Cycling update.

[Jimmy Twotimes]

OK, started fishless cycle on Saturday and tests are as follows:

Ammonia - Off the chart and has been for a couple of days

Nitrite - Read today as 0.3mg/l

I havent added any ammonia for the last 2 days cos its been of the chart. But some of the Fishless Cycle guides say to start adding ammonia daily once nitrite shows. Should i do this even with ammonia off the chart or is it best for the readings to come down to about 3-5ppm before I restart with the ammonia...?

Any help much appeciated as ever.

Jimmy

 

[Eelzor]

yes, still add ammonia. A little everyday, because you will find that on one day the ammonia will be extremely low, even none. The ammonia is high now, because you have just started the cycle. It should all work out.

 

[Moe]

NO!!! don't add any more ammonia. The ammonia should read 5ppm. If it is higher then 7ppm you could kill any bacteria that you have. I'd let things alone for a while until the ammonia is at 5ppm. If it is really high you could also try a partial water change to lower the ammonia. Once the nitrite starts to rise you will see the ammonia start to drop. In my tank every morning the ammonia was back down to 0. I would add just a few drops of ammonia to get it back to 3 - 5 ppm. In the morning it was back to 0 because the bacteria is processing it. Continue adding ammonia until the nitrite level gets to 0. Then do an 80% water change to get rid of the nitrate and add the fish. Good luck.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

I'm well confoosed now.................

Add ammonia or dont add ammonia...........help me......!

A second point...a couple of plants I put in are dying. Do I pull them out at this early stage in the cycle or will this disrupt the gravel and bacteria that lives there..........?

Cheers my fishy friends.

Jimmy

 

[Alien Anna]

I'm well confoosed now.................

Add ammonia or dont add ammonia...........help me......!

A second point...a couple of plants I put in are dying. Do I pull them out at this early stage in the cycle or will this disrupt the gravel and bacteria that lives there..........?

Cheers my fishy friends.

Jimmy

If your ammonia gets too high it could kill your plants (I made that mistake the first time too). Try to keep the ammonia level (immediately after you've added it) to about 5ppm and if it goes above that, don't add any more that day.

It is very much hit-and-miss however - you can't really get it wrong, its just that it will take forever if you add too much ammonia. A water change can reduce the levels if they get way too high.

Once you have nitrite appearing and the levels rising, you don't have to worry too much about ammonia. In fact, at that point I stopped testing ammonia and just added a little every day, according to what seemed right at the time.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Thanks Anna, I think what I'll do is one day add ammonia and one day I wont.

The bit about the plants though, shall I whip them out of the tank...?

They look well dead (possibly ammonia poisoning) but I'm worried that this may disturb the gravel living bacteria. Whaddya think...?

Jimmy