bad api test kit?

saixiong08

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i purchased the saltwater master kit api about a month ago. I've been doing tests every 3 days while cycling my tank. It's been over a month now, but the last time i did the test,
ammonia-0
nitrite- 5.0 ppm
nitrate- 2.0 ppm
pH- 8.2
But today i tested and the results came as
ammonia-0
nitrite-5.0
nitrate-0
pH-8.2

Now my question is, shouldn't the nitrite be going down and nitrate be going up during the cycle process? Could it be because the test kits aren't accurate? Anyone else have issues with this test kit?
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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we need to see pics of the tank too, certain details about your rock and sand help to validate those measures

after 40 days submerged the nitrite behaves in different ways than prior to 40 days

what type of ammonia source have you added to start the cycle
 
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saixiong08

saixiong08

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i used a raw shrimp
IMG_4056.JPG
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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nice

almost there

have you input any bottled bacteria, and was the sand dry or wet pack live sand when you started it?
also how many days has it been under water


API is hard to get accurate measures due to different ways we use their kits in variation, different lighting levels we read the cards in as well. Im trying to link your cycle to this big cycle thread:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/


to know the impact of your nitrite readings we just need to know duration underwater, type of ammonia given, bottle bac or not, and sand wet or not. We actually do not use nitrite or nitrate readings at all in that thread to cycle, but since you posted them its fun to make predictions about them especially the nitrite.

although with accurate test kits, liquid ammonia and bottle bac you could have that tank cycled in 2 weeks, its also not required. You could simply leave that rotting shrimp in there for 40 days, do a 100% full water change and remove the shrimp, and then set back up the tank with a few corals frags and it'd be base cycled enough easily for some crabs and corals. some like to detail things much more than that, but 40 days sure is a neat time frame that allows us to cycle without any testing at all, even ammonia.
 
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saixiong08

saixiong08

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No bottled bacteria. The sand was dry when I bought it. The exact date I started is 12-14-16
 

brandon429

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I agree then your nitrite is on track by being unstable or seemingly higher than the others. The reading is an approximation, but your bacteria are only coming in from natural vectors and that's much slower. closer to 40 days underwater would be better, and using ammonium chloride and salifert kits can allow you the accuracy you need to speed cycle. but if that was my tank under those same cycling conditions, Id call this tank halfway cycled. what it does on any param wont matter as of today, but by about day 40-50 id do a full water change and just add a few frags and some snails and begin light reefing. save any fish for the next month after. you could speed things up nicely with a few shots of bottled bac in there too, but not needed. what gets in by the air, and in the water used to make the tank is still a lot.

the shrimp is a highly variable way of getting nutrients into the system. after day 40 I still wouldn't even make decisions off the current water that was in there, id change it all and do the digestion test from that thread to know about the cycle using a four dollar bottle of ammonium chloride

if you didn't want to buy and test in that manner, for sure after 40 days underwater with a shrimp in tow the whole time you can just clean that shrimp out, change the water, refill it all and begin light reefing. anything but fish is totally ok, and even they would be too but no rush on them. quarantine alone is supposed to take double that time, for correct fish keeping habits.
 
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saixiong08

saixiong08

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Thanks! It's almost 40 days. I'll do a water change in a few days and go pick up some frags.
 
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saixiong08

saixiong08

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If I go light reefing, should I start weekly water changes? Will this mess up the cycle process?
 

brandon429

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No it won't hurt at all

The intial additions won't count much of a bioload at all

within 40 days submerged with some feed in place there is a light biofilm on the surfaces that houses the cycled bacteria. Water changes won't disturb that and I'd change out all of that cycle water before starting.

Frags output no measurable ammonia neither does a couple snails or hermit crabs so it's really no test of what's built up in the few weeks underwater. They continue adding trace ammonia to continue thickening up that layer and what's there in forty days is enough for a few frags easily.

Then it runs another month on weekly water changes and you can practice getting lighting and temps and top off all just right. Permit no algae, ever, at any phase. When gha crops up, lift out that rock out of the water and burn it off somehow creatively, grow no algae is the secret to an algae free tank in my opinion.
 

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