Cycling, Ammonia Consumption Almost Stopped?

[jonnyf84]

hi,

ok this is the first time i've used the ammonia method to cycle a tank, previously i have used different methods but i fancied a change. I have been adding 5ml of ammonia every time it drops below 1ppm. I am now a month to the day into the cycle and its hardly been plain sailing.

It took 13 days for the original 5ml to drop to 2.5ppm which i think is longer than it should have, after that first decrease the ammonia has been dissapearing in less than 24 hours right up until day 27 (3 days ago), since then i have not added any ammonia as it has almost stopped decreasing, nitrites are off the chart and nitrates are at around 40ppm.

I cant understand why the ammonia consumption has almost stopped, especially as the ammonia feeding nitrites are off the chart. Is this normal?

Can anybody explain?

 

[doresy]

hi,

ok this is the first time i've used the ammonia method to cycle a tank, previously i have used different methods but i fancied a change. I have been adding 5ml of ammonia every time it drops below 1ppm. I am now a month to the day into the cycle and its hardly been plain sailing.

It took 13 days for the original 5ml to drop to 2.5ppm which i think is longer than it should have, after that first decrease the ammonia has been dissapearing in less than 24 hours right up until day 27 (3 days ago), since then i have not added any ammonia as it has almost stopped decreasing, nitrites are off the chart and nitrates are at around 40ppm.

I cant understand why the ammonia consumption has almost stopped, especially as the ammonia feeding nitrites are off the chart. Is this normal?

Can anybody explain?

Hi, well your cycle seems to have stalled. A classic reason for this is if you increase the ammonia level too high. If this is the case then do a 50% water change not forgetting the dechlorinator.

 

[jonnyf84]

hi, can you give me some science behind this because i can't fathom why this would happen. There is another cycling method that i'm sure your aware of called the the add daily method, this process of cycling means there can be up to 40mg/l of ammonia before there are even any nitrites, the most ammonia i've ever had during this cycle is 7mg/l. Also what i really don't understand is that there is live nitrite (off the chart) in the tank which doesn't seem to be reducing the ammonia - how is this possible?

Can you please tell me what good a 50% water change will do other than reducing beneficial nitrate and, at this point in a cycle, beneficial nitrite?

Many thanks for any input because this one has truely stumped me.

EDIT: I have posted this on emergencies and Wilder has replied saying this is normal?

 

[thedude]

Check the pH of your tank, Id be willing to bet its under 6.

 

[jonnyf84]

i'll post back in 1 min, it was 8 two days ago.

well i'll be damned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how the hell did that happen, it measues at 5!!!!! The nitrogen process stops below a certain PH aye. So the only way to get in going again is to do a massive water change?

I have a tap water KH of 0.5 - 1 but i've never had a crash like that.

what are your thoughts?

 

[drobbyb]

That's why you test every day during a cycle. You could have seen this coming.

 

[jonnyf84]

That's why you test every day during a cycle. You could have seen this coming.

thanks for the kick in the teeth robby i missed one day because i was rushed off my feet. So a 60% water change should get it back up to 6.5 - 7, its gonna set me back by about a week i reckon. Anything productive to say robby then i would love to hear from you.

 

[drobbyb]

Err umm. I didn't mean it like that. Ever had one of those days?

 

[jonnyf84]

yeh i know mate, i feel like i'm having one today, i wokeup at 4am to get ready for work, it now nearly 1am and i've just changed 65% of a tanks water - i feel like the walking dead!!! Anyhoo i'm just waiting for the filter to run the volume through a couple of times then i'll test and see how far the ph drop has put me back.

 

[jonnyf84]

ok:

original water parametres:

Ammonia: 3ppm
Nitrite: Off chart
Nitrate: 35-40ppm
PH: 5!

After 60-65% water change:

Ammonia:1.2ppm
Nitrite: Still off the chart
Nitrate: A worrying 5ppm
PH: 7.2

So all in all its probably set me back about a week, i will test tomorrow and hope for a decrease in Ammonia. Thanks to everyone for the help, especially TheDude who pointed out the problem.

I may be back, hopefully not though Watch this space.

 

[OldMan47]

That tank should pick right back up where it left off, not reset you much at all. If you need a quick fix for low pH before you start putting fish in, try a small spoonful of baking soda, not baking powder. It will drive the pH up fast enough to restart the cycle almost immediately.