New Fishless Cycle

[XeroTolerance]

That's good news. I just got a reading of 5ppm of Nitrite two or three days ago. I still need to wait till it gets higher though. Do you start to dose 2ppm of ammonia after the nitrite drops or while it is 5+ppm? When do I start to dose 2ppm when it drops? Thanks for your help and good luck!

 

[the_lock_man]

That's good news. I just got a reading of 5ppm of Nitrite two or three days ago. I still need to wait till it gets higher though. Do you start to dose 2ppm of ammonia after the nitrite drops or while it is 5+ppm? When do I start to dose 2ppm when it drops? Thanks for your help and good luck!

You reduce the dose when you see ammonia drop to 0.

 

[Kachi]

That's good news. I just got a reading of 5ppm of Nitrite two or three days ago. I still need to wait till it gets higher though. Do you start to dose 2ppm of ammonia after the nitrite drops or while it is 5+ppm? When do I start to dose 2ppm when it drops? Thanks for your help and good luck!

I'm actually going off what Eagle told me a few posts back..

It is time to lower your daily ammonia dose to about 2ppm, in an effort to keep the nitrite from continuing to rise off the chart. If it stays off the chart, do a full water change to clear them and continue to dose at 2ppm daily. When the nitrite falls to zero, finally - raise the dose back up to 4ppm and begin 12 hour testing (but continue to dose at the regular time once a day). You are now clearly in the second phase of the cycle - the nitrite spike. This is generally the longest phase of the cycle process.

Just as "the_lock_man" said, the first time your Ammonia drops to 0ppm, lower the dose to 2ppm so your Nitrites don't spike super super high. Keep dosing at 2ppm Ammonia until you Nitrite drops to 0 (this will take a while most of the time.) Then, when your Nitrite hits 0ppm, dose Ammonia back to 4ppm and start testing every 12 hours (I like 11:30am/pm due to my work schedule) to see when your Ammonia AND Nitrite drop to 0ppm within those 12 hours.

Still only dose once daily tho.

That's what I gathered from Eagles post and from the "beginners guide to fishless cycling" at the top of the forum.

 

[XeroTolerance]

Okay that makes it alot clearer.

Thanks for both of your help.

 

[Kachi]

Day 9: Cycle Log

Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 15-20ppm

Guess who's starting his 12 hour testing? This guy!


I have a question, why is my Nitrate not going up?
Is it because I was only dosing at 2ppm Ammonia in an attempt to get the Nitrite to 0ppm?
Now that I'm dosing at 4ppm again, will it shoot up within the next week or 2 of 12 hour testing?

I'm just concerned that something might not be going quite right with the Nitrate levels. I know from reading other posts and the Cycle guide that it should/will be super high at the end of my Cycle. That's why a massive water change is needed. Or is everything going according to plan?

 

[Kachi]

Day 9: 12 Hour Cycle Test

Is that right?... I wondering if there is something in my tank effecting the results or something.

I don't have high Nitrate.
I re-dosed to 4ppm at 11:30AM this morning and it's down to .25 ppm already, so is Nitrite.

...This seems like it's going too smoothly.

 

[Kachi]

Day 10: Cycle Log


I don't know, something is just odd. I guess I'll see in the coming days.

Ammonia - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm

 

[XeroTolerance]

I think it will shoot up when you start to dose 4ppm of ammonia. Of course I have no experience it's just my guess.

Guess who got past stage one? THIS GUY!
Ammonia just dropped to 0ppm today for me.

 

[Kachi]

That's great! Congrats! Told you it's an awesome feeling the first time it happens.

 

[XeroTolerance]

Yep, good luck to you too.

 

[Kachi]

Day 10: 12 Hour Log

I upped the dose from 3ppm to 4-5ppm Ammonia.

But to me, it seems like something is wrong. The Nitrite isn't going up (I don't think it's going away that quick) and the Nitrate went down. The heck??...

 

[XeroTolerance]

Nitrate probably went down because there was no Nitrite to feed it. What is your pH? Make sure to double check your heater is at 84F, because that will encourage the bacteria to grow. If this doesn't help add a VERY little bit of flake food to give the bacteria some phosphates. When I say very I mean VERY. Brake a flake in half. Take a half and pulverize it. Than put it in the tank. Hopefully some of this information helps you.

 

[Kachi]

I'd like to believe that, but the numbers just don't add up.

How the Nitrification Process works is: Ammonia gets turned into Nitrite Via a Ammonia eating bacteria. The Nitrite is it's byproduct. That byproduct is also Toxic to fish, but luckily another bacteria eats that up. That bacteria byproduct is Nitrate. Nitrate doesn't just go away. That's why when you have a fish tank, you have to do weekly water changes.

In no way should my Nitrate be going down. I put Ammonia in daily, gets turned into Nitrite then Nitrate.

My tank is at 86F
8.2 pH (it's in my Cycle log ... ) is great for bacteria growth

 

[philrag11]

I'd like to believe that, but the numbers just don't add up.

How the Nitrification Process works is: Ammonia gets turned into Nitrite Via a Ammonia eating bacteria. The Nitrite is it's byproduct. That byproduct is also Toxic to fish, but luckily another bacteria eats that up. That bacteria byproduct is Nitrate. Nitrate doesn't just go away. That's why when you have a fish tank, you have to do weekly water changes.

In no way should my Nitrate be going down. I put Ammonia in daily, gets turned into Nitrite then Nitrate.

My tank is at 86F
8.2 pH (it's in my Cycle log ... ) is great for bacteria growth

I've found nitrate tests to be pretty hard to be accurate about and if you read around it seems to be the consensus that it isn't the most reliable test...

I agree with you that nitrate doesn't get 'used up' by much (apart from maybe plants in small quantities?) which is why you need regular water changes....not sure of any other reasons why it should drop unless someone else has any thoughts?

Phil

 

[XeroTolerance]

I'd like to believe that, but the numbers just don't add up.

How the Nitrification Process works is: Ammonia gets turned into Nitrite Via a Ammonia eating bacteria. The Nitrite is it's byproduct. That byproduct is also Toxic to fish, but luckily another bacteria eats that up. That bacteria byproduct is Nitrate. Nitrate doesn't just go away. That's why when you have a fish tank, you have to do weekly water changes.

In no way should my Nitrate be going down. I put Ammonia in daily, gets turned into Nitrite then Nitrate.

My tank is at 86F
8.2 pH (it's in my Cycle log ... ) is great for bacteria growth

Good point. In that case I have no idea what's wrong unless if you have live plants, than in that case its simple. The plants use the nitrate to grow. I hope it sorts it self out.

I got my first reading of Nitrate today! 5ppm!!