Fishless Cycling Help

[jaywings19]

Well... after 6 agonizing weeks of getting nowhere fast... I decided to start all over with my fishless cycling process.

Tank: 72G All Glass Bow Front
Filter: Eheim Pro II 2026 Canister
Plants: Fake
Temperature: 84F

On my first attempt of fishless cycling, I was adding the recommended dosage of ammonia each day. I got a good nitrite spike about 3 weeks later. But then all nitrite disappeared and ammonia still remained. I was never able to get another nitrite spike nor get the ammonia to drop. So here I am starting all over on the last day of May... I changed a majority of the tank water, but didn't touch the filter or gravel/plants.

Here's my calendar so far. . .

June 1
Ammonia: 2.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 2
Ammonia: 2.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 3
Ammonia: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 4
Ammonia: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 5
Ammonia: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 6
Ammonia: 6.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 7
Ammonia: 8.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Added Ammonia Dosage

June 8
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
**At this point my ammonia reading is darker than my color chart goes, so I'm estimating**
No Ammonia Added
Dropped in a slice of filter cartridge pad from my existing Eclipse tank

June 9
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
No Ammonia Added

June 10
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
No Ammonia Added

June 11
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
No Ammonia Added

June 12
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm
No Ammonia Added
**Did a 25% water change after this test**

June 13
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
No Ammonia Added

June 14
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
No Ammonia Added

June 15
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 3.0 ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
No Ammonia Added

June 16
Ammonia: 10.0 ppm
Nitrite: 3.0 ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
No Ammonia Added

I haven't added ammonia in 8 days (including today)... not sure if I should until I get a nitrite spike. Any thoughts? Anything else I can do to help the process mature?

This is so frustrating since my tank has been setup for 2 months and I can't get this thing right.

 

[mike45]

I'm not an expert on fishless cycling, but I think you should continue adding the ammonia. I think you did the cycle a slightly slower way, as I did. What a lot of people do now is add enough ammonia on day 1 until you get 5 ppm, then add that amount until you get a nitrite spike, then cut ammonia dosage in half until ammonia and nitrites are at 0.

But basically, I would say just keep adding the ammonia.

 

[BirdofPray]

Live plants help speed up fishless cycling too.

 

[jaywings19]

Unfortunately, I don't have any live plants... nor do I plan on getting any. Also, I only have a small 12G matured tank (see sig), so I can't really make a dent by "seeding" the 72G.

I didn't want to keep adding ammonia since I'm already (estimated) over 10ppm based on my test kit. If I keep adding ammonia without nitrite, then won't it be the law of diminishing returns? (i.e. too much ammonia)

 

[Sky042]

You def need to stop adding ammonia. Maybe I missed it in your original post. Where did your bacteria culture come from?

Seems like more than enough ammonia perhaps even too much in the water but no bacteria to digest it.

 

[jaywings19]

You def need to stop adding ammonia. Maybe I missed it in your original post. Where did your bacteria culture come from?

Seems like more than enough ammonia perhaps even too much in the water but no bacteria to digest it.

That's what I've been asking... if it's already too much ammonia, but I've been doing the same amount each day. Some people said keep adding the same amount each day and the bacteria will show up faster. I was thinking there would be a point where it's too much ammonia.

My seed culture (very small) came from a small slice of my Eclipse tank's filter cartridge pad. I dropped it directly into the tank on June 8th. I figure that it's too small to really help speed things up anyway... but I don't have much established media to work with.

 

[jaywings19]

Well... no change in conditions... chose not to add ammonia again today (4th day in a row).

Any suggestions or comments?

 

[tstenback]

are you sure that your nitrite test is working? It seems odd that you would have 0 nitrites after such a long time. Sorry if the question is annoying, its not meant to be. Is there nitrates in your tap water or is this left from the previous attempt? I would take a sample to the LFS and ask them to give you the exact readings and if they are correct then ask them for some seed material, gravel or filter media to help you as it will only benefit them if your tank gets cycled and ready for fish. How much ammonia were you adding each day? What are you using to dechlorinate your water? are you or have added anything else to the water other than dechlorinator and ammonia? Again sorry for all the questions but i just cant believe you are having this much trouble getting a tank cycled. keep us posted

 

[jaywings19]

Believe me, this is beyond frustrating at this point. And being ridiculed by family/friends for having an empty tank for so long certainly doesn't help my mindset.

I'll try to answer your questions in order:

1. Are you sure that your nitrite test is working?
It's a brand new master test kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals that contains Ammonia, Nitrite, pH, and GH. I bought a brand new kit once I started all over just to make sure my old master test kit wasn't contaminated or expired.

