5th Day And No Change In Amonia

[SlyT]

Hi,

Im doing a fishless cycle in my 300ltr tank.

pH = 7.2, Amonia = 4ppm, Nitrites = 0 m, Nitates = 10,

Aside from the Nitrates dropping from 20-10 (I have a planted tank), there has been no noticable change in any of the stats since I started (last sunday).

Reading other peoples diaries, they normally see a drop in Amonia by day 3.

Is the fact I have a larger than most tank for a noob meaning my cycle should take longer, or is something else going on?

Sould I be worried yet ? Is there anything I can do to help the process along ?

Alex

 

[gaz gun man]

sounds about right to me

 

[SlyT]

Cool, so on what day (typically) would you see any drops in amonia ?

 

[minxfishy]

Can drop anytime from 3/4 days in up to 14 days, so dont worry, keep an eye on the ph, if this drops too low (<6.5) or goes to high (>8.5) then it will stall, which often happens.

 

[CherryDanio]

I'm almost on day 8 of my cycle and nothing has happened thus far. No ones told me this is unusual yet so I can only assume it's normal Hope you see some change soon! (And me too haha)

 

[SlyT]

I'm almost on day 8 of my cycle and nothing has happened thus far. No ones told me this is unusual yet so I can only assume it's normal Hope you see some change soon! (And me too haha)

Cool, if you are only a few days ahead then that means we should be in the same boat all the way through !

Ill keep an eye out for your progree in particular !

Alex

 

[waterdrop]

During those first 3 to 20 days or whatever it turns out to be, when your ammonia test results seem to say "nothing's happening" it helps to remember that the liquid test kit for ammonia, although much better than paper strips of course, is still very, very crude compared to what's going on down at the microscopic cellular level in the tank water. Down there, little lone pilgrims of Nitrosomonas bacteria will be collecting in little crevices in the sponge fibers or rough ceramic surfaces or little cracks in plastic materials and starting into their "lag phase" activities where they excrete substances that create a sticky biofilm, forming an environment for themselves that is conducive to the rapid cell division that is seen in their "growth phase." Only when millions and millions of them have begun to reproduce like crazy will the test kit begin to show that a little bit of that ammonia that you put in as been eaten up by them.

~~waterdrop~~