My Ammonia Won't Spike To Begin My Cycle? Someone Help?

[mgx42]

Update: Today I tested my water and got; Ammonia-.25, NitrIte-.25, Nitrate-5.0.

The ammonia test wasn't fully in the .25 area but it wasn't zero, same thing with the NitrIte, it wasn't zero but wasn't dark enough to be .25. Both tested in between 0 and .25.

I find it weird that the nitrIte is already showing presence in the water? Is this normal on day 5? (day 8 if you count the bad water and dead fish in the beginning)

Also I didn't get a significant ammonia spike before seeing any nitrIte.

 

[beccalovely]

I don't know what is considered 'normal' but I got my first nitrite reading within a few hours of my first ammonia reading.

 

[brian1]

Update: Today I tested my water and got; Ammonia-.25, NitrIte-.25, Nitrate-5.0.

The ammonia test wasn't fully in the .25 area but it wasn't zero, same thing with the NitrIte, it wasn't zero but wasn't dark enough to be .25. Both tested in between 0 and .25.

I find it weird that the nitrIte is already showing presence in the water? Is this normal on day 5? (day 8 if you count the bad water and dead fish in the beginning)

Also I didn't get a significant ammonia spike before seeing any nitrIte.

Ok, so now do a 50% water change, don't touch your filter for now, then test again on Sunday, if the fish stay at the top of the tank you would need to do another water change sooner than Sunday,it's a pity you can't get medium from a lfs put in to your filter as your problems would now be over.......see how you go

 

[mgx42]

Update: Today I tested my water and got; Ammonia-.25, NitrIte-.25, Nitrate-5.0.

The ammonia test wasn't fully in the .25 area but it wasn't zero, same thing with the NitrIte, it wasn't zero but wasn't dark enough to be .25. Both tested in between 0 and .25.

I find it weird that the nitrIte is already showing presence in the water? Is this normal on day 5? (day 8 if you count the bad water and dead fish in the beginning)

Also I didn't get a significant ammonia spike before seeing any nitrIte.

Ok, so now do a 50% water change, don't touch your filter for now, then test again on Sunday, if the fish stay at the top of the tank you would need to do another water change sooner than Sunday,it's a pity you can't get medium from a lfs put in to your filter as your problems would now be over.......see how you go

Hey, I did a 50% water change with spring water from my grocery store. Before I put it in the tank I put prime in it and shook it up. Is that good enough to get any chlorine out?

 

[brian1]

Update: Today I tested my water and got; Ammonia-.25, NitrIte-.25, Nitrate-5.0.

The ammonia test wasn't fully in the .25 area but it wasn't zero, same thing with the NitrIte, it wasn't zero but wasn't dark enough to be .25. Both tested in between 0 and .25.

I find it weird that the nitrIte is already showing presence in the water? Is this normal on day 5? (day 8 if you count the bad water and dead fish in the beginning)

Also I didn't get a significant ammonia spike before seeing any nitrIte.

Ok, so now do a 50% water change, don't touch your filter for now, then test again on Sunday, if the fish stay at the top of the tank you would need to do another water change sooner than Sunday,it's a pity you can't get medium from a lfs put in to your filter as your problems would now be over.......see how you go

Hey, I did a 50% water change with spring water from my grocery store. Before I put it in the tank I put prime in it and shook it up. Is that good enough to get any chlorine out?

Yes it is.......good luck

 

[mgx42]

Day 7: 0-ammonia, 0-nitrIte, 5.0-nitrAte

 

[mgx42]

Update: Today I tested my water and got; Ammonia-.25, NitrIte-.25, Nitrate-5.0.

The ammonia test wasn't fully in the .25 area but it wasn't zero, same thing with the NitrIte, it wasn't zero but wasn't dark enough to be .25. Both tested in between 0 and .25.

I find it weird that the nitrIte is already showing presence in the water? Is this normal on day 5? (day 8 if you count the bad water and dead fish in the beginning)

Also I didn't get a significant ammonia spike before seeing any nitrIte.