2. Is there nitrates in your tap water or is this left from the previous attempt?
There are no nitrates in my tap water (or just traces). I have about 20ppm of nitrate in my 72G tank now left over from the old water from my first attempt. I changed a majority of the water for the new attempt, but couldn't get everything out.

3. How much ammonia were you adding each day?
About 4 teaspoons full of ammonia each dosage. I stopped adding ammonia 4 days ago.

4. What are you using to dechlorinate your water?
Wardley ChlorOut... for removing chlroine and chloramines

5. Are you or have added anything else to the water other than dechlorinator and ammonia?
The only thing I put in was a small slice of filter pad from my established Eclipse 12 tank. That's my only established tank, so I don't have much seed material to use. I figured it probably wouldn't make it spike quicker, but couldn't hurt either.

I don't know what else to do at this point. I guess just wait for nature to take its course before I start adding ammonia again.

 

[tstenback]

Believe me, this is beyond frustrating at this point. And being ridiculed by family/friends for having an empty tank for so long certainly doesn't help my mindset.

Funny how those closest to us are so quick to ridicule...dont worry payback is sweet

1. Are you sure that your nitrite test is working?
It's a brand new master test kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals that contains Ammonia, Nitrite, pH, and GH. I bought a brand new kit once I started all over just to make sure my old master test kit wasn't contaminated or expired.

Even new kits can have crappy tests so i would get a second opinion from a friend or LFS.

2. Is there nitrates in your tap water or is this left from the previous attempt?
There are no nitrates in my tap water (or just traces). I have about 20ppm of nitrate in my 72G tank now left over from the old water from my first attempt. I changed a majority of the water for the new attempt, but couldn't get everything out.

OK

3. How much ammonia were you adding each day?
About 4 teaspoons full of ammonia each dosage. I stopped adding ammonia 4 days ago.

That sounds perfect for a 72 gal tank

4. What are you using to dechlorinate your water?
Wardley ChlorOut... for removing chlroine and chloramines

Great so we dont have to worry about chloramines either.

5. Are you or have added anything else to the water other than dechlorinator and ammonia?
The only thing I put in was a small slice of filter pad from my established Eclipse 12 tank. That's my only established tank, so I don't have much seed material to use. I figured it probably wouldn't make it spike quicker, but couldn't hurt either.

Seed material is good no matter how much.

It appears that your cycle has stalled. sometimes a 50% water change and a half dose of ammonia will kick start it again. Or you can wait it out? I had similar problems but when i did the 50% water change and a smaller dose of ammonia things started to work out. but definitely get a second opinion on the readings just to verify your test if nothing else. Have to go until tomorrow but i will try to come up with a solution for your predicament. Its just not supposed to be this difficult. good luck and post back the results of the retest.

 

[luxum]

I'm thinking test kit problem as well, expired and/or defective test kits are very common.

 

[Angry_Platy]

I just fishless cycled my tank (only 6gall though)....I had no nitrite reading for 12 days....then it skyrocketed really quick....also bear in mind that too muc ammonia can inhibit some bacteria as well...you might want to do a water change to lower the ammonia and keep it no higher than 5ppm

 

[jaywings19]

Okay... what does this mean...
I tested my NitrAte level today and it was at 80ppm... compared to 20ppm about 12 days ago when I "started all over."

I still haven't shown any NitrIte reading in these 12 days... but apparently my NitrAte is going up.

I retested my tap water today (just to make sure) and got a reading of 0ppm for Nitrates.

So does this mean my tank is cycling... but I won't get a Nitrite spike?

I did a 25% water change after today's readings in order to lower the Ammonia and Nitrate levels in the water. I will retest again tomorrow.

Thoughts?

 

[Tropjunky]

i did my fishless cycle by doing the following
1) set up tank and filter
2) dechlorinater water and add to tank
3) add some sinking food
4) run filter
5) do water test every day
6) when ammoni, nitrates and nitretes level are 0 or 0.025 add 6 small fish like neons and platties.
7) 2weeks later add 6 more fish and repeet this till u got the fish u want without overstocking

 

[jaywings19]

Well, I did a 25% water change yesterday (June 12). I checked my readings again this morning (June 13) and posted the results up top.

Ammonia is still off the charts
NitrAte was lowered from 80ppm to 40ppm

But the most important thing is that I got my first NitrIte reading (a small one). NitrIte showed up at 0.25ppm on my test kit scale. I hope that it's only the beginning of what will become a NitrIte spike.

Thoughts?