Nitrite Reading!

[melz]

hi there, we are doing a fishless cycle ,weve been tackling with our nitrite readings it was 1.0 so we done a water change then it was 0.5 so we done another water change now it is 0.25 and we finally got the ammonia to ---0--- we just need to get nitrite down , will it go down in time, can i do a water test every day to see how things are going

many thanks

~mel~

 

[Ian H]

ummmmm your not ment to do water changes to get the nitrItes down, the bacteria will do that for you, its the nitrAtes you need to need to control with water changes!!

 

[shang hi]

im not 100% about this but ill cheak up because soon ill get my 180l tank and need to cycle it. i think you should get the amonia to about 5ppm and let the bacteria do the work for you (its okay to have it haigh in cycle because you want bacteria to build) and the nirtite you should leave until its turned into nitrate.
heres a like to fishless cycling for you to http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861
hope this helps and ill have a read up about it to see if i can help

 

[Underwurlde]

The idea of cycling is to build up a bacterial colony. One that feeds off ammonia and the other off the resultant nitrite.

As the cycling process progresses, you will see ammonia spikes, and then to zero and nitrite spikes and then to zero. Sometime during the nitrite spike, you should see nitrate. You cycling us complete when 4ppm ammonia is reduced to 0 in about 12 hours (?), and no resultant nitrite, just more nitrate.

Thus, you should only be water changing excessively high ammonia or nitrite which would otherwise stall the cycling process.

More worringly, having 0ppm ammonia for a long period of time (say >24 hours?) will also reset the cycling process!

Andy

 

[littlest]

Hi Melz,

If you are doing a fishless cycle, there's really no need to do water changes to bring ammonia or nitrite down. You should be waiting for your bacteria to build up and deal with the ammonia and nitrite. In fact, doing water changes will slow things down as bacteria needs a food source (ammonia) and water changes remove that.
You need to be increasing your ammonia everyday to 4-5ppm too, to keep feeding your bacteria.
The nitrite will go down in time, as the bacteria builds up.

The only reason (I can think of) that you want to do a water change when doing a fishless cycle is if a particularly low pH is stalling the cycle, or if you accidentally put too much ammonia in.

EDIT: wow, lots of people replied whilst I was typing that. Sorry for repeating them.

 

[Underwurlde]

LOL. At least we're all agreeing here! Albeit at the same time!

Andy

 

[melz]

but some one told me that now my ammonia is down to 0 to not do water change and to wait and see if nitrite drop, the last water change i down was last night

 

[Ian H]

you need to give a constant supply of ammonia in your tank otherwise all the bacteria will die as it has nothing to feed on. No water changed are needed in a fishless cycle. You do one big water change at the end just to get the nitrAtes down

 

[SJ2K]

but some one told me that now my ammonia is down to 0 to not do water change and to wait and see if nitrite drop, the last water change i down was last night

Im really stuggling to understand what your saying here.

So, somone said dont do a water change once your ammonia is at 0 to see if nitrite drops, so when your ammonia dropped to 0 you did a water change anyway?

It would appear you've got a little muddled somwhere, stop doing your water changes and keep addining more ammonia whenever it reaches 0

 

[melz]

sj2k i havent done a water change since my ammoinia has been 0, i done a water change about a day ago can i keep testing to see if nitite readings go down, my nitrate readings was 7.0 then 8.0 then 10.00 now it reads 20.00 so i guess the cycle could be gettin to the end

 

[Underwurlde]

Yes, I think you're right... your cycling is nearing completion now. Keep ammonia levels up.

When you can get 4ppm ammonia down to 0 in (is it 12 or 24hrs), no sign of nitrite and as you see Nitrate then you are go go go for fish.

THEN you do a massive 80% (is it, poor, poor memory) and then add your fish to instantly 70% stocking level.

Check ALL numbers, memory problems

Andy