Fishless Cycling

[wko70]

Hi All

Just thought I'd add my experience on this so far. Unfortunately I could not get the liquid ammonia supply until last weekend. Until then I have been using fish food.

Now adding the ammonia. Been sort of cycling for about 4 weeks now and ammonia is down to 0.5 after about 10 hours of dosing to 5ppm and 0 by 20 hours.

Nitrites have been at 5 plus (dark purple using api kit) for about 2 weeks now.

I am hoping for some movement on that soon but will a water change do any good?

pH is at 8.2 and has been for the last two weeks which I think is good right?

Nitrates around 5-10ppm so does that mean some nitrites are getting converted?

I have a green nitrate sponge in so will this lower my nitrate reading further?

Cheers and good luck to everyone!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hi All

Just thought I'd add my experience on this so far. Unfortunately I could not get the liquid ammonia supply until last weekend. Until then I have been using fish food.

Now adding the ammonia. Been sort of cycling for about 4 weeks now and ammonia is down to 0.5 after about 10 hours of dosing to 5ppm and 0 by 20 hours.

Nitrites have been at 5 plus (dark purple using api kit) for about 2 weeks now.

I am hoping for some movement on that soon but will a water change do any good?

pH is at 8.2 and has been for the last two weeks which I think is good right?

Nitrates around 5-10ppm so does that mean some nitrites are getting converted?

I have a green nitrate sponge in so will this lower my nitrate reading further?

Cheers and good luck to everyone!

Realizing this is a bit old, it may not matter now, but if your nitrites remain off the chart for an extended period (like the two weeks you mentioned) they can have a detrimental effect on the cycle. Doing a massive water change to bring the nitrites down can greatly aid your cycle. Ultimately, the bacteria you want prefer trace levels of nitrites, not huge levels. So, keeping the nitrites as low as possible can greatly benefit your cycle. You might want to also lower your ammonia dosing to about half strength until the nitrite bacs catch up.

 

[cluelessbeginnergirl]

this article is really well written but for a clueless beginner like me who was given a fish tank(with the fishes,15 of them) as a suprise birthday persent its really confusing(not that i didnt want it since i had been begging my mom to let me get one since i was 10,i am 15 starting today so ya,it took a long time) can some one help me understand all this because my mom said she would sell the tank the minute one of the fishes dies( she dont even know how hard it is to keep a fish and is totally oblivious to the fact of cycling,filters and water tests.) so please can some one help me understand all this.

 

[4seasons]

this article is really well written but for a clueless beginner like me who was given a fish tank(with the fishes,15 of them) as a suprise birthday persent its really confusing(not that i didnt want it since i had been begging my mom to let me get one since i was 10,i am 15 starting today so ya,it took a long time) can some one help me understand all this because my mom said she would sell the tank the minute one of the fishes dies( she dont even know how hard it is to keep a fish and is totally oblivious to the fact of cycling,filters and water tests.) so please can some one help me understand all this.

This thread is about fishless cycling. You already have fish so you need to read up on Fish-In Cycle. You do not want to do anything you read in thread with fish in your tank.
This is where you need to read up: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/224306-fish-in-cycling/
Both methods are referring to the nitrogen cycle and how to establish a biological filter in you fish tank.

 

[SOD83]

Honestly I have read many many forum posts on how to cycle and this is the best I have ever ready, easy to read and simple.thanks

 

[elmo666]

Common sense tells me that it will be a very simple equation. The nitryfying and nitrosomas bacteria will build up to a level equivalent to how much ammonia is being fed to them. Now, if your stocking levle initially produces considerably more ammonia, it would then follow that the levels of bacteria may not be sufficient to cope with the load. Obviously that is only my opinion, but I would rather air (correct spelling??) on the side of caution and see how the tank copes, building the stock up gradually.

 

[markandjanice]

i have read tons of posts, asked loads of questions and got some great answers and help but this is brilliant and i really appreciate it...i think i can follow this haha thanks

 

[hawil]

Very detailed instructions very nice But there is still some points that baffles me. During the cycle, should be the filter turned on? should be the substrate be added? what about plants?

Thanks

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, you must have the filter turned on, as it's on the 'stuff' (media) inside the filter that the bacteria grow.

You can add the substrate, but plants are really better off left until your cycle's finished (as, if you have plants, you have to have the lights on, and light + ammonia = algae), although plenty of people do cycle successfully with plants in.

 

[hawil]

Yes, you must have the filter turned on, as it's on the 'stuff' (media) inside the filter that the bacteria grow.

You can add the substrate, but plants are really better off left until your cycle's finished (as, if you have plants, you have to have the lights on, and light + ammonia = algae), although plenty of people do cycle successfully with plants in.

How about a drift wood? Should it be added after cycle or before?
Putting the lights aside, would there be effects on the plants? Specially rotting or death

 

[fluttermoth]

Wood and rocks can be added at the beginning.

No, plants usually do quite well in cycling tanks as they absorb some of the ammonia as food.

 

[hawil]

Wood and rocks can be added at the beginning.

No, plants usually do quite well in cycling tanks as they absorb some of the ammonia as food.

Okay nice. Thank you. Will be starting to cycle my new tank

 

[r.d.bid]

Where do these beneficial bacteria come from? How are they introduced in to the tank? Air? Present in the tap water already but just in minute ammounts?

Also, the OP states that by the end of the cycle the tank may be messy and possibly contain lots of brown algae. Would it be possible to prevent the algae from growing during the cycle if I covered my tank with a heavy blanket as not to allow any light to enter?

 

[beccalovely]

Absolutely brilliant article - starting my fishless cycle tomorrow and this will undoubtedly be my 'bible' over the cycle!

 

[Boothros]

This may seem a daft question but here goes. I have some mature media in the form of a small air pump and some ceramic rings from my big tank to help speed along the process in my new nano. However, once I reach the desired cycled levels, If I were to remove these items, should I expect a difference? Also, I have a small quarantine tank which though filled with water, rarely has any occupants. Due to the lack of produced ammonia, have I starved the media that was in there?