About to introduce fish.... but not sure about readings

[baylor703]

A little background:

I started a fishless cycle around three weeks ago. I opted to go with a controlled method, so have been dosing with a 10% concentration of pure ammonia. It requires about 1.5ml for 20 gallons to get 2ppm. I also used a filter floss from an established tank and introduced tetra safe start plus about a week ago. My aquarium lights stay off for cycling, temp is maintained at about 80F, pH is high (8 or above), and the filter is going constantly so the conditions seem optimal.

I'm not sure about my readings, however. The 2ppm ammonia reading was maintained for about 2 weeks, when it slowly declined. I believe it wasn't long after that I had a single reading between 1-2ppm of nitrite. After this, I dosed ammonia to 2ppm again (once it got close to 0), and added tss. The very next day my ammonia readings were 0 and I believed the tank was cycled. Now, I can add 2ppm ammonia, and it will be totally gone within 24-48 hours, but I never get any nitrite readings, and my nitrate seems to hover between 0-5. It has tripped me up a bit. How is this possible? I never had any nitrite spike, and my nitrates do not seem to be building. Basically, I had a low nitrite reading once, and that's it. Yet my ammonia is dissipating at a healthy rate.

I'm thinking of doing a 50% water change, and if everything stays the same (2ppm ammonia gone within 24-48 hrs), introducing the fish. Does anyone have any input?

 

[Rocky998]

A little background:

I started a fishless cycle around three weeks ago. I opted to go with a controlled method, so have been dosing with a 10% concentration of pure ammonia. It requires about 1.5ml for 20 gallons to get 2ppm. I also used a filter floss from an established tank and introduced tetra safe start plus about a week ago. My aquarium lights stay off for cycling, temp is maintained at about 80F, pH is high (8 or above), and the filter is going constantly so the conditions seem optimal.

I'm not sure about my readings, however. The 2ppm ammonia reading was maintained for about 2 weeks, when it slowly declined. I believe it wasn't long after that I had a single reading between 1-2ppm of nitrite. After this, I dosed ammonia to 2ppm again (once it got close to 0), and added tss. The very next day my ammonia readings were 0 and I believed the tank was cycled. Now, I can add 2ppm ammonia, and it will be totally gone within 24-48 hours, but I never get any nitrite readings, and my nitrate seems to hover between 0-5. It has tripped me up a bit. How is this possible? I never had any nitrite spike, and my nitrates do not seem to be building. Basically, I had a low nitrite reading once, and that's it. Yet my ammonia is dissipating at a healthy rate.

I'm thinking of doing a 50% water change, and if everything stays the same (2ppm ammonia gone within 24-48 hrs), introducing the fish. Does anyone have any input?

Have you added any bacteria into the tank? If so, it may seem like your tank is cycled when its not... But again, you just may have gotten really lucky. It took my cycle 4-5 weeks to cycle, maybe even 6.

 

[FishHobby99]

I do big water changes, 75% twice in a day when something’s off.

I tried the fishless cycling method once, Dr. Tim’s way with his products. Hated it! Before and after that abortive attempt, I cycled new tanks with previously cycled filters specifically placed in established tanks for that purpose. Right now I am cycling 2 new large filters in other tanks for a 125 G on order. Some people sell cycled filters. The one’s I’ve seen are sponge filters that wouldn’t work for my 125 G tank.

 

[Slaphppy7]

A little background:

I started a fishless cycle around three weeks ago. I opted to go with a controlled method, so have been dosing with a 10% concentration of pure ammonia. It requires about 1.5ml for 20 gallons to get 2ppm. I also used a filter floss from an established tank and introduced tetra safe start plus about a week ago. My aquarium lights stay off for cycling, temp is maintained at about 80F, pH is high (8 or above), and the filter is going constantly so the conditions seem optimal.

I'm not sure about my readings, however. The 2ppm ammonia reading was maintained for about 2 weeks, when it slowly declined. I believe it wasn't long after that I had a single reading between 1-2ppm of nitrite. After this, I dosed ammonia to 2ppm again (once it got close to 0), and added tss. The very next day my ammonia readings were 0 and I believed the tank was cycled. Now, I can add 2ppm ammonia, and it will be totally gone within 24-48 hours, but I never get any nitrite readings, and my nitrate seems to hover between 0-5. It has tripped me up a bit. How is this possible? I never had any nitrite spike, and my nitrates do not seem to be building. Basically, I had a low nitrite reading once, and that's it. Yet my ammonia is dissipating at a healthy rate.

I'm thinking of doing a 50% water change, and if everything stays the same (2ppm ammonia gone within 24-48 hrs), introducing the fish. Does anyone have any input?

Welcome to TFF.

What kind of test kit are you using? Is the tank planted?

