Cycling with Stability

[camcoding]

Thanks for your reply. With the Am going down I'm sure there are BB and they are working.
I have a 750 gal tank connected to an Aquaponics set up, 2 grow beds full of tomatoes and other veggies. Just tested the water in that tank, got about 12 small Koi, 2 12" Goldfish some Shubunkins. Water tested Nitrites 0, Ates 0 and Am 0, as usual. The grow beds are 4'x8' 12" deep and filter the water quite well. So the test kit seems to be working. Also tested my RO water and got all zeros.
This is just a puzzle to me.
Have a 130 gal tank with some Ryukin goldfish, 1.5 liters of Matrix on top of some plastic scrubbies, Am 0, Nitrites 0, Ates 0, have an Algae scrubber on that tank. Matrix works, know for a fact.

[Tech Support MS]

That is interesting, it may just take a little more time for the tank to fully cycle. While tanks generally cycle fairly fast when using Stability, every system is different and the results can vary. If you are not already, you might try dosing Stability after your water changes to boost populations. Hopefully, you will see the bacteria catch up to the nitrites and pull them down to zero pretty soon.

[camcoding]

Hi, My tanks have cycled, yaay. Reading 0 Am, 0 Ites and 0 Ates. (Some people on fish forums go, "you can't have zero nitrates) I just say, "Matrix". I also have an algae scrubber that removes nitrates.
So, I have no idea if my water has heavy metals. It's city water and no chloramine. The water I use for water changes and top-off goes thru a charcoal filter so no chlorine. It tests 0,0,0.
My qeuestion: should I continue to add Prime? If so in a smaller dose or the normal? or none?
Thanks, Cam

[Tech Support HK]

I am so glad to hear that your tank has cycled! Yes, it is certainly possible to have 0 nitrates if the biological media provides the proper environment and surface area.

You should not need to dose Prime unless your ammonia and nitrite begin to increase once again. The charcoal may not be successful in detoxifying the heavy metals, so you can certainly dose Prime to the replacement water. You should only need enough Prime for the replacement water, and not for the entire tank volume (since Prime will not have ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to bind to).