Wierd Readings Of Fish Less Cycle

[TwoTankAmin]

"After the maintenance feeding, whenever you test and ammonia is .25 ppm or lower and nitrite is clearly under 1 ppm, it is time to add a full ammonia dose again and test in 24 hours. "

 

[cambojnr]

Day 17 and no change in nitrite, so I have did a maintenance feeding since it's been 3 days, hopefully by Saturday something will have happend.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

When you say no change are you saying its held steady at about 2 ppm for 4 days? If you added 1 ppm of ammonia (the snack) that could create about 2.55 ppm of nitrite. So if you added ammonia and nitrite stayed at 2, that indicates some nitrite was processed.
 
Be patient. Do not add more ammonia till you see some drop in nitrite. kepp us posted on the progress.

 

[cambojnr]

When you say no change are you saying its held steady at about 2 ppm for 4 days? If you added 1 ppm of ammonia (the snack) that could create about 2.55 ppm of nitrite. So if you added ammonia and nitrite stayed at 2, that indicates some nitrite was processed.
 
Be patient. Do not add more ammonia till you see some drop in nitrite. kepp us posted on the progress.

to late did a maintenance feeding last night, as nitrite was up at the 5ppm mark, so should go up to about 7.5ppm with yesterday's maintenance feeding. I will not add any more ammonia until I see a drop, but what is the longest I can leave that for?

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

 

When you say no change are you saying its held steady at about 2 ppm for 4 days? If you added 1 ppm of ammonia (the snack) that could create about 2.55 ppm of nitrite. So if you added ammonia and nitrite stayed at 2, that indicates some nitrite was processed.
 
Be patient. Do not add more ammonia till you see some drop in nitrite. kepp us posted on the progress.

to late did a maintenance feeding last night, as nitrite was up at the 5ppm mark, so should go up to about 7.5ppm with yesterday's maintenance feeding. I will not add any more ammonia until I see a drop, but what is the longest I can leave that for?
 

The bacteria is extremely hardy and you could leave it for 2-3 weeks easy. It will go dormant and take a few days to wake up, but you can leave it

 

[cambojnr]

Well that's another 3 days with no change in nitrite as its is still past 5ppm, getting sick now as it's been since the 15-16th since I saw nitrite and it ain't went down in 10 days, giving up on this tank before it's even started. So ammonia is back at 0ppm and nitrite is above 5ppm and showing no signs of going down, gonna give it another week then maybe dismantle it as it clearly is not going to cycle. Thanks for all the help in trying to get it to cycle though.

 

[cambojnr]

Right, got some demineralised water today to do diluted water tests for nitrite, and when I was doing 50/50 3/4 1/4 I was getting an unreadable colour, our maybe it was just the lighting, but when I did 9 parts demineralised 1 part tank I got 0.50ppm, so it must be 5ppm and I can just not get good enough lighting to see the colour properly, anyways will see what it is in seven days, but by then I bet my ammonia eating bacteria will have died somehow, so remaining positive.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

As Ellie correctly stated, they will go dormant, not die right away. They will 'wake up' eventually once there is ammonia again.

The key is patience.


Have you tested your kH and pH recently? If you can't test your kH, take a sample to the lfs and ask them to test it for kH.

 

[cambojnr]

Tested last night and nitrite was still at 5ppm tested this morning 12 hours later and it's down to 0ppm, so I have added 3 ppm of ammonia again and hopefully it will be 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite tomorrow.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 
Chances are it won't hit double 0 tomorrow, but it should be very close.

 

[cambojnr]

 
Chances are it won't hit double 0 tomorrow, but it should be very close.

it has to soon as I will run out of ammonia son as only probably have enough for 2-3 more 3ppm doses. As it is the stuff I found in a box from the UK when I was keeping my hospital tank cycled.

 

[LilyRose Tank]

You are very near the end
Cycling can take up to 6 weeks, patience is the key here. Don't give up on it,MIT could be ready within the next week, and that realisation that it's cycled is so exciting. Don't give up hope yet. It will all be worth it when you have your beautiful tank all stocked x

 

[cambojnr]

So 24 hours after 3ppm dose my ammonia is at 0.25ppm and nitrite is back up past 5ppm.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

So 24 hours after 3ppm dose my ammonia is at 0.25ppm and nitrite is back up past 5ppm.

 
 
Sounds like nitrite bacs just aren't there yet.  Your nitrite can't be higher than 7.0 ppm with your ammonia conversion...  but the fact that its showing up as 5.0 means not much is being processed either, sadly.  Hopefully it will drop again to zero tomorrow...

 

[cambojnr]

It silly cause the other day it went from above 5ppm to 0 in less that 12 hours as I checked at 11pm before I went to bed, then when I woke up I did a sgetting annoyed check and it was 0ppm.