need help on reading salifert test kit to determine if cycling has end

[nicreef]

hi just need help to verify if my cycling is done.

my reading of nitrite yesterday at 2.30pm was 1 (using old test kit) i added some dead coral into it from my previous tank and by 7pm it was 4 (using new test kit. using old test kit it was still 1. somehow i read somewhere the old test kit may not be working fine thats why i tried a new 1).

before i left the office i did a dose of bacteria.

today at 5pm, if reading is taken from the top view it indicates 0 but if i view from side it seems to indicate 0.5. did a google search

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/salifert-nitrite-test-kit-19259.html

and the advice was to use ro/di water to do a comparison test. i used ntuc pure drinking water instead to do the comparison test and the result is as the attached pic with the tube on the right being water from tank n left the water i bought from ntuc.

is the cycling done?

as for nitrates the figure has been 100ppm for a long time and i have been using the red sea nitrate and phosphate reducer for a week now to bring it down to 60ppm as of today. (did a 40% water change in between not by choice but because my overflow box stopped working). ammonia has been less than 0.25 for more than a week now.

wanted to be sure my cycling has ended before i start up my skimmer and slowly add some life stock (after water change)

[jxlex]

How long has ur tank been cycling? Nsw or saltmix? Once cycle complete, ammonia and nitrite should be at 0... Hard to know unless u start measuring parameters from 1st time water put in, else u can start now and see if ur nh3 & no2 can hit 0 while your no3 creeps up

[nicreef]

The sump has been cycling close to a month Liao since it was done for snother tank. The current tank is only a week plus 2... Ammonia definately 0. Just the nitrite I having problem reading the test kit.

[RockyBoy]

What do you have in your tank? any live rocks or sand?

[Kelvin81]

If your ammonia always zero since beginning.. your cycle havent even stsrted yet. Did you place a market shrimp in it to kick start the process? Just my 2 cent worth.

[nicreef]

sorry busy day. just got back from ML to seek his advice. according to him should be everything good to go.

rockyboy: yup i have live sand n rock in my tank. couple of them from my old tank (which i close after a bacteria bloom when i used the red sea nitrate n phosphate reducer coupled with a timer failure).

kelvin: i dint use market shrimp. i used the ammonia filled water (1.5ppm) from my old tank and some dying coral (picture attached). at first i poured 1l to my new tank than test the next day followed by 1l den test den 2l and test and finally 4l and test.

[Kelvin81]

Oh.. ok.. Should be fine then.