Where Am I In My Novice Fishless Cycle?

[the_lock_man]

The only other thing to add to that is that plants will use some of the ammonia as food, therefore depriving the filter bacteria of the ammonia, and thus lengthening the cycle. The more plants, the greater the affect - you could try taking them out, and keeping them wet in a bucket somewhere, and replant them when the cycle is finished.

I agree with AA on everything she said.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Thanks all, so much appreciated.

I have a newborn baby and have decided looking after tanks is harder than looking after babies.....

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Haha! Only in the beginning I promise!

 

[the_lock_man]

Thanks all, so much appreciated.

I have a newborn baby and have decided looking after tanks is harder than looking after babies.....

For gawd's sake, don't get confused. Social Services tend to frown on parents who put their babies in fish tanks.......

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Okaaaaay..... So I did a 30% change, re dosed up to 3ppm with ammonia, and now, roughly 6 hours later, my nitrites are still off the radar. Still measuring in excess of 3.3ppm which is as high as the result goes.....

Is it worth repeating water changes daily (after ammonia testing but before topping levels back up)......?

Am worried that these readings really are so immensely high. What does that suggest I wonder? Ammonia being noshed up super fast, but nitrites sky high....for days.....??? I can't measure nitrates yet... This hagen test kit says nitrite levels around 3.3ppm will deeply affect nitrate readings.....

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Do a bigger water change with a reading of 3.0 it would probably take nearly a 100% water change to bring that down to 0 so you're looking at doing at least 50% i would think.

 

[DanTheFishMan11]

personally i done a cycle with platies and all was fine and always has been.

 

[Mauigirl]

Ok, so being as this is a fish-less you are hurting nothing by doing a 100% change. Realize that when you drain the tank down the substrate is still saturated with old water containing the Nitrites, so when you refill you will still get a reading.
Use of garden hoses will speed this along depending on the size of tank. just protect the filter from the possibility of coming in contact with any untreated water until you add dechlor.

I read that 1ppm of ammonia will produce roughly 2ppm nitrite. so Each time you dose to 3ppm you create 6ppm Nitrite. <- this needs verified as I am working on memory.
Would it not be better , If you want to monitor the progress closely to then dose lower and step up the dosing as you cycle?
Just a thought.
Or just skip a dosing here and there, it wont hurt anything and will keep you from flooding the readings while Ammonia is being processed quickly and Nitrites are still a bit slower.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Just make sure that before you consider yourself "cycled" that you are getting through 2-3ppm of ammonia and the resulting nitrite in 12 hours.

 

[Mauigirl]

Just make sure that before you consider yourself "cycled" that you are getting through 2-3ppm of ammonia and the resulting nitrite in 12 hours.

^^ she is the expert I am theorizing on digested Info.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

lol that's very kind and what you said is totally viable as long as she makes sure she's got enough bacteria to get through 2-3ppm in the end Trust me, I am NOT an expert, I've just been through it not all that long ago AND didn't do it quite right (over dosed ammonia and had pH swings that stalled the cycle ) so I had to do some more in depth reading. Don't ask me any very sciency questions because I'll be really useless then

 

[DanTheFishMan11]

+1 she is an expert

 

[Mauigirl]

+1 she is an expert

+2 and get used to it girl, I'll help you make it sound sciency. Just keep up the stellar advice.
I teach 5th grade. I'm good at making it sound right if even I don't quite agree with what the #40## text book says.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Thanks guys It's nice to be able to help!