Ammonia Levels

[StarOrbs]

What should the ammonia levels be when doing Fishless cycling. This method: (4-5 drops NH3 / 10 gal / day until nitrite peaks, then reduce to 2-3 drops / 10 gal / day)

Also once you reduce to 2-3 drops how do you know when to stop adding it? I would assume when the Nitrite level reaches 0 correct?

 

[guppymonkey]

I don't think there are set levels to achieve when you are doing the fishless cycle. I just kept adding ammonia until the level went almost off the chart then tried to keep it at that level until it dropped.

 

[StarOrbs]

I believe it doesn't matter you just worry about nitrite during the cycling I think.

 

[modernhamlet]

You don't want ammonia levels too high when fishless cycling because that can actually hinder bacteria growth. I have had good success by adding enough ammonia to bring the levels to ~3ppm, then doing my best to keep it at 3ppm (by adding just enough ammonia only when needed) until the tank can turn all 3ppm of ammonia into nitrate in 24 hours. If it can do this 3 days in a row, I consider the tank cycled.

Hope that helps...

 

[StarOrbs]

I followed the instructions but I think my ammonia is a higher percentage . Mine was at 8.0 .. Also when should you measure the ammonia, how long after the ammonia has been poured into the tank.

 

[StarOrbs]

How long after you put in the ammonia do you measure nitrite levels?

 

[modernhamlet]

8ppm is a bit high. I'd just do a 50% water change to get it down to a more reasonable level. Test your ammonia daily until you see it drop substantially. You shouldn't need to test nitrite for at least a week or so, when the ammonia you add is going away fairly quickly. I'm anal, so I test both daily and chart it out.

 

[StarOrbs]

I think I made a mistake I wasn't in a well lit area so it was actually at 4.0 there is nothing between 4 and 8 so its measured 0,.25,.50,1,2,4,and 8

 

[StarOrbs]

I can't get an exact number between 4 and 8 but it seems like its around 5. One thing I've been wondering about is if you add ammonia everyday wouldn't that increase the ppm? Or within 24 hours the ammonia starts to fade away? hmm?

 

[Def]

Until you get bacteria growth of the ammonia -> nitrite converting bacteria, your ammonia level will just steadily increase. That's why I recommend at the start you add enough ammonia to bring it to 3 or 4ppm, then do absolutely nothing. Keep testing ammonia, and don't add any more until it's down to 0.5 or 1 - there is absolutely no point in adding more before it starts to drop. Once it's down to 0.5 (will take a week or 2, depending on factors), bring it back up to 3. From this point on you'll probably have to add ammonia daily or every 2 days. Nitrites will then start to rise. The point being, you don't want to overdose on ammonia and inhibit ammonia -> nitrite bacteria growth, and you don't want to add too much ammonia when it is being converted to nitrite for the same reason, but for the nitrite -> nitrate bacteria.