Ok, so now do a 50% water change, don't touch your filter for now, then test again on Sunday, if the fish stay at the top of the tank you would need to do another water change sooner than Sunday,it's a pity you can't get medium from a lfs put in to your filter as your problems would now be over.......see how you go

Hey, I did a 50% water change with spring water from my grocery store. Before I put it in the tank I put prime in it and shook it up. Is that good enough to get any chlorine out?

Yes it is.......good luck

Hey sorry i keep dragging you back to this post but ever since the water change (2 days ago), I have seen no ammonia or nitrIte readings. The fish are happy, fed once a day, and the only other noticeable thing about the tank is that its slightly cloudy. I just don't understand how the ammonia isn't at astronomical levels right now because I have been doing nothing with the tank except the one 50% water change. Do you really think I have bacteria built up already?

 

[brian1]

It's looking that way to me,looks like your cycled, see what others think.....

 

[snazy]

You are saying that the spring water you used for the tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5ppm nitrAtes. If you don't have plants in the tank it is really odd that the nitrAtes stay the same 5ppm. I'd just double check before a water change what the nitrAtes are at exactly. Normally they should be increasing and in a non planted tank it is impossible to keep them at the same level. Also, when testing with the Api liquid test, make sure you have shaken the hell out of bottle two of the nitrAte test to show you correct results(1m), also once the two solutions are in, shake for at least 30 seconds.

 

[SandraNewbie]

Ok, so if you got very lucky and your first set up with the tap water provided enough ammonia and nitrites to get both sets of bacterial colonies growing, the danios are generating low levels of ammonai which is why it's taking you so long to see any, and it's being processed.

did you say you had a couple of large plants in the tank? If so they may be perfectly balancing your nitrate.

It's would take about 100 strokes of fantastic luck, but it's got to happen to someone once, right?

You're doing the right things, testing and pwc whenever you get ammonia up towards 0.25. Looks like your cycle will take a while.

(Just a note for future tanks, if your tap water is 2-5ppm ammonia you could fishless cycle tanks without adding ammonia)

 

[snazy]

Did you run the tank for some time before putting any fish in? If yes, it could have been that your tap water ammonia already jump start the cycle and as Sandra suggested, these danios will produce a lot less than even 2ppm ammonia. As for the plants, I still wouldn't think they'll eat the nitrAtes so fast. As far as I am aware, they'll eat the ammonia first, and if none left they'll eat nitrAtes. So they could be keeping the readings at bay too. You still may get a spike so keep testing. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones with a fast cycle.

 

[mgx42]

Did you run the tank for some time before putting any fish in? If yes, it could have been that your tap water ammonia already jump start the cycle and as Sandra suggested, these danios will produce a lot less than even 2ppm ammonia. As for the plants, I still wouldn't think they'll eat the nitrAtes so fast. As far as I am aware, they'll eat the ammonia first, and if none left they'll eat nitrAtes. So they could be keeping the readings at bay too. You still may get a spike so keep testing. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones with a fast cycle.

Thanks for the replies, this tank is driving me crazy lol. FYI I checked the spring water again from the actual jug it comes in and got no nitrate readings. So I guess there's nitrate generating in my tank (which is weird this early). I almost want to put another fish in there to see if the ammonia jumps at all, and also see how fast the bacteria can clean it up (if there is bacteria). If you guys have any ideas let me know. Oh and I have one nubias nana in there which has been growing really quick. I'll try and post pictures of its progress this afternoon. Thanks for the help guys, i'll keep updating.

 

[mgx42]

Ok I just tested the water again today, I think its day 9 or 10 of the cycle. I got ammonia: 0-.25 (not fully in .25 color range but not 0), NitrIte: .25, NitrAte: 5.0. Man is this tank inconsistent lol. So I'm gonna rule out that I got a quick cycle. From what it looks like the ammonia was being regulated very well in the beginning stages (like some of you mentioned), so I have that beneficial bacteria at least. Now the NitrIte part of the cycle seems to be starting and actually showing test results, so hopefully my cycle will have normal cycle habits now so I know whats going on. Again I will keep you guys updated.