Ammonia spike (fresh cycle)

[Flyride95]

Hello, well today I tested the water and it is at 8ppm ammonia. Which im excited about because that means my tank is cycling. How much higher is the ammonia going to go I guess is the question before I have to check nitrates and nitrites?
This is the ammonia test. Which im sure would kill or **** near kill any fish I put in.
http://i48.tinypic.com/nn4riv.jpg

[KING]

hey nice thumb..

[Flyride95]

Hey thanks man I appreciate you noticing. I do about 140 thumb ups each day with the tv remote just to keep its physic. :)

[Scutterborn]

King has a thing for various appendages. He liked my feet on a pic I took one time! Lol


- Ben -

[ktipp]

When ammonia and all readings get to zero.

When did you start? Are you using live rock? Damsels?

My cycle took 3 weeks but I added Microbacter 7 which I believe helped speed it up.

[Flyride95]

I started 7 days ago. It is just live rock and sand and I put in 3 raw frozen shrimp. Would it go faster if I put the damsels in?

[ktipp]

I don't think it will be any faster than the dead shrimp. At some point you will have to decide when to take out the dead shrimp...otherwise your ammonia will stay off the charts.

[Flyride95]

Ah ok got it ill take them out now. Then a few days after is when nitrites go up?

[ktipp]

I've heard it both ways. Some left the shrimp in until full cycle and some removed the shrimp after 7-8 days or when Ammonia peaked.

Patient is the key. Keep doing water test so you can see what stage you are at. You are well on your way.

Also, you will start to see a diatom bloom (brown algae everywhere) when you are closer...don't panic. Its normal and will usually go away after about a week. What helps is to use RODI water to make your premix and for top offs. Tap water is not good and promotes algae issues even if you use Prime, etc.


Below is a link to a helpful chart.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=saltaquarium&cdn=homegarden&tm=209&f=10&su=p284.13.342.ip_p504.6.342.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.bestfish.com/newtank3.html (http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=saltaquarium&cdn=homegarden&tm=209&f=10&su=p284.13.342.ip_p504.6.342.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.bestfish.com/newtank3.html)

Keep us posted.