Fishless Cycle Question

[Nightstalker3188]

I thought I had the hang of this and was happy with what i was seeing, however even though my ammonia levels drop to 0 over 24 hrs my nitrites and nitrates are low.... Nitrites are .50 and nitrates are 5.0. That's using api chemical test kit, however using api test strips the levels are off the chart... So which one do I believe??? I thought if the ammonia is being broken up that the other levels would spike... For a 48ltr tropical tank which is on day 15 of a fishless cycle

 

[phocoena]

The liquid tests are generally more accurate than the strips.
Also when using the nitrate test bang bottle 2 of a table or similar a couple of times and then shake very well.

 

[OldMan47]

You are seeing nitrogen removal from your tank. Do you have plants growing in that tank?

 

[Nightstalker3188]

Yeah got about 5 plants in there... So the question now is, how do I know my tank is cycled? In regards to bottle 2 I don't bang it on the table but do shake the living daylights out of it for 30 sec ;-)

 

[Aqua Tom]

Yeah got about 5 plants in there... So the question now is, how do I know my tank is cycled? In regards to bottle 2 I don't bang it on the table but do shake the living daylights out of it for 30 sec ;-)

Bang it on the table next time. Or bash bottles one & two together.


Tom

 

[Malawi MaD]

Yeah got about 5 plants in there... So the question now is, how do I know my tank is cycled? In regards to bottle 2 I don't bang it on the table but do shake the living daylights out of it for 30 sec ;-)

Could do with getting the plant's out as they will give false reading's with the water parameter's (taking ammonia out of the water etc..)

 

[Nightstalker3188]

Not sure I agree with taking plants out... From what I've read you can cycle your tank with plants in the tank...

 

[Malawi MaD]

Not sure I agree with taking plants out... From what I've read you can cycle your tank with plants in the tank...

Yeah you can cycle the tank with them in there but ive had false readings myself and read that other's have had the same. Then again i did have more than 5 plant's.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Yeah got about 5 plants in there... So the question now is, how do I know my tank is cycled? In regards to bottle 2 I don't bang it on the table but do shake the living daylights out of it for 30 sec ;-)

Little tip.. put your favourite type of music on, and 'play the drums' along to a song, using both NitrAte bottles as drum sticks and a hard surface as the drum kit.
A little bit of Motley Crue or The Rolling Stones works well for me

Terry.

 

[Nightstalker3188]

Ok... I'll get some machine head on and use the bottles as drumsticks

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Ok... I'll get some machine head on and use the bottles as drumsticks

<Googles Machine Head>

Terry.

 

[Nightstalker3188]

Heavy Metal band ;-)

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Heavy Metal band ;-)

Yep, a VERY heavy metal band..make Motley Crue sound like the Philamonic Male Voice Choir!

Terry.

 

[Nightstalker3188]

Perhaps I'll just place the bottles next to my speakers and crank the volume up ;-)

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Perhaps I'll just place the bottles next to my speakers and crank the volume up ;-)

Or, in all seriousness, what i tend to do is get them out every now and get and give them a good whack and shake..i probably do it every week during my routine tank maintenance.. i had false NitrAte readings during one of my fishless cycles and it set me back a good few days.

Terry.