Is My Fishtank Cycled?

[phamr08]

Hey guys! ive been fishless cyclying my tank for quite a long time now its been 2 months or so! 
 
My journey through was going well, i added ammonia everyday and got positive readings of nitrite so i new the cycling was processing. Last week i got 0 nitrite but still positive reading of ammonia and the nitrate seem like it was near 0 aswell. The results have been the same for one week and i didnt add any ammonia to see if it was the sames still and it is.
 
Heres a photo of my testings.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Have you read the cycling article in my signature?
 
Your tank is cycled when it can process (ammonia-nitrite-nitrate) 3ppm of ammonia in under 24 hours.

 

[phamr08]

im not sure what you mean..., so are you saying my fish tank is cycled or not? sorry really new with this

 

[Blondielovesfish]

I'm not sure, sorry.
 
If you can add 3ppm of ammonia to your tank and then check in about 24 more hours, if there is no ammonia or nitrite left, then your tank is cycled

 

[phamr08]

and if it still reads ammonia do i continue that process?

 

[Ch4rlie]

To be honest, I think you tank is NOT cycled.

Your tank would be cycled if you added 3ppm ammonia and 24 hours later your test result should show 0ppm Ammonia AND 0ppm Nitrite, and repeat same dosage of 3ppm ammonia, 24 hours later again you results show 0 ppm ammonia and 0 ppm nitrites.
That's when you know you tank is ready for stocking.

You should also be showing some nitrates as well.

If your tank was cycled and filter ready, it would not show any ammonia at all.

Do read the topic as Blondie suggested in her signature, it will help a great deal and explains how a tank cycle works.
Or you can find the topic at top of this page under 'Cycling a Tank '.

By the way Welcome to TFF
This site really will help you out, if you get stuck or unsure. Just ask, we like to help

 

[Blondielovesfish]

and if it still reads ammonia do i continue that process?

 
Then you wait until it does read zero and then you add another 3ppm and test again 24 hours later. You keep doing that until it reads 0ppm in under 24 hours of 3ppm of ammonia being added. Make sure that it is both ammonia and nitrite that reads 0, also make sure to wait until they are both zero before you add anymore ammonia.
 
Did I read it correctly that you added ammonia daily?
How much did you add each time? 
How big is your tank?

 

[KittyKat]

Keep in mind that apparently off the scale nitrite appears as 0 ppm with that test kit.

 

[paradiddle]

Ammonia & nitrite MUST be 0 after 12 hours of dosing ammonia in the tank, eg.
 
Ammonia dosed to 3ppm at 09:45, test it and make sure its 3ppm!
THEN test it at 21:45 and if its 0 ammonia and nitrite your cycled
 
It MUST complete its cycle fully in the 12 hours to be sufficient enough at mainting your tank for the long long long future.
 
Once it reads 0's, change 100% of the water (make sure you turn off all heaters and filters as it will cause damage to them if you dont, i made this mistake a couple of months ago doing a water change, i forgot to turn my heater off and the water level went below it, fair to say it started smoking... and ive been keeping fish for a while now haha mistakes can be made, just try not to )
 
Refil your tank, check your levels for a last time! if you still get 0,0 which you should your ready to fully stock the tank, but id suggest a half stock for 2 weeks testing daily for ammonia and nitrite, every other day for nitrates

 

[TwoTankAmin]

 
Ammonia & nitrite MUST be 0 after 12 hours of dosing ammonia in the tank, eg.

 
Can you please provide some sort of scientific support for making the above statement as if were a scientific fact. If you cannot, might I suggest you change what you are advising folks in this respect.
 
I can offer the following from the site of Dr. Hovanec who was on the team of researchers who identified the fresh water ammonia oxidizing bacteria at work in aquariums:
 

 
The Process:

• Day 1 – dose ammonia to 3 ppm ammonia-nitrogen [NH3-N] max.  If using DrTim’s Aquatics One & Only Live Nitrifying bacteria add it now (turn skimmer, UV and ozone off and remove filter socks for 48 hours).
• Day 2 – do nothing.
• Days 3, 5, 8, 11 (every 3 days) – measure ammonia and nitrite. Do nothing on days 4, 6, 9 and 10.
• When ammonia and nitrite are both less than 0.5 ppm (NH3-N or NO2-N), add more ammonia to 3 ppm NH3-N.
• Now measure ammonia and nitrite every day.
• When ammonia and nitrite are both 0.2 ppm (NH3-N or NO2-N), add more ammonia to 3 ppm.
• Continue to measure every day – when the water is able to process ammonia and nitrite to 0 ppm within 24 hours, you’re done!
• Do a partial water change and add some fish.

from http/www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling
 
Please note that the cycling article here is based on Dr Hovanec's cycling methods but modified for use on the total ion scale used by most aquarium test kits. Thea above is based on the nitrogen scale used by scientists. The method here was further modified to prevent the potential for overdosing of ammonia and the subsequent problems with accurately testing for nitrite. The method here, when followed, makes either of these impossible.

