How-to Do a Fishless Cycle

[Undawada]

Greetings.

I've had many requests for step-by-step instructions on how to do a fishless cycle. This thread should be a good reference for anyone starting out with a new tank.

Things you will need :

• "Pure" Ammonia (usually purchased as an all-purpose cleaner, make sure it doesn't have dyes, scents or anything else added)
• Test Kits : Ammonia (NH3/NH4), Nitrite (NO2), Nitrite (NO3)
• An eyedropper
• A new tank, full of water, with a filter on and running
• A heater and airstone. The heater should be set to keep the tempurature in the 80s
• (optional) a bacteria seed from an established tank. This can be an ornament, a plant, a nylon stocking with some gravel, or better yet, some of the filter media.

Firstly, you should add enough ammonia to your tank that it brings the Ammonia reading up to 4 to 6 ppm. The only way to do this is add a drop of ammonia, swirl it around, wait a moment, test the water and repeat. Remember how much ammonia you've added. It will vary depending on what concentration of ammonia you've bought, so there is no real guideline here.

Each day add the same amount of ammonia, and check your ammonia an hour later. When the ammonia reading drops to 0, start testing your water using your Nitrite test kit.

Keep adding the ammonia, and checking the Nitrite every day. The nitrite level should climb, then drop down to 0. This spike will occur over a period of days, so be patient. When your nitrites are at 0 an hour after you add the ammonia, your tank should be cycled. Check your Nitrate to be sure. If your Nitrate reading is high, then you're on the right track.

Now do a big water change (50% to 75%), and add fish.

Congratuations, you're cycled!

 

[rdd1952]

There is already a pinned topic in the TFF FAQ forum in the beginners section. Also, when you add ammonia for the first time, you should add enough to raise it to 4 to 6 ppm. Otherwise, you are only cycling for a partial fish load. You also need the heater turned up to the upper 80s to help speed the process and need extra aeration via an airstone.

 

[Undawada]

Good points RDD. I edited the topic to show the correct PPM of Ammonia, and to add the importance of a heater and airstone to speed things up.

I know about the pinned topic, this one was written specifically for one person as a summary. I just decided to post it instead of PM so anyone else could benefit from it. I'll link the pinned version Here.


Also, for anyone cycling, be patient, it takes a while. 5 or 6 weeks is common.

 

[Bloo]

Thanks Undawada - great step by step simple but thorough summary !

 

[Undawada]

Thanks!

I posted this because the pinned topic has much more information, but takes so long to read. For people who are impatient, or on dialup (the pinned topic is all scanned images), this is an alternative.

 

[Bloo]

My thoughts exactly ! I got very lost when I first read through all that gumph in the pinned topic. I'm not complaining, just saying
I think your's should be pinned too ! (or in conjunction)

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Just curious, how long should a fishless cycle take to do on average or does it vary from what size the tank is?

 

[mlee0332]

if you add 5.0ppm to begin with, you have to continue to add every day?!?!?!?!?! or just after it drops to 0.0ppm, then add ammonia. That might have been where I went wrong...

I've read anywhere from 21-30 days to completely cycle. 1 week with bio spira...

 

[Torrean]

bio spira is supposed to cycle immediately. But if you already have a cycling tank then it will take longer.

 

[mlee0332]

i meant that if you already had it in progress... Thanx for the clarification though...

 

[dwarfgourami]

The fishless cycle took me 10 days on a 70 ltr tank and a fortnight on the 60 ltrs.

I added drops of ammonia to bring it up to 5 ppm, then same amount every day until the ammonia went down and nitrites spiked, then half amount of ammonia every day until nitrites went down. think it took c. 12 drops of ammonia daily for the first part of cycle in the 60 ltrs, and a bit more in the 70 ltrs (should have kept notes). I bought a pipette from Boots to add the ammonia (about 85 pence).

 

[rdd1952]

if you add 5.0ppm to begin with, you have to continue to add every day?!?!?!?!?! or just after it drops to 0.0ppm, then add ammonia. That might have been where I went wrong...

I've read anywhere from 21-30 days to completely cycle. 1 week with bio spira...

Just add it the first time an wait for it to drop. If you continue to add daily, it will take forever for enough bacteria to develop. Once it drops to zero, add enough each day to bring it back to around 1 to 2 ppm. That is just so you will keep the ammonia eating bacteria fed. That is also why it takes so long for the nitrite to fall. You are actually adding more nitrite every day when you are adding ammonia that is being transformed.

bio spira is supposed to cycle immediately. But if you already have a cycling tank then it will take longer

Actually with bio spira, you add the bio spira and the fish at the same time. It is useless in a fishless cycle. Basically, you are putting the bacteria in the tank when you set it up.

Fishless cycling will vary depending on the tank size, temperature, aeration and how much ammonia you use (or if you use fish food instead of ammonia). Could be anywhere from about 10 days to 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[StarOrbs]

I would say the most important thing about fishless cycling is you have to have patience. Seeing a tank everyday empty can get boring fast.

 

[rdd1952]

It is good to have patience. The tank I did a fishless cycle on is heavily planted. It was pretty sitting there even without fish though.

 

[dwarfgourami]

"Just add it the first time an wait for it to drop. If you continue to add daily, it will take forever for enough bacteria to develop."

Didn't take me forever- just 10 and 14 days respectively. Took this method off the internet and it worked fine for me.