Cycling Issue

DJOstrichHead

5 Days ago i started a 29g fowlr tank with 36 lbs of LR. I tested my water 2 days ago with the API saltwater master kit and got

Ammonia 2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0


today i test and get

Ammonia 3
Nitrite ~0
Nitrate 5-8 ish

Im a little bit hazy on how the cycle is going to show up over time but i thought it was only one spike at a time. Are their waves of bacteria spikes or is it one Ammonia spike then nitrite spike then no more? Nothing more has been done to the system.


Thanks for putting up with my idiocy

Cody

You will always have something spike with other params visible during cycling. Usually, 5ppm 'trates is not a spike. Like at least 20 is. The 'trates you have now are from earlier ammonia and 'trites you had.

DJOstrichHead

good to know thanks

MattD

Your ammonia should steadily drop, while the nitrates steadily rise.

Once you see 0 ammonia, and the nitrates are relatively high, a water change is in order. Ideally your Nitrates should be as low as possible, preferably 0, but I've seen SW tanks fully stocked with corals and fish maintained with 12 - 14ppm at any given time. Sometimes they are difficult to reduce to, and keep at 0.

Good luck.