Fishless Cycling Question

[juliethegr8t]

I've got my new 5 gallon hex in process of cycling - I'm trying a fishless cycle this time. I've been putting in a substansial pinch of flake food every day to start me off. It was successful, and I raised my ammonia level to about 2. However, since it hit 2, it's gone down and is now 0. Strangely though, I never recieved a reading on nitrites. It's been at 0 the whole time, and still is. So I'm rather confused as to what to do. I have a hard time believing my tank is already cycled, since it has been less than a week. I do have filter media and gravel from my cycled tank, so I realize that will help speed things up, but this much?! Sheesh. Any help is appreciated, since I really have no clue if I should put a fish in there yet. I'm eager to seperate my dwarf gouramis, since the fighting has caused a minor injury. But I don't want to stick him in there to sentence him to death by "new tank syndrome"! Thanks again guys.

 

[Where the river goes]

I'm in the process of doing a fishless cycle on a 1 gallon tank for a betta. I added some ammonia to get the readings high and three weeks later, no changes. I get nitrate readings, but no nitrite readings. patience is virtue...but sheesh, hurry up already!!! lol

 

[HawkEye]

the way to tell if you cycled is if you read any nitrates...usually the ammonia goes to zero as well as nitrites...but if you have nitrates the cycle should be complete...and I believe you do a small water change...my 40 gal was the same way...ammonia stuck at 1ppm and the nitrites barely .25ppm...but I checked the nitrates and they were 5ppm!!!!! so I changed 25% of the water and added a few more fish...All seems well as of now...

 

[juliethegr8t]

Whelp, I tested nitrates, and it looks like they're showing up, but just barely. So I'm still totally stuck... I have no idea what I should do!! I'm debating on whether or not I should stick 2 of my Zebra Danios in there to make sure it's cycled - or to cycle it (if what I'm doing hasn't worked then I'll have to do that). I really need to get my gouramis seperated asap, but I'm still worried of sticking a fish in there that isn't hardy enough to stand a nitrite spike. What should I do? Opinions pleeeeze. Hey smb - you got any ideas? You seem to be one of the most knowledgeable on fishless cycling. Thanks.

 

[HawkEye]

This probably won't help you but danios are remarkable fish and could handle the conditions...I would do a 25% water change and recheck the ammonia & nitrate levels...the only way to remove nitrates is through water changes...if your ammonia is zero as you said and you have nitrates showing your cycle is complete...nitrates are the final byproduct...I misread your first post and did not realize your ammonia is at zero...you are now cycled...

 

[smb]

This probably won't help you but danios are remarkable fish and could handle the conditions...

If you mean Live through the cycling of a tank, then you are correct. If you mean handle it like it doesn't affect them, then that's innacurate. Any trace of ammonia or nitrites in the water will attack the gill membranes of any fish and cause suffocation.
Yes, some might live through it but it's the equivelant of someone strangling us on the neck with their hands. Depending how long it is and how healthy we were beforehand on whether we live or not. I wouldn't say that those of us that live as "hardy". Just lucky. The fish that do live will live a shortened life also.

Julie, I can't say for sure if your tank has cycled yet. It's always a guess when established media is used as to how long it will take. If no media is used then you only got a top rate of 2ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite was ever noticed then I'd say that it couldn't possibly be cycled. ammonia will sometimes get to 6ppm (anything over 5ppm will kill all fish) and nitrites have been known to get to 13-15ppm at peak levels.

Not knowing the amounts of media, I can't honestly even say I know if it is. Even if I did know, it would be all but impossible to say for sure, imo.

I can give you more than just general info that experts say and give you my personal opinion tho if you'd like. You may take this as you want but if this were me and I had the same exact circumstances you provided I'd say that no it's not cycled. This is erring on the side of precaution tho. I'm not saying it isn't, I'm just saying I wouldn't take the chance and I would resume as tho I never tried to cycle the tank before. This is only my personal opinion tho and only based on my experience so if you don't consider this I can understand.

 

[Kissifish]

Julie, what kind of ammonia did you use to cycle with? Read both sites under smb's post. I think the alternative method may help you out.

 

[Alien Anna]

Personally, I think the solution to whether this tank is cycled or not is easy - add a tiny amount of ammonia (a dot on a cocktail stick), see if it shows up on the test immediately afterwards and then re-test 12 hours later. If the ammonia has gone and if there is no nitrite, the tank has cycled.

Please don't add any fish until you're certain - there seems to be a lack of patience among people on this website

Just imagine, if you would, being forced to live in a house full of smog (like they had in the 1950s that killed people) and being told by the landlord that since you were young and fit, it wouldn't kill you and not to worry because it would clear anyway in a couple of months. How would you like it? Well that's what you're inflicting on fish when you put them in an uncycled tank. To put it bluntly, it's animal cruelty.