Approaching 3 Weeks Cycling...no Spike Yet.

Em29 · Jul 10, 2012

I have been dosing my tank up to 3/4ppm ammonia for nearly three weeks. Temp is at 29 - 30 degrees c and yet I still have no Nitrite spike.

The ammonia keeps going down to 1ppm over a few days or so but no nitrite AT ALL so where is the ammonia going? :crazy:

I do not get it. I thought I understood and now...I do not think I do :-(

the_lock_man · Jul 10, 2012

If the ammonia is disappearing, then it HAS to be going to nitrite - there is nowhere else for it to go to. So, if you're not seeing any ammonia, then one of two things is happening.

(1) You somehow have enough N-Bacs to be processing the nitrite into nitrate. Have you done a nitrate test (and compared it with a nitrate test on your tap water)? If you have the same reading for tapwater and tank water, then there is no extra nitrate, in which case, logically, it's (2).

(2) Your nitrite test is incorrect. Try taking a sample of tank water to your LFS and get them to test it - ask them for actual numbers in ppm - if they say 0ppm for nitrite then, logically, it's (1).

The only other option is if you have so many live plants in there that they're eating all the ammonia instead of the bacteria. But you didn't mention plants, so I'll assume it's not that.

Em29 · Jul 10, 2012

I have the API master test kit...and the nitrite test is always 0 yet the ammonia goes from 4ppm to 1ppm in a few days. I always test nitrite. nitrate as well.

I do not understand this.

I will test in the morning.

I usually just take water out of the top of the tank. Should I try and get a sample from the bottom of the tank?

These results are just impossible. I hope I haven't got a duff test kit :crazy:

I have some test strips so will do those as well. In fact...may do it now as it is bugging me.

Em29 · Jul 10, 2012

OK - well the tank has been sitting at Ammonia 4ppm for the last 3 days. It appears to have stopped processing ammonia.

No Nitrites. I used liquid test kit and test strips.

I will just wait and hope the cycle starts. Feeling very deflated.

manofish123 · Jul 10, 2012

Em29 said:
OK - well the tank has been sitting at Ammonia 4ppm for the last 3 days. It appears to have stopped processing ammonia.

No Nitrites. I used liquid test kit and test strips.

I will just wait and hope the cycle starts. Feeling very deflated.

Not sure how temperature affects things, I kept mine at a steady 81 degrees F during my fishless cycle. Mine took 10 days of 4ppm of Ammonia before it started dropping and the Nitrites spiked. This Nitrite spike lasted another 10 days and started making Nitrates. Sounds like your ammonia has finally stabilized at 4 and should be making large quantities of the Trites. This happens very quickly. Once my ammonia was at .25 or 0 , I added ammonia to bring it up to only 2 to 3 ppm instead of the initial 4-5. Will cycle quicker and do just as good a job. IMO
Hang in there. But it will be worth it.

pdludbrooke · Jul 10, 2012

Em29 said:
OK - well the tank has been sitting at Ammonia 4ppm for the last 3 days. It appears to have stopped processing ammonia.

No Nitrites. I used liquid test kit and test strips.

I will just wait and hope the cycle starts. Feeling very deflated.

Have you checked your PH if it's low then this will stall your cycle, you will need to do a big water change.

Em29 · Jul 11, 2012

PH is 7.6 give or take...
I did have a bacterial bloom which has cleared over the last 3 days if that makes any difference.

Thank you for your replies...

SHOULD I WATER CHANGE? Will this kick start everything again? I do not mind waiting but only if it is going to happen. I have followed the fishless cycling info as best as I can.

I was was dosing to 5ppm and then moved down to 4ppm. Then obviously drop to 3ppm etc

the_lock_man · Jul 11, 2012

That pH isn't low enough to stall a cycle, but a water change won't hurt, and might benefit - you've got nothing to lose. What temperature are you running the water at? It needs to be up around 80F or thereabouts.

Em29 · Jul 11, 2012

HI lock man...Th etemp is at 29/30 degrees.

I will try and fit a water change in tomorrow. Like you say - I can't really hurt. I bet I get another bacterial bloom though

the_lock_man · Jul 11, 2012

Temp is fine too.

If you shake the ammonia bottle, does it froth with bubbles like washing-up liquid bubbles, or does it have the same kind of short-lived bubbles that would appear if you shook a bottle of water?

Em29 · Jul 11, 2012

It froths like water...bubbles disappear quickly. Woah - got a massive blast of ammonia gas :blink:

the_lock_man · Jul 11, 2012

So that's another possible explanation eliminated then.

Yeah, do the water change, and see what happens - pH of 7.6 should be fine, but use some bicarb to raise it up to 8.0 for optimum conditions.

Em29 · Jul 11, 2012

Thanks Lock man - I am all over it!!

pdludbrooke · Jul 12, 2012

Em29 said:
Thanks Lock man - I am all over it!!

I can imagine this is all very frustrating for you, is there no way you could get some filter material from a mature filter to seed yours ?
My local fish shop just gave me a bag of their water with a really good squeeze from their filter sponge and that cycled a filter in my 28 litre fry tank in 5 days, there was a lot of brown like stuff in the bag with the water, I guess this had some bacteria on, I really feel for you, if my filter was matured I would send you some seeding material through the post to get you going, maybe there are some other members here who could help ?

Em29 · Jul 12, 2012

Ah thank you for the concern Pdludbroole. I did ask at Maindenhead Aquatics and they thought I was mental. They told me that they do not recommend using ammonia to cycle the filter only bottled bacteria (yeah right) and that they are not prepared to give me any of their media/ bacteria. I got such a talking to that it put me off asking anywhere else :blush: