Fishless Cycle Log For Tesco (Low Dust) Cat Litter

[pdludbrooke]

I started my fishless cycle yesterday at about 5.00pm, I used 3ppm ammonia (household cleaner type)
I just checked now and there is a reduction in the ammonia already, I'm using the nutrafin liquid ammonia test, it shows today at between 0.6 and 1.2 ppm ammonia, when should I top up the ammonia ? also I left this tank running for about a 11 days since I tried the cat litter from tesco and I dosed it with seachem prime 5 days ago before starting the cycle yesterday, is this all ok ?

 

[Jayladd]

Did you use mature media? If not, I'm guessing the seachem prime is still hanging around and converting your ammonia into ammonium which may or may not show up on your test kit. If you haven't used mature media there is no way you could have converted all that ammonia in one day if I were you I'd switch to a dechlorinator that doesn't remove ammonia while you are fishless cycling. I have read that ammonium could possibly be harder/ take longer for the bacteria to use. If I were you I'd get a different dechlorinator and start over.

 

[Xraymark]

Maybe wait and see. When the ammonia drops to zero redose to 2ppm of ammonia. There has been discussion that prime can slow the cycling process but only by a few days. The fact your ammonia has dropped is a good sign.
I used prime in my cycle.
There maybe an issue with your tester as one day is strange.

 

[pdludbrooke]

Did you use mature media? If not, I'm guessing the seachem prime is still hanging around and converting your ammonia into ammonium which may or may not show up on your test kit. If you haven't used mature media there is no way you could have converted all that ammonia in one day if I were you I'd switch to a dechlorinator that doesn't remove ammonia while you are fishless cycling. I have read that ammonium could possibly be harder/ take longer for the bacteria to use. If I were you I'd get a different dechlorinator and start over.

Sorry for my late reply,
Thanks for your help, you are correct, the seachem prime is causing the low ammonia readings, but I have read up that when the bacteria do build up in my filter they will still be able to use the ammonium like they do the ammonia, I'll just have to wait till the ammonia readings go right down before re-dosing, I'm going to try my LFS to try and get some used filter media to put in my filter to get things going. Do you know anything about API quick start ?? It says you can add fish straight away, I have read too many horror stories about using products like that, but it's a new one, my LFS showed me it when I told them I was going to do a fishless cycle, he said this product would make the fishless cycle un- necessary

 

[Jayladd]

You could use it with a fishless cycle? At least then if it doesn't work you're not risking any fish. Use it and you should see your nitrAtes rising if it really works over a couple days. Most would say its a waste of money though. Your choice