Cycling Question

[Marclau]

Quick summary.........3 weeks ago lost my whole tank to Septicemia.........

Cleaned out my whole tank first with ammonia and then Chlorine........cleaned out gravel and gave tank about 6 or 7 loads of water. Also totally washed out Fluval canister.

Added Prime and waited 2 days......

Since then, I added ammonia and now need cycling advice please.

Reading as follows: Tap water is 6.6 Ph

Day 1: Added Ammonia after this reading
Ph 7
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0


Day 2:
Ph 7
Ammonia 4
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Day 3:
Ph 7
Ammonia 4.
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Day 4:
Same as day 3

Day 5:
Ph 7
Ammonia 2
Nitrite .25
Nitrate 0

Day 6:
Ph 7
Ammonia 2
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 0.25

Day 7:
Ph 7
Ammonia 1
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 0.5

Day 8:
Ph 7
Ammonia 1
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 10

So, what should I now do? add more ammonia to feed the bacteria before it drops to 0?

And how soon before I can begin to slowly add fish again? When Nitrite drop back down to 0, ammonia levels are also 0 and Nitrate is around 10?

 

[Marclau]

Anyone??

I have read and reread the 'fishless cycling' posts but not sure what I should do next so any help would be greatly appreciated.........

 

[hollanda88]

Anyone??

I have read and reread the 'fishless cycling' posts but not sure what I should do next so any help would be greatly appreciated.........

Keep feeding it until the amomnia drops to zero within 24h i think the advice is?

someone correct me please lol

 

[Marclau]

Feed it more ammonia or fishfood??
And then let it drop (ammonia) to 0 again?

And then I assume wait for Nitrite to drop to 0 and control Nitrate with water change?

 

[hollanda88]

Feed it more ammonia or fishfood??
And then let it drop (ammonia) to 0 again?

And then I assume wait for Nitrite to drop to 0 and control Nitrate with water change?

Feed it (the tank with ammonia) up to 5ppm, and wait for it all to be converted to nitrAte within 24hours, im still waiting for someone to confirm it or correct tho

 

[Marclau]

Well, I got it to 4ppm a few days ago but it has since dropped right down to 1 tonight...........so I confirm to prop it back up to 4 -5 again then?? or perhaps no need to do it twice?? LOL...........

 

[hollanda88]

Well, I got it to 4ppm a few days ago but it has since dropped right down to 1 tonight...........so I confirm to prop it back up to 4 -5 again then?? or perhaps no need to do it twice?? LOL...........

If its at 1ppm now. top it up to 5ppm and test the water same time tomorrow, then post your results here to see what its doing

andrew

 

[Marclau]

Will do it now................then test it again same time.........perhaps a test in about 8 hours and then again in 20 hours..........(tomorrow morning and then tomorrow night).....

 

[Marclau]

O'K I topped up my ammonia level again yesterday as it dropped down to 1.

Then after some 12 hours I took reading again followed by readings 12 hour later.

Stats as follows:

This morning:

Ph 7
Ammonia 4
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 10


This afternoon:

Ph 7
Ammonia 2
Nitrite 2
Nitrate 40

My question now is, where to from here??

 

[willquinn]

I have been reading up on this as well. Your ammonia is still at 2 after 24 hours. When it reaches 1ppm again, top it back up to 5ppm. After a 24 hour period Ammonia should read 0ppm. If there is still ammonia present after 24 hours then your tank still isn't cycled properly and you should continue to add ammonia to the tank as before.

This is what I have learned recently, I am only a beginner as well and could be wrong, hopefully someone more experienced will be along shortly to confirm or deny this.

Also your nitrate levels are quite high, might be as well doing a partial water change? Need confirmation on this.

 

[hollanda88]

I have been reading up on this as well. Your ammonia is still at 2 after 24 hours. When it reaches 1ppm again, top it back up to 5ppm. After a 24 hour period Ammonia should read 0ppm. If there is still ammonia present after 24 hours then your tank still isn't cycled properly and you should continue to add ammonia to the tank as before.

This is what I have learned recently, I am only a beginner as well and could be wrong, hopefully someone more experienced will be along shortly to confirm or deny this.

Also your nitrate levels are quite high, might be as well doing a partial water change? Need confirmation on this.

There no that high but a water change willbring them down (50% water change will half the levels)

Topping the ammonia back up will give the bacteria more food to help them colanise further (which is what you want). At the moment you have all the correct types of bacteria just not enough of it

andrew

 

[Marclau]

So i should do a 50% water change then and if Ammonia is back to 1 or 0, add more ammonia again??

 

[OldMan47]

If you still have ammonia that you can measure, you are still growing bacteria Marclau. By the numbers you have posted so far, your cycle is progressing very nicely. You can decided for yourself whether to top up at 1 ppm or wait for zero. It will not make much difference in the time involved which way you do it. When daily testing starts to show ammonia and nitrites down to zero, you could start testing at 12 hours after the addition. If the 12 hour readings are also zero, you will know that you have established a nice bacterial colony. Water changes during a fishless cycle are usually not needed unless you need one to fight a low pH problem.

 

[Marclau]

Thanks Oldman47.............I will wait then............for Ammonia to drop to 1 and add it again...........once Ammonia and Nitrites show 0 within 12 hrs, then colony is established.....

 

[OldMan47]

When both drop to zero consistently within 12 hours, you are almost done. All it needs then is a big water change to remove the nitrates built up over the weeks before that.