My cycle is going faaaast!

So I added a shrimp to my 29 8 days ago. Over the course of about 4 days the ammonia raised to 1.0 and then leveled. My current params at 8 days are ammonia 1, nitrite 5. Is this normal? Seems fast. And amok didn't rise too high. Hmm.

 

it just depends on so many factors it is hard to say

 

Did you use live rock?

Did you use any additives?

Do you have nitrates?

As posted above too many variables come into play. As you already know the initial cycle does not challenge your biological filter once the shrimp or what ever organic material you used is gone. The population of those beneficial bacteria will wax and wane as you add live stock and loose live stock. Hence the reason one should stock slowly and allow time for those nutrifying bacteria to catch up.

My tank has been set up for 4 years, the biological filter would not be able to keep up if I suddenly added 4 fish and their required feedings. Granted it's a small tank but you get the idea.

 

It's 100% dry rock. Not sure about nitrates, should I test for them to see? No additives.

 

I would just to see.

If you used 100% rock and no additives I would not even start to think about it being cycled or close to it.

You may have to add more organic matter to decay to keep the bacteria growing.

 

Yeah I wasn't expecting it to be a quikie. I'll go ahead and test and add some food to the tank.

 

spunds like a normal timeline. its been 8 days. Your still having readings of Ammonia of 1 you wrote, which is quite high, and nitrites being at 5. Thismeans your still doing your cycle, maybe half way done. If using all dry rock and no additives it should take a lil longer than normal for the cycle to complete.

 

I wouldn't say you are even half way yet. You are still getting readings for ammonia even with the high nitrites. You are on the right track, but you are just over a week now. I would say plan on another 3 weeks.

 

Alright trates are either 5 or 10.

 

I would go with a 10 on that one.