at zero, is this considered cycled, even in this short of time? Is this typical when starting with 100% good, cured, LR?
Thanks,
Jason