7 days of cycling using ammonia.

[routemaster]

hi there I am relatively new to tropical fishkeeping and am into day 7 of cycling .I am using household ammonia 9.5 strength. The parameters are as follows.ph 8.ammonia 5ppm.nitrite 0.5. nitrate 20. can someone please advice on the condition of the cycle so far thank you routemaster.

 

[Colin_T]

Your ammonia level is too high. If the ammonia level goes above 4ppm the cycle will not occur. You only need 2-3 ppm of ammonia to cycle the aquarium.

Make sure the ammonia does not have any soaps/ surfactants in.

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Check your tap water for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. If you have 20ppm of nitrate in the tank and it hasn't cycled, the nitrates are probably from the tap water.

Don't bother monitoring nitrate levels until the ammonia and nitrite levels have gone up and dropped back to 0. Then you can monitor the nitrates.

Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false nitrate reading.

-------------------
The cycling process takes around 4-6 weeks.

The ammonia causes bacteria to grow in the filter and they eat the ammonia and convert it into nitrite.

When you start to get nitrite in the water, you get more bacteria growing in the filter and they eat the nitrite and convert it into nitrate. You get rid of nitrates with water changes.

When the ammonia and nitrite have gone up and come back down to 0, the nitrates start to go up and the tank is considered cycled.

If you tank has only been running for a week, you still have 3+ weeks to go

 

[routemaster]

thanks Colin T for your comments do I need to do anything ?.

 

[Essjay]

You need to do a water change to lower the ammonia level. If it is now 5 ppm, a 40% water change will get it down to 3 ppm, the level recommended for fishless cycling.
Then follow these instruction if you haven't already found them http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

Patience is needed now. When I last did a fishless cycle it took 4 weeks for the ammonia to drop.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Household ammonia scares me. Please make sure that your ammonia has no bubbles when you shake it. If it does, then there’s detergent in it and you can’t use that. No bubbles means safe to use. Good luck!

 

[routemaster]

You need to do a water change to lower the ammonia level. If it is now 5 ppm, a 40% water change will get it down to 3 ppm, the level recommended for fishless cycling.
Then follow these instruction if you haven't already found them http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

Patience is needed now. When I last did a fishless cycle it took 4 weeks for the ammonia to drop.

Thanks for your advice appreciated I have done what you have suggested 40% WC I'll check again tomorrow once again thanks will report readings tomorrow

 

[routemaster]

Your ammonia level is too high. If the ammonia level goes above 4ppm the cycle will not occur. You only need 2-3 ppm of ammonia to cycle the aquarium.

Make sure the ammonia does not have any soaps/ surfactants in.

-------------------
Check your tap water for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. If you have 20ppm of nitrate in the tank and it hasn't cycled, the nitrates are probably from the tap water.

Don't bother monitoring nitrate levels until the ammonia and nitrite levels have gone up and dropped back to 0. Then you can monitor the nitrates.

Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false nitrate reading.

-------------------
The cycling process takes around 4-6 weeks.

The ammonia causes bacteria to grow in the filter and they eat the ammonia and convert it into nitrite.

When you start to get nitrite in the water, you get more bacteria growing in the filter and they eat the nitrite and convert it into nitrate. You get rid of nitrates with water changes.

When the ammonia and nitrite have gone up and come back down to 0, the nitrates start to go up and the tank is considered cycled.

If you tank has only been running for a week, you still have 3+ weeks to go

my parameters today day 11.
PH-8 NH- 2.0ppm. No 2- 2ppm. GH 19.