Cycling

When you have a new tank in what order do the nitrates - nitrites and so on show up. Thanks in advance

 

Should be Ammonia, then nitrites

 

+1 on above

you can get a bit of an overlap
stuff breaks down bacteria develops and the stuff gets converted to ammonia
different bacteria develop and they break down the ammonia to nitrite
but there can still be ammonia present and being created at the same time as you start detecting nitrite
until such a time as there is enough bacteria to process all the ammonia to nitrite
same again at Nitrate stage
you can still get some nitrite reading, when you get nitrate readings

its only when there is sufficient bacteria in each link in the chain that the 1st 2 levels stay at zero and the 3rd one stays low enough to not be a concern

Steve

 

within a couple of days after you put something in the tank to decay (shrimp or the live). Ammonia will spike, than nitrites and finally nitrates, this entire process should take 2 months. Don;t rush it if in 3 weeks the test kits say ammonia and nitrites are zero - still wait longer to let the nitrifying bacteria mature and give you a strong basis for your tank.

 

As always thanks. Not rushing was trying to learn a little and see what test to pay attention to the most.