Fishless Cycling, No Change In Ammonia In 2 Months
- Thread starter Matt T
- Start date
ibuyafish
New Member
What water did you use? Hot or cold and did you both get it from the same place? Not "your house" but, the bathroom or kitchen?
We both used cold water from the bathroom to start off with. After a month of mine not starting, i did a water change and used a mixture of cold and warm water from the bathroom. I dont know if it makes any difference but it was warmed using a combi boiler rather than from a tank, so its straight from the cold water supply.
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
I hate to say this because it might not be the problem but I do believe over the years we've had at least a couple of reports from members that they've ended up throwing their elite stingrays out in disgust and switching to some other filter after having a very hard time with them. I say this with caution because I believe we've had other members who've had modest success with stingrays and I haven't done any searches to try and support what I remember.
Its important right from the start that water going through a filter not be able to "cheat" and bypass the filtration media. Sometimes a filter design is not good at ensuring that the water must pass through the media. Ultimately, it is also quite important that the filter contain a large enough volume of media to do a good job with the tank size and bioload. When I began many years ago I can remember that some of my tanks were large, compared to the very small box filters I ran in them. Nowadays I use what feels like a very large external cannister filter on a not very big tank! The difference is huge.
~~waterdrop~~
Its important right from the start that water going through a filter not be able to "cheat" and bypass the filtration media. Sometimes a filter design is not good at ensuring that the water must pass through the media. Ultimately, it is also quite important that the filter contain a large enough volume of media to do a good job with the tank size and bioload. When I began many years ago I can remember that some of my tanks were large, compared to the very small box filters I ran in them. Nowadays I use what feels like a very large external cannister filter on a not very big tank! The difference is huge.
~~waterdrop~~
Your combi-boiler may be the trouble. I have read from some of our UK members that a combi-boiler can end up adding some metals into the water because water in the boiler is in direct contact with the metal heater itself. In the US most of us use fiberglass lined water heaters for our warm water supply. By being fiberglass lined, the water never makes direct contact with the metal tank and we don't worry much when we use a mixing faucet for our water. Each locale has its own way of setting up plumbing systems and therefore what works for me may not work for you.
Ill try using the cold tap in future rather than the hot water.
As for the filter, how does the fluval 1 sound? Ive read that some filters can be too powerful and desturb the fish. That is if we ever actually get any
As for the filter, how does the fluval 1 sound? Ive read that some filters can be too powerful and desturb the fish. That is if we ever actually get any
A Fluval in the 1 size would be about right for a nice little 10 gallon like that. Other options would be a nice sponge filter or even a small hang on back filter like a small AC.
Right, the fluval 1 plus came today.
I cleaned it, emptied my tank, re-filled the tank using only cold water and fitted the new filter (with some ceramic cylinder noodle things stuffed in the bottom). This time i used waterlife dechlorinator rather than aqua plus. I then added the homebase ammonia that my brothers cycle started with.
I left the tank to stand with the filter on for a couple of hours and then took readings for the PH and Ammonia
PH is 8.2
Ammonia is 4ppm
This filter looks like theres much more filter media. The output isnt as harsh either but there is still a very good flow in the tank. The water also seemed to clear much faster with this filter rather than the other. Another bonus is that it doesnt look ridiculous.
Ive checked the thread at the top of this section but the only person listed in Sheffield for mature media donation last logged on in May 2008.
I cleaned it, emptied my tank, re-filled the tank using only cold water and fitted the new filter (with some ceramic cylinder noodle things stuffed in the bottom). This time i used waterlife dechlorinator rather than aqua plus. I then added the homebase ammonia that my brothers cycle started with.
I left the tank to stand with the filter on for a couple of hours and then took readings for the PH and Ammonia
PH is 8.2
Ammonia is 4ppm
This filter looks like theres much more filter media. The output isnt as harsh either but there is still a very good flow in the tank. The water also seemed to clear much faster with this filter rather than the other. Another bonus is that it doesnt look ridiculous.
Ive checked the thread at the top of this section but the only person listed in Sheffield for mature media donation last logged on in May 2008.
What about getting some media from your brother's tank? I thought you said that it is almost cycled. Once it is, you should be able to get a small sample from his filter to give yours a jump start. It could be as simple as having him clean his filter in your tank the next time it needs cleaning.
Hi everyone, its been a while since i fitted the fluval. The cycle is well underway now. Id like to say thanks to everyone thats helped me
Ammonia is going from 4 ppm to 0 in 2 - 3 days.
Nitrite is constantly at 0.
Nitrate is obviously constantly rising.
It seems the nitrobacter? bacteria are growing at the same rate as the nitrosomonos? bacteria. Which seems strange!
Is there any rough rule of thumb for how long it takes from now until i begin the "qualifying week"?
Ammonia is going from 4 ppm to 0 in 2 - 3 days.
Nitrite is constantly at 0.
Nitrate is obviously constantly rising.
It seems the nitrobacter? bacteria are growing at the same rate as the nitrosomonos? bacteria. Which seems strange!
Is there any rough rule of thumb for how long it takes from now until i begin the "qualifying week"?
Harlequins
***Corydora Crazy***
Normally when both your ammonia/nitrite clear to zero in 12 hours and you then count 7 clear days of results being zero without a waterchange before you start your qualifying week
Has your nitrite started spiking yet?
Has your nitrite started spiking yet?
No my nitrite hasnt started spiking, the ammonia is going down much faster than before but no measurable ammount of nitrite is in the water it seems to be being used up and converted to nitrate straight away.
Ahh right i thought having 7 days where the ammonia was converted to nitrate within 12 hours each time was the qualifying week, rather than the week after that! So i need to do two weeks of ammonia being converted into nitrate in 12 hours or less?
Ahh right i thought having 7 days where the ammonia was converted to nitrate within 12 hours each time was the qualifying week, rather than the week after that! So i need to do two weeks of ammonia being converted into nitrate in 12 hours or less?
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