Fishless Cycle, The Continuing Saga

[alan3513]

Now on day 43 day of cycling. My Nitrite started dropping to 0 in 24 hours on the 18th day (25 days ago) On a previous post i was advised that it shouldnt be much longer till it's dropping to 0 in 12 hours but it's still taking 24 hours. On another post Miss wiggle advised me that i could try doing a big water change, this i did after waiting a further five days. Unfortunately this didn't really change much and the Nitrite was dropping to between 0.50-0.25 after 24 hours instead of the previous 0. This continued for five days until it was back down to 0 in 24 hours and 1.00 after 12 hours (for the last four days). Last night down to 0.50 in 16 hours (could'nt check any later as it was 1am). Still continuing to put in 5ppm of ammonia every morning, i'm i doing something wrong thanks again in advance of any advice, Alan

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Alan,

Well your cycle is going faster than mine and many that have been chronicled here. I think the stories of the 3-week or one-month ones that get bandied about so much tend to make it seem rough on the many who find it takes 2 months or 3 months if there are pH crashes or others things go wrong. The bacteria are living things and there are just too many variables in people's situations for it to be like a chemistry reactions or something.

Are you running your temp at about 29C/84F? Is your pH between 8.0 to 8.4? Filter media is just ceramics/sponge/bioballs for bio and maybe floss for mechanical and no other extras? Your KH is not too low? There's maybe been a little plant ferilizer in there to provide some iron? Those are about all the little things I can think of at the moment...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[alan3513]

Temp is 84. Ph is 7.6. using sponge filter. Been using some root tabs for my plants. don't know about my Kh

 

[waterdrop]

Can you describe your filter?

 

[mic8310]

I'm in the same sorta boat, mine is getting close to 12 hours now.
I didn't turn the light on my tank for 2 days as I went to work early so it only got light for a couple of hours when I got home, I noticed the plants started turning down at the end and more importantly, it seems to have stalled the cycle. I've left it on now for 24 hours and the plants are pointing up again and the ammonia has cleared up with the nitrite.

Make sure you leave lights on I'm gonna purchase a timer so I don't have to worry about it again. Be a shame at this stage to have the cycle ruined!

 

[joshrm115]

Wow that is taking a long time.

 

[alan3513]

Waterdrop, my filter is a Fluval 3 plus that came brand new with my 125 l tank. Mic8310 As i have plants in the tank i keep my lights on between 10-12 hours a day. , thanks, Alan

 

[emilythestrange]

Waterdrop, my filter is a Fluval 3 plus that came brand new with my 125 l tank. Mic8310 As i have plants in the tank i keep my lights on between 10-12 hours a day. , thanks, Alan

I have a fluval 3 plus for my 100 litre tank which has been in it since 17th november, my ammonia still doesnt drop in 24 hours.
It is really annoying, sounds like your in the same situation as me...

 

[waterdrop]

Interesting, I wonder if there's something about Fluval 3+ filters?.....

 

[OldMan47]

I have a 4+ that is my main filter on a 45 gallon tank, about 150 liters of actual water. It is doing a nice job on that tank which is full of Ameca splendens. I did get it started in a cycled tank so I have no idea how well it would cycle on its own. A 3+ is just a slightly smaller version of the same filter so I know it can be cycled and work.