A Cycling Question

[toshapetriji]

I have just started a fishless cycle on a new tank setup with live plants. Yesterday I added ammonia to 4ppm. Today I tested the water and have a reading of zero. I do have a charcoal filter in place, is this removing ammonia?

 

[TetraLinz]

No, charcoal won't remove the ammonia - it's there to take in medications, tanins or other impurities out of the water. Tbh, you don't need the charcoal in the filter unless it's to remove medications etc.

Top up the ammonia.

 

[OldMan47]

If you have enough live plants, they will remove ammonia very efficiently. That could be where your ammonia went. Try checking nitrites. If you actually got lucky enough to be converting ammonia there will be nitrites at about 10 ppm.

 

[toshapetriji]

thanks for the replies.