Cycling question

[Robder]

Hi all,

I've got to dose 4 in the process mentioned here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

...and have run out of ammonia annoyingly.

My current readings are:
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 1
Nitrate - 160

Is that sufficient to do my first water change and begin the process or would I run into problems?

Thanks!

 

[Valkyrie_Lips]

I assume you are fishless cycling? I would definitely do a large WC to lower your nitrates. This will not negatively affect your cycle. You can use fish food as a substitute for pure ammonia, but it will be harder to dose accurately and it will take a couple of days to decompose and produce ammonia.

What do you mean by begin the process? If you mean cycling then the process has already begun.

 

[outofwater]

You're well on the way, but your cycle will stall if you don't re-up on the ammonia (the bacteria will die). Adding food is one way to create waste, waste = ammonia, however you can't really control how much of it as you can with straight ammonia. If you go for a water change that will help lower all 3, however you go back to the need for ammonia or starving your nascent bacteria and stalling the cycle.

I'll get chided for this, but if you already have a list of fish you're planning on getting, I'd bring the hardiest fish on that list (assuming it's a community tank) at this stage and perform daily water changes. They will bring the ammonia, and the daily water changes will help keep the nitrites and nitrates down too until your bacteria colony is well established.

If you're going for sensitive fish, my recommendation is to get ammonia asap and just finish the fishless cycle. Good luck!

 

[Robder]

Thanks all - this is all very helpful.

Ordered more ammonia and will do a water change tomorrow.