Clarification

[Behold]

Is it only done every 24hours while waiting for nitrites to fall? or is it whenever it drops to 0

Thanks

 

[LukeFishwalker]

Is it only done every 24hours while waiting for nitrites to fall? or is it whenever it drops to 0

Thanks

Yes, keeping adding to keep the Ammonia around 3 or 4 ppm until you add it and both nitrites and ammonia are zero in about 12 hours.

 

[**sarahp**]

Its whenever it drops to zero.

I'm currently adding twice a day - 12 hours apart - I did ask about adding both doses at the same time but apparently that will kill off any bacteria already built up, so I now add at 9pm and 9am (having checked its at zero first)

I am still waiting for nitrItes to fall

 

[Behold]

Surely is adding to much ammonia will kill the bacteria then to much nitrite will do the same?

im droping to 0 amonia in under 14 hours (not sure how fast.... im sleeping) tonight im gonna leave it till late to add so i can see it in the morning after say 10 hours.

Can anyone else confirm that i should be adding ammonia every 12 hours not 24???

 

[Tiger Barb]

As I understand it, the idea is to continually feed the "ammonia-eating-bacteria" (not a technical term, but as least you know what I'm on about!). Ideally, I guess, you could impersonate the production of fish waste, by drip-feeding the tank with ammonia. However, this isn't a practical solution - but 2 smaller doses each day has to be better than one large dose. So yes, I would dose every 12 hours, not every 24 (but use less ammonia for each dose).

You need to avoid either overdosing with ammonia (which will kill the bacteria) or underdosing (which will starve them). I believe there are 2 methods of fishless cycling described: the "daily dose" method and the "wait and see" method.

The daily dose method involves initially measuring how much ammonia you need to add to get a 4-5ppm reading, then adding the same amount each day unitl the nitrite spikes. After that, you add half the amount each day - presumable because you want to feed the bacterial colony but not increase its size any more.

The wait-and-see method involves an initial dose up to 4-5ppm, then monitoring ammonia and re-dosing when the level drops to zero.

Personally I prefer the second method, as I started on the first method and ended up with ammonia off the scale. I had to do loads of huge water changes to get the ammonia down, and had killed a lot of my bacteria. I finished off the cycle with the second method, and found it much easier to see what was going on.

HTH

 

[Behold]

I better start adding then mornings and evenings..... What is a good sign is im not going over 5ppm on Nitrites so they seem to be moving......

Makes a big turn around from 9 days of Nothing now its training it along. I swear bumping to 32C made the difference.....

 

[LukeFishwalker]

I swear bumping to 32C made the difference.....

I've heard a lot of people say bumping up the temp has helped them see faster growth - so that probably was a major contributing factor.

 

[backtotropical]

Its not really about 12hrs or 24hrs, its more about adding more when you need to whether that be 9hrs, 50hrs etc etc.

The bacteria need a constant food source (ammonia) which if they dont get it, they will die. Also put too much in at once and they will die (you will sterilise the tank killing any bacteria).

Add enough to bring your levels up to 5ppm whenever your levels get down to 0, and you will be ok.

 

[Behold]

Its not really about 12hrs or 24hrs, its more about adding more when you need to whether that be 9hrs, 50hrs etc etc.

The bacteria need a constant food source (ammonia) which if they dont get it, they will die. Also put too much in at once and they will die (you will sterilise the tank killing any bacteria).

Add enough to bring your levels up to 5ppm whenever your levels get down to 0, and you will be ok.

I thought ammonia bacteria can live about 48 hours with out food?

Either way it makes sence not to starve them.

Just the waiting game on the Nitrites now!!!

 

[KiltedOne]

I have just finished my first fishless cycle and I was adding ammonia morning and night, but just at the end of the cycle, initially it was added and then I waited for it to reach below 1ppm and then raised it again to 5ppm. It was only added when it was needed, the more ammonia eating bacteria there is the less time it takes to convert the ammonia to nitrates and the time between doses reduces.

I also had the heater up as far as it would go and the water temp sat at about 86F. The whole process took about 11 days for the ammonia and nitrate readings to both fall to 0ppm.