Fishless Cycling

[rdd1952]

The nitrite really won't ever appear to go down. It will literally drop from astronomically high to zero overnight or while you're at work/school. I don't know why it works that way but it does. I think your ammonia will be fine. Since it is processing all but 1 ppm in a matter of hours, I think you will be good to add fish as soon as the nitrite drops.

 

[aaronc]

Yay. I will keep an eye on it

Aaron

P.S thanks for thinking I goto school, makes me feel well young hehe

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Okay, well i got some good news

a few days ago, I added about 8 ppm of ammonia, yes, 8ppm, i was hoping that would give it a kick start... and guess what... it worked

Last night, my ammonia was a 0, so i added about 2ppm of ammonia, this morning it is back to 0, so i am adding some more as we speak!

I CANT WAIT UNTILL THIS PROCESS IS OVER!!!

But hey, atleast its working

 

[rdd1952]

It sounds like you are there with the ammonia. Just keep adding each day until the nitrite drops. Oddly enough, I have never heard of anyone having problems during the nitrite cycle. That may be because the reading goes off the chart and you can't really tell what is happening except that the nitrates are rising.

 

[aaronc]

Glad to hear you are getting somewhere Dr Bogger. Next is the doubly long and painful wait for the Nitrite to sort itself out

Good luck

Aaron

 

[aaronc]

Well would you believe it! I got home and did the usual test expecting nitrite to be off the scale and ammonia to be sittng stubbornly on 1ppm!

To my delight, nitrite is 0! Oddly Ammonia is at somehwere between .25 and .5ppm! Still, looks like the finish line is in sight lol

Aaron

 

[Dr. Bogger]

awsome! i'm hoping the finish line is in sight for me too... lol

I still got a long ways to go i just hope it all happens quickly.

 

[Underwurlde]

Bloody hell mate - miracles do happen.

I've been reading your posts.... (honestly, I havn't been sniggering at your frustrations - ha, you sound like me).

Well done for persevering. Another 3 or 4 months should do it.

Andy

 

[aaronc]

Ha Ha Andy!

I hope it is all worth it. Should be, cant wait to get my fish, 4 years without fishies was too much.

I have added more ammonia, will keep you all posted

Thanks
Aaron

 

[rdd1952]

Sounds great Aaron. It's a wonderful feeling when you see that nice light blue color on the nitrite test (at least it's blue on my kit) after a trying cycle and know that it's finally finished. I would continue to add a little ammonia each day to keep the bacteria fed until the day before you get your fish. A level of 2 to 4 ppm should be gone (ammonia and nitrite) in about 8 or 10 hours. Congratulations.

 

[aaronc]

Should I do my water change the day before the fish, to allow the water to warm up etc?

Or is it best to do it on fish day and just use hot water to get it up to temperature?

Thanks
Aaron

 

[rdd1952]

You can do it any time between now and then. If you do it now and then get fish in the next 3 or 4 days, the nitrates won't build up enough to matter in that time frame. You will be doing another water change a week or so after you get your fish anyway.

 

[aaronc]

Hmm it isn't all plain sailing yet.

I have just done a nitrate test out of curiousity and it seems to be very low < 5ppm.

I would expect it to be sky high.

I do have a nitrate removal sponge in the filter, wasn't sure if it worked, guess it looks like it does. The tank is quite heavily planted to.

Or could this be PH messing with my test kits, PH is < 6. Although I have had much higher positive readings for nitrite and nitrate with the same kits at the same PH

 

[rdd1952]

You're right that the nitrate should be sky high but maybe the sponge is the culprit. I've never used one so I don't know how well they actually work. If you continue to add your ammonia and it processes completely in 10 to 12 hours, you will still be able to tell if you're cycled. If your tank is heavily planted, you may want to remove the sponge as the plants need nitrate.

 

[aaronc]

I will replace the nitrate removal with another standard sponge and see if that helps. Then if the nitrate gets out of control I will put it back in

Aaron