Stocking Ideas For 55 Gallon

[Nik00117]

The company I ordered my parts from gave me a bottle of bacteria. I didn't think it'd do anything but I did put it in. Figured it couldn't hurt. I should see some kind of nitrite spike. Or how else do I know if the tank is cycled? It'd be exciting to see this tank cycled

 

[Nik00117]

I had put ammonia in the tank earlier this evening (when I posted it) my Nitrites are reading at approx 1-2 PPM. My next step should be?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Keep ticking the ammonia oxidizing bacteria over with about 1ppm ammonia added every 24 hours... and continue testing the nitrite until it reaches zero in 12-24 hours after dosing the ammonia.  I prefer 12 hours, but others say 24 is fine.
 
When the ammonia is FULLY converted over it will be NITRATE, so you should get zero readings for both ammonia and nitrite - and that's when you know you are fully cycled.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Wait for nitrites to peak and start down. You may need to do a diluted test to get a real idea of your nitrites.
 
Do not dose more ammonia until you see the nitrites back under 1 ppm, Then dose 1/4 or so the amount of your initial dose very few days or until nitrites 0 out. At this point you should be able to dose 2 ppm of ammonia into the tank, wait overnight and test the next day and get a 0 reading for both ammonia and nitrite. If you don't, you need to wait for double 0s and then repeat the 2 ppm test.
 
Bear in mind that at low levels ammonia test kits can be highly unreliable. So if you do the dose and test and nitrite is 0 but ammonia looks to be about .25 ppm, it may be a bad ammonia reading. However, 0 ammonia but some nitrite is something you do not want to see. In the first case you are likely cycled in the second you are likely not.

 

[Nik00117]

Ok will keep Ammonia at approx 1 PPM until nitrites are zeroing out in 24 hrs, Hopefully this is quick.

 

[Nik00117]

My fishless cycle is not over. In fact I'm in the middle of it.
 
Earlier tonight I dosed enough to get to 3-4 PPM Ammonia ( a few hours later I already see a difference in levels)
 
However my nitrite levels are off the chart. My question is do I keep adding ammonia.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

How high are the nitrites?
 
 
TTA discussed doing a "diluted" test to see the result.  Doing this is fairly simple.  Tap water should contain 0 nitrite (or very close) and if you put 4 ml of tap water into the tube and 1 ml tank water, and test that - then, whatever result you get can be multiplied by 5, to determine your level.
 
 
So, if your diluted test comes back at 1ppm, you are dealing with 5ppm nitrite.  A test of 5ppm for the diluted water means a level of 25 ppm.
 
 
Personally, I'd do a water change if the nitrites are any higher than 10ppm.  50% would halve the concentration, 75% would cut it to 1/4 of the original value.
 
 
I'd dose the ammonia at no more than 1ppm daily until the nitrite hits zero.  The nitrite bacs will catch up, but they can't handle huge quantities of nitrite - kind of like the difference between drinking from a garden hose and a fire hose.  

 

[Nik00117]

Hopefully it's not too high at work for the next 8 hrs. When I get home I will do this.

 

[Nik00117]

I just did a test, my nitrites are at 0 looks like I'm cycled...I dossed last night and everything. Going test again to make sure I didn't **** up.

 

[Nik00117]

Double checked my tests everything appears to be working out Think i'm fully cycled after a short two weeks. Even though I was drunk last night when I did the test my wife did confirm that I'm not crazy and my nitrites where a solid 5 ppm.