Fishless Cycle Question

[kris-b-]

Hi Everyone,

I'm currently performing a fishless cycle on a small tank (approx 10 Uk gallons).

I am using the "add and wait" method. On day one I raised the ammonia upto about 4ppm and have not added anymore since.

I am now on day 5 and the ammonia has not dropped at all and there are definately no nitrites present as yet. I know this is probably normal as the recent method said it should take about a week for it to begin dropping.

At what days on your fishless cycle did you see the ammonia start to drop?

Thanks,

Kris

 

[kathleen]

Hi kris,

It took 7 days for my NH3 levels to start to drop in both my 10g and 50g. I had my temp set around 27º.

HTH

 

[kris-b-]

I've had my temperature cranked up to 28º since I started for the bacteria to be most active but no joy as yet. Thanks for the reply

 

[kris-b-]

Anyone else?

 

[modernhamlet]

Anyone else?

I've done 2 fishless cycles on 29g and 75g tanks, and had ammonia drops (it goes down fast once it starts) on days 6 and 7 respectively. Complete cycles took 18 and 21 days.

Hope that helps!

 

[kris-b-]

Cheers, at first I thought that it would drop very slowly from after a day or so! But hopefully it will happen in the next few days then!
Thanks for the input!

 

[rdd1952]

You should probably have seen some drop by now but not much. Usually it takes 7 to 10 days for the ammonia to drop to zero. I would suggest turning the heat up a little more, maybe to 30 to 32. I cycled my last 2 tanks with the temp at around 90 to 92 (32 or 33 C). Bacteria grows more in a warmer climate. One other thing, do you you have an air pump/airstone in the tank to replenish the oxygen driven out by the higher temperature?

 

[kris-b-]

Yep, I have a TetraTec APS100 air pump, I read on the thread that was wrote to have one I'm going to turn up the heat a little more now then
Thanks

 

[kris-b-]

Just an update to this thread....

Now upto day 8. Ammonia still 4ppm, Nitrites 0 & Temperature is 86º.

I have now added a net full of gravel from my other tank that is cycled, will this help or hinder the process?

 

[rdd1952]

The gravel will help some but there isn't a lot of bacteria in the gravel unless you have an undergravel filter. Some filter media or sponge from your other tank would speed things up more. That is where the majority of the bacteria is found.

 

[kris-b-]

Day 11:

Well my nitrItes are no steadily rising and the ammonia is slowly coming down but not enough to add any more yet though.

I was reading through the add and wait method and I'm a little confused!

If I have to keep adding ammonia until it drops to 0 in 12 hours or less and when I'm about to get some fish then surely the NitrItes will never be 0? I know that once NitrAtes appear then there are bacteria to break down nitrItes but if I'm still adding ammonia then I'm never going to get Nitrites down to 0, or am i?!?! he he!

Kris

 

[rdd1952]

Once the tank is cycled, the bacteria will be able to process 2 or 4 ppm of ammonia completely, into nitrite and then to nitrate, in 10 to 12 hours. When my 75 gallon finished, I ended up having to wait a full week before I could get to the LFS to buy fish. I was adding about 2 or 3 ppm every morning and by the time I got home from work, both ammonia and nitrite were back to zero. I would add again and have zero ammonia and nitrite by morning. Once those bacteria are developed, they can eat up some ammonia. Just don't add any more in the last 24 hours or so before you add fish. Maybe add it the last time the night before you plan get the fish the next afternoon.