Fishless Cycling

[eaglesaquarium]

Anything else in the tank?

What's your water's kH?

 

[strobe1980]

Just substrate, I'm waiting to add plants,but money is an issue for the next couple of weeks then I'll be adding rocks and bogwood. My Kh 89.5

Just substrate, I'm waiting to add plants,but money is an issue for the next couple of weeks then I'll be adding rocks and bogwood. My Kh 89.5

 

[Mikeco]

Three weeks into this fishless attempt and the ammonia has never dropped to below 2ppm. I have only added ammonia once during this time. Nitrites never read above 0. I read about peoples ammonia dropping in about a week. This is a new 38 gallon tank with all new equipment, if that matters. I need some encouragement. lol. Thoughts?

 

[fluttermoth]

What temperature are you running that tank at, and what's your hardness like?

It can take a long time for the initial drop in ammonia. Is there any way you could get a donation of mature media to give your colony a kick start?

 

[Mikeco]

The water is set at 78 degrees. I have been testing with the api master test kit. It does not test hardness, does it? Is there another test kit for that. I guess I can try to get some mature media from the local pet store. Willing to try anything. Just want to do this the right way. Thanks for your help.

 

[fluttermoth]

Try turning your heat up (to around 28°C); raising the pH to around 8 would help too.

 

[Mikeco]

Thank you, I will try that.

 

[Mikeco]

I have nitrites and nitrates now!! And the ammonia is falling! I feel like it may be soon.

 

[Pepsidave85]

Wow, I'm a complete Noob, and reading that has made far more sense than anything that is written in the "Starter" brochures that came with my tank.
 
That, to me, makes a lot of sense, and I thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed, easy to digest and easy to follow guide. I'm half-way through my cycle, but I am doing a fish-in cycle. Wish I had found this forum first.
 
Of the many forums I've looked at and read over the past couple of weeks, this one seems to one of the more friendlier and helpful ones out there. Hence joining.
 
Keep up the good work.

 

[dande2013]

Hi there
 
I am new to all this and really need some advise i have a 80 litre tank which for the past year have had gold fish in but unfotuantly they passed away when i was on holiday

  as the house sitter did not look after them properly

 , any way i thought i would try keeping tropical fish as i love fish they are really easy to keep and my kids love them to. I have all the stuff i used for my goldfish still ie plastic plants ornaments gravel etc obviously it has all been cleaned and stuff i was wondering if this would be ok to use with tropical fish or if i would have to buy new? I have purchased a 150w heater and a new 1000l/h filter as mine broke and i am just waitng for them to arrive.

 
Plus as i am really new at this i would just like to say the step by step guide above to cycling was very interesting and i am hoping it will become exteramly usefull for me in the next few weeks so would just like to say thank you to the publisher. I am hoping some one can help.
 
P.s i am new to this site to and was wondering if any 1 knew how to add new content as cant seem too figure out how to lol

 

[fluttermoth]

No, you don't have to change anything in your tank for tropical fish; the only difference is the heater

 

[dande2013]

Thank you emo kid

 

[misterpro]

Many thanks for this excellent guide.
 
Cycled for 6 and a half weeks to be on the safe side (5ppm ammonia to 0 nitrite in under 12 hours) and I was able to add almost all of my fishies (107 total) at once without even a blip of ammonia or nitrite showing up.  Excellent guide.
 
PS: Be sure to check for ph ever few days if you don't do water changes.  I had a massive ph crash 5+ weeks in (8.0 to 6.6 in one day) that I was able to catch without a problem (90% water change).  It shouldn't happen if you change water earlier.  Nitrates were way over 200 when it happened.
 
*edit* I went with 29°C for the cycling.

 

[dbarndt]

I have been lurking around this forum for a several weeks as I waited for my tank to cycle and now I need some advice. I have a new 16G tank that I have been trying to cycle for 3+ weeks with no progress and would love to hear your ideas. Thanks in advance.
 
-tank is 16G with a 100G/hr aqueon filter hanging, water temperature has been holding steady @80 degrees
-the water I used was treated for chlorine/chloramines with the included aqueon de-chlorinator
 
-I started cycling by adding pure ammonia on April 2
 
-On April 9 I bought an API water testing kit and realized I made a mistake on Ammonia dosing and only had 1ppm Ammonia for the previous week. I added ammonia to get to ~4-5ppm. Tank tested at 0-NitrITes, 0-nitrAtes.
 
-Have tested daily since and the am getting the same readings every day
-Ammonia -4ppm
-NitrITes - 0ppm
-NitATes - 0ppm
 
-I have tested pH a couple of times and have been holding steady around 8.2.
 
At this point I am considering doing full water change and trying again. Your comments are MUCH appreciated. 

 

[daizeUK]

I would hold out.  My latest was very slow to start processing ammonia, it took about 20 days to drop but then cycled nitrite very fast. 
I'd say give it another week to 10 days and reduce your testing to every 2-3 days, you don't need to test every day at this stage.
Your pH and temperature are good, your nitrate is zero and your ammonia is under 5ppm so that's all good, I don't see any need to WC yet