Another fishless question

[StarOrbs]

Okay just to clear something up...

Now that I have a reading of 4PPM of ammonia what should I do?
Not add any ammonia until the ammonia reading is 0?
Wait until nitrite spikes and then add some more?
What should I do?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

"In order to cycle a tank using ammonia, start everything up and add some gravel from an established tank or a few potted plants (their roots contain all of the necessary bacteria, and the plants themselves do not seem to be harmed by this process). Then simply add 4-5 drops of ammonia per 10 gallons per day until you get a nitrite spike. Once you have nitrites, cut the ammonia back to 2-3 drops per 10 gallons per day until the nitrites disappear. When you get a 0 ppm nitrites reading, you have a fully cycled tank."

Excerpt from a link on here:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

 

[StarOrbs]

Thats what I figured but there are different methods like adding enough ammonia to get up to around 3PPM then keeping it there till you get a nitrite spike then cut the dosage in half when you do get the spike.. The problem with that is I would have to add 45 drops x 3 because I have a 30 gallon tank and that just sounded like a lot.. lol

 

[daza]

what you say is correct StarOrbs. Doing it by number of drops depends on the concentration of your ammonia. Try this web page

If it is at 4ppm now then check it tomorrow and add enough to bring it back to about 4 to 5 ppm and do that each day until you get a nitrite spike, then add enough to reach 2 to 2.5 (approx) each day until the cycle completes. Following that website worked okay for me.

edit...forgot to say, I used a syringe instead of a pipette and added it by millilitres instead of drops, it was easier but depends on if you can get a syringe (without a needle of course )

 

[StarOrbs]

If it is at 4ppm now then check it tomorrow and add enough to bring it back to about 4 to 5 ppm and do that each day until you get a nitrite spike

My ammonia doesn't go down yet though so do I not add anymore until it drops some or do I add that x amount of drops everyday until nitrite spikes?

 

[daza]

I see. I've just looked at the link in your sig.

Did you work out at the beginning how many drops of your ammonia you needed to bring it up to 5 ppm (or somewhere around that figure)? Was that the 45 drops you mentioned before?

Personally I would try adding that same number of drops each day despite the ammonia reading on your test kit. So add the established number of drops even if the ammonia reads 4ppm tomorrow, and try adding those drops each day despite the reading. The levels may build up but should come down in a few days.

I say this because I had four days during my cycle where I continued to add ammonia each day despite it reading 5ppm each day, the levels then started dropping afterwards. I also added ammonia each day, sometimes not even checking the water parameters (days when I asked someone else to do it for me for example).

Might not be the answer but that's the way I would go.

edit to say...yes, short answer is yes to your last question "or do I add that x amount of drops everyday until nitrite spikes?"

 

[OohFeeshy]

I'm just starting to cycle my tank. Put the wossit-called in, umm.. stuff to sort out tap water. Do I need to add amonia, I've put some fish food in, the book said just leave it. Tested it earlier, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, a little bit of nitrate, (it's in mg/l or whatever but it's not much) and 7.5 PH.

 

[StarOrbs]

I'm putting 45 drops in everyday now and it doesn't put it above 5ppm so I must be alright.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Just out of interest can you use brine shrimp to cycle?

 

[daza]

Sounds like it should be going okay StarOrbs...keep us informed

I don't know if shrimp are suitable for cycling OohFeeshy. As for the other question - have you read about cycling in the pinned topics of the beginners section? Adding a bit of fish food once and leaving it won't have much effect. Start a new topic if you still need help afterwards.

 

[yvez9]

brine shrimp will eventually die and produce ammonia while rotting
thus making a mess considering the quantity you would need to produce enough ammonia to efficiently cycle your tank!

adding pure ammonia is clean and easy and cheaper then brine shrimp