QT parameters still registering ammonia/nitrite after a month

[kwall737]

These are my qt parameters after being set up for over a month. The tank will be visible so decided to set it up with live rock (also used Fritz turbostart) and will use just to monitor the fish, not dose copper or anything else as of now. Why do i still show .2 ammonia and nitrite? I’ve heard of a cycle stalling, but also that this could be nothing. Test using Red Sea kits. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[brandon429]

lets see pics of the setup, surface area verification. cycles cannot stall agreed, but we can max out surface area in some setups depending on flow, position, amounts.

I bet you are cycled

what brand is the tester making the ammonia and nitrite readings logged

 

[Sailfin11]

I think you should be ready for fish. When I set up my quarantine tank, I usually just take some live media from my sump and put it in the QT the day before. I wouldn't worry about testing for nutrient parameters considering you have live rock in the tank. IME, the test kits are so hard to read, you end up with faulty data. I would go ahead and pick up some clownfish as your first fish, and build upon your success from there. I have used the Seachem Ammonia badges in the past, so I'd consider one of those for easy ammonia monitoring.

 

[kwall737]

lets see pics of the setup, surface area verification. cycles cannot stall agreed, but we can max out surface area in some setups depending on flow, position, amounts.

I bet you are cycled

what brand is the tester making the ammonia and nitrite readings logged

Here’s a pic of my setup. Went through a pretty good bac bloom i think 2 ish weeks ago which coincided with the big ammonia and nitrite spike, but things have since settle down. Added a power head to give tank a little more flow as well.
The app i log the tests in is Aquarimate (tests are done with Red Sea kits), and only had that since the start of March ... got the tank wet about a week and a half before.

 

[kwall737]

I think you should be ready for fish. When I set up my quarantine tank, I usually just take some live media from my sump and put it in the QT the day before. I wouldn't worry about testing for nutrient parameters considering you have live rock in the tank. IME, the test kits are so hard to read, you end up with faulty data. I would go ahead and pick up some clownfish as your first fish, and build upon your success from there. I have used the Seachem Ammonia badges in the past, so I'd consider one of those for easy ammonia monitoring.

Have the Seachem badge!

 

[piranhaman00]

If you used live rock from an established tank you were cycled the next day.

 

[brandon429]

agreed its ready right now. that is full surface area

*even if thats liferock, not liverock, its activated after 2 weeks underwater and the diatoms back it all up. cycled. this is in addition to the bottle bac used, cycled.

tests dont apply. if you want to see why they misread google searches show lots of claimed stuck cycles from api, but that tank is ready. its zero ammonia, and thats the only param that matters. ammonia cannot rise, without a dead animal to cause it.

 

[brandon429]

Look how resolute cycling is in 2020 I love you all very much lol
if this was 2014: eighteen pages about why its stalled. not one in agreement its not stalled. we have come a long way, baby.

 

[piranhaman00]

Look how resolute cycling is in 2020 I love you all very much lol
if this was 2014: eighteen pages about why its stalled. not one in agreement its not stalled. we have come a long way, baby.

Thank you for all your hard work

 

[brandon429]

Yours too man! Really fun science

 

[kwall737]

agreed its ready right now. that is full surface area

*even if thats liferock, not liverock, its activated after 2 weeks underwater and the diatoms back it all up. cycled. this is in addition to the bottle bac used, cycled.

tests dont apply. if you want to see why they misread google searches show lots of claimed stuck cycles from api, but that tank is ready. its zero ammonia, and thats the only param that matters. ammonia cannot rise, without a dead animal to cause it.

It’s live rock i got from a lfs, so was wondering why it was taking so long (in addition to the bottle bac). Thanks so much for your help!