Tank Cycling

[Graham T]

My tank has been cycling for 10 days now. I had to do a 20% water change 3 days ago due to the ammonia level being high 8ppm. The ammonia level has been at 4ppm for 3 days now and the nitrite level has now shot up to between 2ppm & 5ppm (both colours look the same on chart). Does it sound like things are moving in the right direction?

 

[Randi]

Sounds like things are coming along. Usually a nitrite spike is accompanied by a drop in ammonia levels so that should be dropping. Do another water change if your nitrite gets too high to get an accurate reading. Other than that, it seems like you're getting close.

 

[Graham T]

Ok,thanks. I will test again tomorrow and post the results.

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, in a classic household ammonia fishless cycle the first 10 days are normally when you are mostly just waiting to see if your initial dose of 5ppm ammonia is going to drop toward zero ppm or not. Usually no nitrites(NO2) at all show up on your test. But sometimes nitrites will show up prior to having ammonia go down very much - it's unusual but it does happen that way sometimes.

All of this is what we describe as the first of three "phases" of the fishless cycle. The changeover from the first phase to the second phase is more or less when that nitrite that is showing up begins to "spike" or hit the highest reporting value that the little liquid nitrite test can give you (often 5ppm or such.) That second "nitrite spike" phase will usually last a pretty long time and the pattern will typically be that every time you test nitrite it is as high as the test can show and each time you do the "24 hours away from dosing ammonia" test the ammonia will have dropped to zero and it will be time to dose ammonia again (ammonia is only dosed at the 24 hour mark each day.)

Good luck with your fishless cycle,

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Graham T]

Just tested the water and the ammonia level has dropped down to around 2ppm, so looks like its working. Nitrite level is still between 2 & 5ppm.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

[Graham T]

Still testing the water everyday and results have been the same for the last 6 days now.
Ammonia stuck at 2ppm and nitrite levels are still a dark purple 5ppm.
Any suggestions?

 

[Aqua Tom]

Still testing the water everyday and results have been the same for the last 6 days now.
Ammonia stuck at 2ppm and nitrite levels are still a dark purple 5ppm.
Any suggestions?

Patience

 

[Graham T]

Day 18

Ammonia 1ppm Nitrite 5ppm, added 3ml ammonia

 

[eaglesaquarium]

There really is no need to add more ammonia if you still have ammonia in the tank, not to mention the fact that you are currently in your nitrite spike. When in the nitrite spike you want to limit the amount of ammonia you are adding so that you aren't encouraging the wrong bacteria.


Congrats on the ammonia dropping down to 1ppm though, I know that has been a struggle for you.

 

[Graham T]

Done a 50% water change today to get the nitrites down to a more reasonable level as they have been high for quite a few days now.
Just tested the water,

Ammonia 0.50 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm

 

[Graham T]

Day 21

Yesterdays water change seems to have helped.
Todays results

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0.50 ppm
Nitrate 40 ppm

Topped ammonia up to 2 ppm

 

[Graham T]

Day 22

Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 1 ppm

Topped up to 2 ppm

 

[eaglesaquarium]

There really isn't any reason to "top up" to 2ppm, unless the ammonia is actually zero. The A-bacs will survive on trace levels of ammonia in your tank once cycled, so this is really all that is needed. (I'm not saying that you are doing the wrong thing by topping it up, but you will be driving your nitrites up more by adding more ammonia before it is needed.)

 

[Graham T]

So just top up when ammonia is at 0 ppm or when both are at 0 ppm ?