Crustyoneastcoast - 35 U.s. Gallon Fishless Cycle

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

So, I know there are forum members that always like to collect data
on fishless cycles to add to their knowledge base.

Therefore, I thought I would include mine. I'm not planning to post my test results
every day, just milestone events. Or, if I am getting frustrated,
I might post more often

Here is the backdrop...

A 35 U.S. Gallon glass aquarium (30 x 12.5 x 22.5 -- inches)
Powered by Fluval 204 Canister Filter
Thermometer is set to 82F

My tap water is moderately hard, PH 8.0, ammonia varies but gets up to 2.0ppm,
Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates 5ppm

I'll be doing the Add and Wait Method (Day 1 is today)

To summarize that (hopefully nothing has changed):

dose ammonia (no additives) to 4ppm
check daily, when reaches 0, dose back up to 4ppm
After about 10 days or so, start testing for Nitrites
When Nitrites are off the chart ... then only dose ammonia up to 2ppm
Check PH periodically, supplement with sodium bicarbonate if values gets below 7.5 or so
When Nitrites get fully processed, raise ammonia back up to 4ppm
If cycle stalls, consider large water change
Keep checking everything, when ammonia and nitrites are processed every 12 hours,
I am cycled, lower temp to 76F and keep feeding tank ... maybe keep checking another full week.
If all is good, big water change, then fully stock tank.

 

[ctsv510]

Sounds like a good plan. 2 ppm of ammonia in your tap water? Ouch!

 

[orandas]

2 ppm of ammonia in your tap water? Ouch!

ditto

Is that even legal?

Hope you stock up on prime/amquel+ etc

water changes during the maintenance stage wud seem pointless

hardy fishes all the way

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Day 10:

Ammonia: 0.75ppm (for the 3rd day in a row!)
Nitrite: 0.25ppm
Ph: 8 (no fluctuation)
Temperature: 82F

I am a little nervous that somehow my cycle has stalled. At first I dosed 2ppm ammonia (long story why I didn't start with 4ppm) and that was all consumed. Then I dosed up to 4ppm ammonia .. and that is where it has gotten consumed down to 0.75ppm but now stuck there 3 days.

Is it possible that not all of it was consumed and most of it evaporated?

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'd be encouraged that you now have nitrites! Not sure if you're stalled though.

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Day 12:

Ammonia: 0.75ppm (for the 5th day in a row!)
Nitrite: 0.25ppm (3rd day in a row!)
Ph: 8 (no fluctuation)
Temperature: 82F

I'm calling it a stalled cycle. Can't imagine how it could have happened. Performing a 70% water change tomorrow and dosing ammonia up to 2.0ppm

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Well, I unplugged the heater, light, filter, etc. Performed the water change, added the ammonia. Waited for the water temperature to warm up a bit. Plugged everything back in and the Fluval 204 canister filter is not working. I hear the engine running, and the canister is still full of water, as is the out pipe (and I think the in pipe too). I'll have to investigate. (This was a hand-me-down filter I got for free ... you get what you pay for!)

 

[This Old Spouse]

I feel your frustration! I have an Eheim 2234 that I got for $20 recently. I works great once it finally gets going, but getting it going is a real PITA.

I have one in a box that I got for free that I should really make an attempt at getting it to work.

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

I think I am going to give up on it. The intake, outtake, and the filter itself was completely full of water when I tried getting it going again (I thought the intake would still be full because when I changed the water, the water level never got down to the strainer at the bottom of the intake tube). I have tilted it, etc. The engine runs but nothing is happening. I have lifted the filter up so that is still under the aquarium but above the ground so the pump doesn't have to work as hard. etc. etc. I think the engine is weak .. maybe that is why my cycle stalled. The man I got it from said that after a while, the flow gets worse and worse, and it basically stops working ... I thought he just wasn't cleaning out the media often enough and it was getting clogged .. but maybe there is more to it than that.

I just purchased an AquaClear 50 ( a downgrade, I know ). I will probably hook that up tonight so that I can get this cycle going again.

I was wondering, I guess if you are away on vacation, and the power goes out, and then comes back on .. not all of these filters will just start back up without human intervention ... this old Fluval being one of them ... I'll have to test that with this new AquaClear.

Seems like a quick power blip while you are gone could easily kill all your fish!

Suggestions about this?

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Okay, feeling good about this ...

Installed the AquaClear 50 filter. Much improved water flow! I think the fluval's engine was just dying out and I wasn't getting enough flow. Even the temperature in the tank is more uniform now! This new filter will be easy to maintain too (easy to access the filter media for rinsing and interchanging -- good for a beginner like me). Also, starts right up when unplugged and plugged back in (without any other intervention).

So ... since my water test results indicated my cycle had installed for about5 days ... my bacteria colony might have all died out and I might be back at square one concerning my fishless cycle ... we'll see. I moved over as much media from the old filter into the new one as I could in case anything survived in there.

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Day 20:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 5+ppm
Ph: 8

Today also marks 3 straight days of 2ppm ammonia processing at least every 24 hours.

Combining this fact with my current nitrite reading, I think I can say that I am officially in stage 2!

So, I'll keep pumping in 2ppm worth of ammonia nightly, and I'll post again when my nitrites finally drop down 0.

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Finally! A test result can be so exciting, who would think?!

Day 36:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm (amazing how just yesterday and for the past 14 days it has been off the chart!!)

Tonight I dosed the ammonia to 4ppm
I'll continue to test every 24 hours for now and re-dose 4ppm ammonia as needed.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Congratulations!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Increase your testing to every 12 hours. When it can munch through that in 12 hours (ammonia and nitrite) then you are fully cycled. Keep an eye on your pH now as well. With the nitrates starting to build it can crash which will stall your cycle.




Oh, and congrats!

Have you considered what you are going to be stocking the tank with yet?

 

[CrustyOnEastCoast]

Have you considered what you are going to be stocking the tank with yet?

My stocking plans

What do you think? Can I add more or increase numbers, or is that full enough? Fish compatible?

Thanks!