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

A little time before fish come in you should have had the light on and some plants in the tank, I'm not right? That depends on your preferences of course, I always prefer to have plants testing artificial light and seeing the results, most easy to cultivate plants.

 

[baylor703]

Using the API liquid tests. Not planted. Kept the lights off because I have heard the BB grows faster in darkness.
I'm not sure why my ammonia levels can go from 2.0ppm to 0.0 in such a small timeframe, but there is no nitrate or nitrite buildup. I've been able to reproduce it several times now. Rocky, you mention that using a bottled bacteria may interfere? I used Tetra Safe Start. Can that get rid of all of my ammonia without producing nitrite and then nitrate? I was hoping that the TSS, in combination with the already cycled filter floss, had potentially sped up the process

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

If i may ask, do you want to keep living plants later? And have you got some particular fish in your mind to grow there?

 

[Slaphppy7]

For some fishless cycles, the nitrIte stage can happen very quickly, sometimes so quickly that it is missed by the aquarist entirely...perfectly normal

As for the nitrAte test...it is imperative that you shake the 2nd bottle of reagent (before adding to the TT) like crazy...shake hard, bang on a desk, throw it against a wall, then shake some more...this is especially true for new tests, or ones that haven't been used in a while...there are crystals in the reagent that will settle out of solution, these need to be back in soluable form to get an accurate reading

Failing to shake the bottle adequately will lead to a false reading...usually below what the actual reading truly is...

From what I have read here, it sounds to me that your tank is indeed cycled...

You don't need the SS anymore, or any other chemicals...just a good water conditioner (Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water Conditioner)

 

[Rocky998]

Using the API liquid tests. Not planted. Kept the lights off because I have heard the BB grows faster in darkness.
I'm not sure why my ammonia levels can go from 2.0ppm to 0.0 in such a small timeframe, but there is no nitrate or nitrite buildup. I've been able to reproduce it several times now. Rocky, you mention that using a bottled bacteria may interfere? I used Tetra Safe Start. Can that get rid of all of my ammonia without producing nitrite and then nitrate? I was hoping that the TSS, in combination with the already cycled filter floss, had potentially sped up the process

safe start supposedly has bacteria like nitrites which can give the effect of a cycled tank for a short period of time... @Slaphppy7 says that it seems cycled and he is way more brilliant than me. So I would stick with what he said

 

[Essjay]

Safe Start is one of the bacterial products known to contain the right species of nitrite eating bacteria. Dr Tim's One & Only is the other.
Other brands may or may not contain the right ones.

 

[baylor703]

I did a 50% water change, and I'm going to dose to 2ppm ammonia one more time. If it's gone within 24 hrs I'll introduce some fish. I had no idea that the nitrite stage of the cycle could happen so fast, slaphppy. Appreciated.

If i may ask, do you want to keep living plants later? And have you got some particular fish in your mind to grow there?

It's my 5 year old's aquarium, and he's more of a pirate ship and neon plastic plant guy. You know the type. Real sophisticated.
We're doing platies. He wants a beta to go in there later but I don't know about that one.

 

[Essjay]

You could always get some red root floater - which has reddish leaves - and tell him it's seaweed

 

[Angrybeaver]

I've had a simular experience though I did fish in cycling.

My nitrite didn't really show up until after nitrates did then quickly went back to 0... then I had an issue where I was getting little to no Nitrate readings.... well for me it has turned out to be Brown algae (diatoms) eating up all my nitrates.

I did a few big water changes a good gravel vacuum and thorough clean on my decorations only to have it happen again later. This might not be your issue, but something to look for.

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

I did a 50% water change, and I'm going to dose to 2ppm ammonia one more time. If it's gone within 24 hrs I'll introduce some fish. I had no idea that the nitrite stage of the cycle could happen so fast, slaphppy. Appreciated.



It's my 5 year old's aquarium, and he's more of a pirate ship and neon plastic plant guy. You know the type. Real sophisticated.
We're doing platies. He wants a beta to go in there later but I don't know about that one.

It would be interesting to know how many litres does your aquarium have, for a betta you should have room for him to get calme if he wants, you could try some beautiful bush of java moss and some floating plants like hornwort, there are lots of plants, in adition you should consider to have the whole tank well covered because FISH CAN SPRING and furthermore the betta needs air to breath all the time, should be highly wet and good tempered, and not at all dry and cold, that's important for the beta. The platies could be a little frantic but normally are friendly fish and you should know if you have some males and females they will get a lot of babies, probably a good food for monsieur beta.

 

[baylor703]

Fry should be an excellent food for the betta. It's a 20 gallon tank. Maybe 4 platies (3 female and a male) and a betta, later.

I want some plants so badly, and will be doing it when I get my own. Hornwort, annubias, moss, and maybe a dwarf lilly as the centerpiece.