Cycling Questions

[dmarie04]

I'm trying to do a fishless cycle on my 29 gallon tank. I wanted to post my results here to see if this is normal/ok. I've never actually done a cycle before, so I'm just looking to see if I'm doing it right! I'm doing the add and wait method. I started the cycle 5 days ago. Ammonia dropped to zero 2 days ago and, as of today, is dropping to zero from 4ppm in about 8 hours. Nitrite has been at 5.0 and Nitrate has been at 80ppm yesterday and today. For some reason I thought that when I started seeing nitrate, my nitrite would be going down. Maybe I'm just being too impatient! It has only been 5 days.

 

[mark.w.jones]

I'm trying to do a fishless cycle on my 29 gallon tank. I wanted to post my results here to see if this is normal/ok. I've never actually done a cycle before, so I'm just looking to see if I'm doing it right! I'm doing the add and wait method. I started the cycle 5 days ago. Ammonia dropped to zero 2 days ago and, as of today, is dropping to zero from 4ppm in about 8 hours. Nitrite has been at 5.0 and Nitrate has been at 80ppm yesterday and today. For some reason I thought that when I started seeing nitrate, my nitrite would be going down. Maybe I'm just being too impatient! It has only been 5 days.

Keep adding your ammonia up to 5ppm on a daily basis and just be patient. The nitrite does seem to take for ever to go though, youre probably about 2 weeks away. If you can get some mature sponge / media to add to your filter it will vastly speed up your cycling time.

 

[dmarie04]

Thanks for the reply. I have a stocking with rocks in it from one of my other tanks in there right now. I am emptying my 5 gallon tank tonight, so I could actually just use the filter from that tank, to help things along.

 

[dmarie04]

Nitrite dropped to 2ppm about 4 days ago and then overnight dropped all the way down to .25ppm!! Last night before bed it was still 2ppm and the ammonia was back down to zero, so I brought ammonia back up to 5 and then this morning when I did my morning tests I was pleasantly surprised with a light lavender nitrite test tube!! Does this mean I'm getting closer? I'm getting so excited...almost fish buying time(I hope)!

 

[thegnu]

hi dmarie04
i think you are doing brilliantly and i know how you are feeling because early dec last year i cycled some breeding tanks and i felt the same. about this same time in my cycle as in yours i introduced 3 fish and just fed them 6 flakes per day until nitrite went to nil the same as ammonia and i had rising nitrates. i also put in from the off filter start and my tanks cycled in 18 days. similar to your more natural way only dearer

 

[dmarie04]

YAY! I got a blue test tube today instead of a very light lavender!!!! (zero nitrite) I added in a bit of ammonia (since it was down to zero) and if the nitrite is back to zero by the time I've come home tonight (in about 12 hours) then I'm going to consider it cycled! Woohooo...