Help with fishless cycle - day 16 and still no nitrite

[eaglesaquarium]

50% water change is a safe move. Having the nitrite reach too high a level can stall the cycle too.

 

[steelo]

Thanks, I'm going to check the levels tomorrow and if the nitrites are still 5+ I will do a 75% water change and then add 2-3ppm ammonia. If the nitrites and ammonia are gone, it should be good for fish!

Another question, if I replace 75% of the water I would assume nitrates will also be cut to 25% Won't that prolong the cycle?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Nitrates are the end result of the cying process and in freshwater are dealt with only via water changes or tons of plants.

So no worries there. You dont want nitrates. In the cycling process they only singal progress.

 

[steelo]

Nitrates are the end result of the cying process and in freshwater are dealt with only via water changes or tons of plants.

So no worries there. You dont want nitrates. In the cycling process they only singal progress.

Thanks, I'm not worried about the nitrates as I'm just going to do a huge water change before adding fish. I'm concerned about how I accidentally overdosed ammonia 2 nights ago to 4-8 ppm. Last night, nitrites were ~5+ but ammonia dropped to around 1 ppm, so I at least know that nitrites are consuming quite a bit of the ammonium. I just hope there are enough nitrates to not allow the nitrites to get out of control (over 15 pppm)

I'm so close to being done with the fishless cycling and am afraid I might have stalled the cycle by adding way too much ammonia 2 nights ago. I was doing really well, 2-3 ppm ammonia were being completely consumed in 24 hours and nitrites were only reading about 0.5 ppm the next day. After overdosing, the nitrites were almost off the scale 24 hours later.

If I do a large water change, the nitrites/nitrates should drastically be cut down and it won't be able to process the ammonia within 24 hours. I fear this will set it back, but if nitrites get too high it may stall the cycle completely...It seems like kind of a catch 22.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Not at all... it seems your understanding of the cycle is a little off.

We are cultivating BACTERIA to process the different waste products.

One type of bacteria break down the ammonia and produce nitrite as a result. Then as the nitrite starts to build, a second type of bacteria break down the nitrite and produce nitrate as a result. We don't need nitrite to break down the ammonia, nor do we need nitrate to break down the nitrite. They come as a result of the process, they do not cause it.

The only danger in your nitrites being to high causing a stall is that the bacteria we want for converting the nitrite into nitrate don't function well in high nitrite concentrations, but only in lower levels.


A water change to put things where they need to be won't be a set back at all. Honestly, its nothing to worry about. Do the water change, lower the ammonia and the nitrite levels and then redose a HALF dose of ammonia. Wait 24 hours, then dose a full dose IF AND ONLY IF the ammonia and nitrite are completely gone.

I think you may be going off some old instructions. You don't need to dose ammonia DAILY unless the nitrite is under 2 ppm. The bacteria that consume the ammonia will be fine for a few days without ammonia to consume.

 

[ellejay]

Thanks for for all the advice, its interesting to hear how other cycles are progressing. I'm getting there slowly but surely, just added my maintenance dose today. Ammonia and nitrites seem to be dropping quickly so I'm hopeful it won't be too much longer (although hopefully it will wait until payday!)

 

[eaglesaquarium]

No worries about waiting... once its cycled... a maintenance dose is easy to provide, about every 3 days or so.... roughly 1/3 the full dose... and you can get your fish whenever is convenient to you.