I am using the add and wait method, whch seemed to be working. But then my ammonia was at 2ppm, nitrate and nitrite were both 0ppm so i have brought my ammonia back up to 4ppm but still nothing from the nitrites and nitrates?
Another Fishless Cycle Problem
- Thread starter Fruba
- Start date
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
Hi Fruba,
..need more info, like when did you start .. ie how many days into it?
Am I remembering right that you fishless cycled another tank perhaps a while back?
~~waterdrop~~
..need more info, like when did you start .. ie how many days into it?
Am I remembering right that you fishless cycled another tank perhaps a while back?
~~waterdrop~~
No its the same tank 
Iv not been having much luck, i changed the filter cause the other one wasnt helping at all. I dare say i havnt really been keeping on top of it as well as i should have, which could well be the problem?
I am tempted to start again but i think my folks are getting miffed that ive had an empty tank running on their electricity for about 3 months!
Its just going to be for my fighting fish, wouldnt mind him in there soonish since he has destroyed one of my tetras (im blaming him anyway!?)
I`ll still have to cycle the tank for him eh?
Iv not been having much luck, i changed the filter cause the other one wasnt helping at all. I dare say i havnt really been keeping on top of it as well as i should have, which could well be the problem?
I am tempted to start again but i think my folks are getting miffed that ive had an empty tank running on their electricity for about 3 months!
Its just going to be for my fighting fish, wouldnt mind him in there soonish since he has destroyed one of my tetras (im blaming him anyway!?)
I`ll still have to cycle the tank for him eh?
Axleuk
Fishaholic
No its the same tank
Iv not been having much luck, i changed the filter cause the other one wasnt helping at all. I dare say i havnt really been keeping on top of it as well as i should have, which could well be the problem?
I am tempted to start again but i think my folks are getting miffed that ive had an empty tank running on their electricity for about 3 months!
Its just going to be for my fighting fish, wouldnt mind him in there soonish since he has destroyed one of my tetras (im blaming him anyway!?)
I`ll still have to cycle the tank for him eh?
Where are you located Fruba?
toshapetriji
Fish Crazy
Are you using pure ammonia? Try shaking it.... does it foam?
aberdeen aquarist
Fish Addict
There are a few members up here fruba, maybe one of them can help you out?
Hi,
Im in the same area being in the NE too, I dont know if that can help in a comparison but it sounds similar to my experience with the fishless cycle in a tank that was similar to yourself, ammonia was being eaten but nothing from Nitrites realy..
You could check your PH and see it hasnt crashed or too low.
You could check that you have your water a little hotter than normal for cycling purposes only.
When my PH crashed my tank seemed to come to a standstill like yours.
The Nitrite eating bacs can take a little longer to grow than the ammonia eating bacs to I was told so hang in there.
I forgot to mention Homebase In the Bridge Of Don has Household ammonia for under £2 if your not using pure ammonia.
Good luck
Im in the same area being in the NE too, I dont know if that can help in a comparison but it sounds similar to my experience with the fishless cycle in a tank that was similar to yourself, ammonia was being eaten but nothing from Nitrites realy..
You could check your PH and see it hasnt crashed or too low.
You could check that you have your water a little hotter than normal for cycling purposes only.
When my PH crashed my tank seemed to come to a standstill like yours.
The Nitrite eating bacs can take a little longer to grow than the ammonia eating bacs to I was told so hang in there.
I forgot to mention Homebase In the Bridge Of Don has Household ammonia for under £2 if your not using pure ammonia.
Good luck
Hi Fruba
Yes for cycling its best to have your ph at as close to 8 as possible if I recall and turn the heat up a little, waterdrop is the best fella to ask there he helped me with my PH crash.
You should do your tests and get a PH readings and post them, but I was told to use baking soda to get my PH back up to cycle with and did this and it all kicked off again the cycle started to go again..Im near the end of it now but am still adding a little to keep it going.. My PH goes down to 6 if unattended.
You may have a completly different issue, but with you being roughly in the same area you may have the same water so its worth checking your PH as your symptoms seemed the same as mine.
HTH
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
I haven't had time to follow all the threads - vaguely remembering perhaps this was your 30L betta tank Fruba?
The general recommendations we've been making for optimal bacteria growing broth lately are pH of 8.0 to 8.4, temperature of 84-86F/(30C?), KH of 4 degrees of german hardness or higher and a touch of iron (usually introduced via a tiny bit of liquid plant fertilizer.) Be aware that the idea here is that you can think of your water as optimized for the bacteria, then throwing it nearly entirely out at the end and of course not putting these same things in necessarily once you get fish, for whom you will go mostly with the parameters of your conditioned tap water and appropriate tropical fish temperatures.
First you need to know the pH of your tap water and your tank water. If the tap water can bring your tank water up close to the optimal bacteria growing pH, then just use occasional water changes with ammonia recharges to raise your pH.
If your tap water can't do that then you can consider using baking soda (yes, just plain baking soda from the kitchen, but make sure its not baking powder!) For your little tank you wouldn't want to start with more than 1 teaspoon. Measure your pH the next day and see if it got closer to optimal. Proceed slowly and make small changes as necessary.
I'll not be able to log on for a bit, so the other members will have to help you out, but this stuff is pretty straight-forward so it shouldn't be hard.
Good Luck,
~~waterdrop~~
The general recommendations we've been making for optimal bacteria growing broth lately are pH of 8.0 to 8.4, temperature of 84-86F/(30C?), KH of 4 degrees of german hardness or higher and a touch of iron (usually introduced via a tiny bit of liquid plant fertilizer.) Be aware that the idea here is that you can think of your water as optimized for the bacteria, then throwing it nearly entirely out at the end and of course not putting these same things in necessarily once you get fish, for whom you will go mostly with the parameters of your conditioned tap water and appropriate tropical fish temperatures.
First you need to know the pH of your tap water and your tank water. If the tap water can bring your tank water up close to the optimal bacteria growing pH, then just use occasional water changes with ammonia recharges to raise your pH.
If your tap water can't do that then you can consider using baking soda (yes, just plain baking soda from the kitchen, but make sure its not baking powder!) For your little tank you wouldn't want to start with more than 1 teaspoon. Measure your pH the next day and see if it got closer to optimal. Proceed slowly and make small changes as necessary.
I'll not be able to log on for a bit, so the other members will have to help you out, but this stuff is pretty straight-forward so it shouldn't be hard.
Good Luck,
~~waterdrop~~
Rooster
Fish Herder
Efren
Fish Crazy
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