Need Help With Fishless Cycle

[waterdrop]

Yeah, and the nitrite spike goes on for days and days so it doesn't make much difference whether its "too big" or not as eventually the N-Bac population just finally grows big enough to consume it and all of a sudden in one day it just flat clears up! There's rarely any easing into it, they just one day eat it (or that's the way it seems to appear in our testing anyway, even though we know the reality is a bit different down on the micro level.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Bobtastic]

Just to be clear (just in case I ever have to do a fishless cycle) that you only add more ammonia once it drops to 0? eg If you still have 1.2 after the 24hrs you dont add anymore Ammonia until the next round of 24hr testing?

Also if you have a large amount of Nitrites will this generate the "wrong" type of N-bac, like you would if you had a large amount of Ammonia?

 

[waterdrop]

Just to be clear (just in case I ever have to do a fishless cycle) that you only add more ammonia once it drops to 0? eg If you still have 1.2 after the 24hrs you dont add anymore Ammonia until the next round of 24hr testing?

Yes, you only add ammonia if your previous ammonia dosing has dropped all the way to zero. If, as in your example, you found 1.2ppm still there at the 24 hour mark, it would be another 24 hours later before you'd add ammonia because presumably it would reach zero sometime within the that next 24 hours.

Also if you have a large amount of Nitrites will this generate the "wrong" type of N-bac, like you would if you had a large amount of Ammonia?

No, having a large concentration of nitrite(NO2) does not encourage a "wrong species" of N-Bac in the same way that one worries about 8ppm concentrations of ammonia doing for the A-Bacs. I've not read of any concern of that sort either in Hovanecs scientific papers or in fishkeeping forums. However, having extremely high nitrates(NO3) late in fishless cycling carries the concern (raised by Hovanec) that N-Bac growth will be slowed, thus the call sometimes for one or more 90% gravel-clean-water-changes-with-ammonia-recharge late in fishless cycling to help counteract that.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Marclau]

O'K update..........

Yesterday, my Ammonia levels drop to zero within the 12 hours...........Nitrite was down to .50 after being off the charts the day before.........and Nitrate was down to 10 after being on 40.
My Ph has remained steady at 7.6.........

Today, I checked and I have the following with Ph remaining the same. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate 0........

Has my tank finished cycling now??
I have a large Anubia on driftwood but this should not have taken up all the ammonia should have???

I just added ammonia again to get it to around 40. If, within 12 hours it drops back to 0, and Nitrite and Nitrate also shows 0, do I do a 50% water change and then add my fish Or no water change and add fish??!!!

thanks

 

[fatheadminnow]

O'K update..........

Yesterday, my Ammonia levels drop to zero within the 12 hours...........Nitrite was down to .50 after being off the charts the day before.........and Nitrate was down to 10 after being on 40.
My Ph has remained steady at 7.6.........

Today, I checked and I have the following with Ph remaining the same. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate 0........

Has my tank finished cycling now??
I have a large Anubia on driftwood but this should not have taken up all the ammonia should have???

I just added ammonia again to get it to around 40. If, within 12 hours it drops back to 0, and Nitrite and Nitrate also shows 0, do I do a 50% water change and then add my fish Or no water change and add fish??!!!

thanks

Do you mean you added ammonia up to 4.0 ppm?

I don't know why your NitrAte is zero, I am guessing it is from your Anubias.

This is what should happen when your fishless cycle is complete:

Add up to 4-5 ppm of ammonia,.

After 12 hours, your Ammonia and NitrIte should be at zero, and your NitrAte should be at least 5 ppm, unless your Anubias is using up the NitrAte.

When your Ammonia and NitrIte hit zero within 12 hours, you must continue adding ammonia up to 4-5 ppm every 24 hours for another week, just like you have been doing all along.

This final week is called the "qualification" week.

Your Ammonia and NitrIte should be at zero, (after 12 hours of adding ammonia) this whole week.

NOTE: You might have a slight NitrIte spike during this week.

After this week is done, do a 90% water change, and then you are ready to add fish!

-FHM

 

[Marclau]

Thanks heaps FatHeadMinow.......

Will do as you say.............

The only thing I now have is that I am still using Cloudy Ammonia as we simply do not have any pure ammonia anywhere I live.......
I will continue to use it and then do the 90% water change.............

Is it ok to gravel vac then at this time....??

So, assuming my stats stay at 0, ammonia keeps droping at 0 after 12 hours, and for a week of this, all is good........including my 0 Nitrate........
Yes, I guess that the large Anubia is taking the Nitrate.......previously, and for 2 years, I had the same reading.....O for Nitrate..........funny though how it totally went to 0 after 48 hours though............ummmm was actaully in line with the Nitrite..........the minute that started to drop, so did my Nitrate........

 

[fatheadminnow]

Thanks heaps FatHeadMinow.......

Will do as you say.............

The only thing I now have is that I am still using Cloudy Ammonia as we simply do not have any pure ammonia anywhere I live.......
I will continue to use it and then do the 90% water change.............

Is it ok to gravel vac then at this time....??

So, assuming my stats stay at 0, ammonia keeps droping at 0 after 12 hours, and for a week of this, all is good........including my 0 Nitrate........
Yes, I guess that the large Anubia is taking the Nitrate.......previously, and for 2 years, I had the same reading.....O for Nitrate..........funny though how it totally went to 0 after 48 hours though............ummmm was actaully in line with the Nitrite..........the minute that started to drop, so did my Nitrate........

Yes, it will be perfectly fine to gravel vac at this time, although not necessary, just because you have no fish waste or fish food in the tank. But it is okay to do so.

Yes, after a week of your ammonia and nitrite going to 0 after 12 hours for 1 week, do a 90% water change, and you are all set to add fish!

I am sure the NitrAte going to zero is due to the Anubias.

-FHM

 

[Marclau]

Have a quicky..........

Am I right in assuming that if my Nitrite stays at 0, I have active Nitrate which is simply eating the Nitrite?? It just simply isnt overpower the Nitrite in numbers hence the reading of 0............Is my logic correct??

 

[fatheadminnow]

Have a quicky..........

Am I right in assuming that if my Nitrite stays at 0, I have active Nitrate which is simply eating the Nitrite?? It just simply isnt overpower the Nitrite in numbers hence the reading of 0............Is my logic correct??

The NitrAte does not effect the level of NitrIte that is present in the tank in anyway.

When Ammonia is processed it goes to NitrIte, than when NitrIte is processed, it goes to NitrAte, then NitrAte is taken out be water changes.

In other words: Ammonia -> NitrIte -> NitrAte -> water change/plants using it as a source of nutrients.

-FHM