Fishless Cycling

[BezsMaracas]

I think I'm having trouble with my fishless cycle. Started about three weeks ago now, got my tank to what I think was 4/5ppm ammonia, ph is at about 7.4, temp around 28C... Anyway, I haven't seen any noticeable drop in ammonia levels, no nitrites and no nitrates, it's as if it hasn't even started yet. A bit frustrated as I'd tried hard to follow all the recommendations and nothing seems to be happening, and at this rate it will be months before I can even think about putting fish in my tank!

Is there a way to see if my filter is even doing anything? I've not tried an external before, water is definitely flowing through it as it's coming back out of the spray bar, but I'm just looking for reasons why it isn't working.

Any ideas?

 

[fluttermoth]

You just need to give it time three weeks isn't all that long. You could speed it up by adding a bit of already mature media to your filter, either from a friend with a tank or from your local fish shop.

 

[stacey3272]

You just need to give it time three weeks isn't all that long. You could speed it up by adding a bit of already mature media to your filter, either from a friend with a tank or from your local fish shop.

when you say media what is that. I have a 5 gallon running great. what can i take from that to help my 55 along. I am in week 5 and I thought I was almost there. ammonia is gone with in 12 hours nitrite was like .25 and even almost 0 yesterday. I did a big water change and boom my nitite rocketed up again. I test my tap wate I have a little nitrite in it I guess. I am affriaf I will neve know hwne it is ready......

 

[nebraskaz71]

Still going through 4ppm of ammonia in three hrs, nitrites are still green off the charts, and nitrates are still sitting at 5-20ppm. Nitrites have been this way for over two weeks, i'm on day 24 now I believe. Guess I get to keep waiting on them to drop lol I want fishies!

 

[BezsMaracas]

You just need to give it time three weeks isn't all that long. You could speed it up by adding a bit of already mature media to your filter, either from a friend with a tank or from your local fish shop.

Thanks, as long as it's not beyond the realms of possibility that it's just going a bit slow I'll try and remain patient with it

 

[nebraskaz71]

I did a 30-40% water change today, see if that helps the process at all, seemed like my ph was starting to drop from 8.2 to 7.8.

 

[OldMan47]

A simple statement may help you understand. On average the nitrite part of a cycle takes about twice as long as the ammonia part. Worse yet, you can never seem to measure nitrite levels during most of the nitrite spike, they will be completely off the charts.

 

[nebraskaz71]

Finally had zero nitrite and 160 nitrate yesterday

 

[nebraskaz71]

Please please help. I finally had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites within 10 hrs for several days in a row, Did a 80-90% water change and was planning on gettin fish tomorrow, tested it tonight and ammonia 0 nitrites 0 but my nitrates are reading blood red on my api kit, it matches nothing on the chart, i shook everything rechecked and im still getting it

 

[fluttermoth]

You probably just need to do another (or even more than one, but one ought to do it) big water change. It's not uncommon for nitrate to be very high at the end of a cycle.

Just out of interest, what's the nitrate level in your tap water?

 

[nebraskaz71]

Tap is 0-5ppm, i tested outside tap again to see if kit was working, seems to be. I just cant believe that water change didnt drop it a single bit! Man this sucks.

 

[nebraskaz71]

Did a big water change today, probably 95% and now the nitrates are showing what i'd consider betw 0-5ppm.

 

[fluttermoth]

Ah, brilliant

 

[nebraskaz71]

Finally! lol appreciate all the help from everyone.

 

[Welshweeks]

Posted this on a new thread but then thought it would be better to put it here?

Hi All,

I'm currently on day 23 of my fishless cycle which I've been updating daily on the thread below;

http/www.fishforum...e-waiting-game/


It looks as if my nitrites are hitting 0 in around 14 hours (checked at 9.00 this morning and was 0.25 @ 12 hrs) so I will check hourly today to confirm. Ammonia is hitting 0 within 12 hours and has been doing so for the last 10 days. Nitrite spiked 10 days ago and hit 0 for the first time 3 days ago.

Basically what I wanted to know is at the moment I am leaving 24 hours between re-dosing ammonia to bring back up to 2.0ppm. Should I now be re-dosing when the nitrites hit 0 (obviously with a min of 12 hours if req) e.g at 14/15 hours etc. tbh I would rather do it at 12 hour intervals at the moment e.g 8.00 & 20.00 as this suites my working times and also I'm pretty poorly with chicken pox at the moment (first time in 42 years!).

Hope this makes sense because as I said I'm pretty ill at the moment!!!!!

As an afterthought maybe I could put a low amount of ammonia in e.g 1ml just to make things tick over until the evening?

Just checked and to confirm nitrite currently clearing 5ppm - 0ppm in 14 hrs