 

[phamr08]

okay guys! thanks for all the info!
 
I have done a mistake, i didnt know i had to put 3ppm ammonia in, i have been just adding 2 drops to my fish tank and my tank is about 5 gallons. Ive been doing that for a long time almost 2 months.
 
Now i added around 4 drops to try get 3ppm and i tested the day after. My ammonia was around 2-3 ppm , 0 nitrites and 0-5 ppm of nitrate hard to tell.

 

[ADW1988]

use the ammonia calculator on the fishless cycling article posted above..... that'll tell you how much to add

 

[phamr08]

Okay guys i dont know what is happening with my cycle. I had my tank for months around 3 months cycling and it still hasn't cycled yet. From day one i have been adding drops of ammonia until i get 0ppm but im still getting high readings of ammonia and 0 nitrites and 0 nitrate. Please tell me whats going on i have been doing this for months.

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Day 1 Set up your tank with the décor etc. Fill it with dechlorinated tap water and add the filter and heater. Turn everything on and wait for the tank temperature to reach the desired 75 - 85 F range. Make sure the tank runs for at least a couple of hours no matter what. You should already know the parameters of your tap water and that they are in a proper range for cycling.
 
Add the initial dose of ammonia. This should be an amount that produces a test kit reading of 3.0 ppm (1 ppm = 1 mg/l). Because of possible testing and experience issues, we strongly advise that fish keepers new to cycling do not exceed 3 ppm of ammonia. Too much ammonia and/or dosing too often will usually work against the process rather than helping it. You can use the dosing calculator found here Ammonia Calculatorhttp://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm to determine the initial amount for a tank your size which should produce the recommended 3 ppm level. (Please read the Suggestions and Trouble Shooting section below on how to calculate the volume of your tank.)
 
Record the actual amount of ammonia you add for the initial full dose as it will serve as the base amount for calculating a later maintenance addition. To be sure the ammonia has time to circulate in the water, wait about 30 minutes after adding it to test the level in your tank to confirm it is 3 ppm.
 
Now comes the hard part- you need to be patient as mostly what you will be doing is waiting and testing and waiting some more.
 
Days 2 and 3 Do nothing.
 
Day 4 Test for ammonia and nitrite.
 
Days 5 and 6 Do nothing.
 
Day 7 Test for ammonia and nitrite.
 
Continue testing every 3 days (Days 10, 13 etc).
 
If at any time you test and ammonia is under .75 ppm and nitrite is clearly over 2 ppm, it is time to add more ammonia. Add the same full amount as you did the first time. Now, begin to test the ammonia and nitrite levels every other day. (You should be seeing nitrate soon if you have the kit.)
 
After the second ammonia addition, while waiting for nitrite to rise, peak and drop, the bacteria will need a maintenance feeding. When you get two consecutive ammonia readings of 0 ppm, give the bacteria a “snack” by adding 1/3 of the full amount. This “snack” should be needed somewhere between days 21 and 27 of the cycle.
 
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.
If ammonia and nitrite both read 0 ppm, you are cycled. Do a large water change, be sure the water is the proper temperature, and add fish. The odds are this will not be the case quite this soon.
 
If ammonia and nitrite do not both read zero, continue to test daily. Whenever ammonia is again at .25 ppm or less and nitrite is clearly under 1 ppm, add the full amount of ammonia and test in 24 hours. Follow this pattern of testing and adding until both tests read 0 ppm. The cycle should not take much longer to be completed.
 
 

Did you read the cycling article? If you have any questions about this article, we'd be happy to help. It states you only add 3ppm a few times, or to test the tank being fully cycled. What ammonia are you using? what is your pH? What test kit are you using? Strips or drops?
 
These questions might be the answer to your problems.
 
Also, FOLLOW THE GUIDE. Helps so much

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Okay guys i dont know what is happening with my cycle. I had my tank for months around 3 months cycling and it still hasn't cycled yet. From day one i have been adding drops of ammonia until i get 0ppm but im still getting high readings of ammonia and 0 nitrites and 0 nitrate. Please tell me whats going on i have been doing this for months.

 
I am a bit confused... What are you dosing the ammonia to?  And how often are you adding additional ammonia?
 
If your ammonia levels are too high, you will stall the cycle.