6Th Day Hardly Any Change

[rodders666]

Ok, I know it's a waiting game doing a fishless cycle but wanted to ask advice.
I read and used the article posted, measured exactly how much water went in my tank and dosed ammonia accordingly.
On Saturday 16th I filled my tank, let it run for 24 hours as it was until I got the ammonia on Sunday. I put 78 litres dechlorinated water in total.
PH is low as we have naturally soft water here; 6.5 pH. No live plants in the tank. Temp set at 26° C.

I dosed with 2.46ml ammonia (Kleen Off) on Sunday evening and tested on the Weds with no change I could see.

Test today and ammonia is down to 2ppm nitrite is 0ppm.

Should I have seen a bigger change than this in 6 days?

Now, here's the confusing part. Using the API Freshwater Master Kit I just thought sod it I'll do NitrAte test while I'm at it. I battered the bottle for a good couple of minutes as I'm aware from other posts a 30 second shake isn't sufficient. According to that I have a slight amount of NO³. It's definitely not the 0 yellow colour, but not quite at the 5ppm orange.


Any advice as to what to do here? Or do I test again in a couple of days?

Thanks.

 

[Essjay]

Have you tested the nitrate level of your tap water? You'll probably find some in there, and you need to subtract the tap nitrate from the tank nitrate to see if the tank level has gone up.
 
I did a fishless cycle a few month ago as I couldn't think of a way to attach mature media to a sponge filter and I also wanted to see how this method of cycling works so I didn't even squeeze a mature filter into the tank. It took 28 days for the first dose of ammonia to drop to zero. Because I already have three fish tanks the wait was interesting rather than frustrating.
 
 
I also added bicarbonate of soda at the beginning as I have low KH (3 deg last time I tested it). As you have soft water, your KH is likely to be low as well. UK water companies don't usually give the KH on their website, but if they do it will be called alkalinity. Have a look at their website, you might be lucky and find it.
I would add bicarbonate of soda to your tank. It comes in small tubs and you can get it from the home baking section of the supermarket - but see if you already have some in the kitchen first. For 78 litres, I would try one and a half 5 ml spoons. Take a bit of water out of the tank, dissolve the bicarb in that then pour it back into the tank.
Bicarbonate of soda is not very good for fish; it does not occur naturally in most lakes, rivers etc and fish have not evolved to cope with it so it can only be used during fishless cycling. At the end of cycling, you do a big water change. Change as much as you can, right down to the substrate if possible; this will remove the bicarb before you get fish.
 
Bicarbonate of soda will also increase the pH, which is good for during fishless cycling. Monitor your pH regularly - test with the other tests - and if it starts to drop add more bicarb.
 
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that your cycle doesn't take as long as mine did

 

[StevenF]

Keep in mind bacteria need phosphate, potassium and other elements.  If you soft water is short on the needed elements it may take a long time and a lot of water cycles to get the tank properly cycled.  Now I haven't tried this (I only have one tank), try adding some fertilizer (I don't care if it is fertilizer terrestrial plants or aquarium fertilizer).  It might added enough to accelerate bacteria growth to get your cycle going.

 

[rodders666]

According to the website for my water provider my water has a 1.56ppm nitrate level so that explains that.
 
It also states the hardness as 1.75 clarke which is approx 25ppm calcium carbonate (as I said, naturally soft water).
 
I think I will just have to keep waiting

 

[rodders666]

Ok, now my ammonia has dropped right down to zero but my nitrite is still at zero. Have I gone wrong here? Do I add the full dose again? Do I check for nitrAte?

Thanks.