Cycling Tank

[Lizi_angelfish]

Hi,

Cycling a 60l tank at the moment. The tank itself has been set up around 4 weeks now. We added some mature media a few weeks ago but had a few mishaps by using really weak ammonia which didn't get up to concentration so we had to wait for the kleen off to be delivered. Which came on Thursday, so...

Friday - added ammonia up to 5ppm

Monday- Ammonia down to 0.25 so added up to 4ppm

Last night - Added ammonia up to 4ppm again

Today

9am

Ammonia 2ppm
Nitrite 0.5ppm
Nitrate 20ppm

9pm

Ammonia still 2ppm
But nitrite up to 5+ppm

So do we keep going checking the water every day and add up to 3ppm when the ammonia gets low? Today is the first day we have picked up on a nitrite spike, despite the nitrate creeping up so I was getting a bit confused.

Will we be able to add fish in a couple of weeks do you think?

Thanks!

 

[Electric Warrior]

Hi,

Cycling a 60l tank at the moment. The tank itself has been set up around 4 weeks now. We added some mature media a few weeks ago but had a few mishaps by using really weak ammonia which didn't get up to concentration so we had to wait for the kleen off to be delivered. Which came on Thursday, so...

Friday - added ammonia up to 5ppm

Monday- Ammonia down to 0.25 so added up to 4ppm

Last night - Added ammonia up to 4ppm again

Today

9am

Ammonia 2ppm
Nitrite 0.5ppm
Nitrate 20ppm

9pm

Ammonia still 2ppm
But nitrite up to 5+ppm

So do we keep going checking the water every day and add up to 3ppm when the ammonia gets low? Today is the first day we have picked up on a nitrite spike, despite the nitrate creeping up so I was getting a bit confused.

Will we be able to add fish in a couple of weeks do you think?

Thanks!

I am not sure, but the reason that you may be getting nitrate already might likely have something to do with your mature media that you added at the beginning. If I were you, I would only be dosing 2ppm of ammonia after your ammonia hits 0, and only once every 24 hours. Yes, keep checking the water everyday, and literally like everyone says, boom...one morning your nitrite will be gone. Then, after you can clear 2ppm of ammonia in about 12 hours for several (5-7) days in a row, you are cycled. As far as adding the fish in a few weeks, that all depends on your cycle being done. My cycle took 7.5 weeks ( I couldn't get any mature media)! And a lot of patience. If it was Friday that you added 5ppm of ammonia and by monday it was .25ppm, I would say that your mature media is helping you along.

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Essjay]

Dosing just 2pppm ammonia will stop the nitrite building up too much. There is some evidence that high nitrite can inhibit the growth of the nitrite eating bacteria. Once nitrite is dropping, I would start dosing up to 5ppm and wait till that clears through to double zeros in 12 hours before getting fish. If you stay dosing at 2ppm, you won't have enough bacteria for a full tank of fish, so you'll have to get about a third of your stocking plan, adding the rest slowly over the next few weeks. Of course, you might be happy doing that

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

Right, so 2ppm til nitrite drops then 5ppm ammonia until that and nitrite is cleared in 12 hours. Got it!
Really appreciate the help!

 

[Electric Warrior]

It depends on if you plan on fully stocking your tank at once, or building up your stock level. I only dosed 5ppm the very first time, and 2ppm the rest of the time after the initial ammonia drop back to 0. I never had any single issue with the livestock or the water in my tank after my cycle. Keep in mind too much ammonia can actually grow the wrong kind of bacteria in your filter.

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

Not much change in the last week other than I did a small water change yesterday so that I could get some tankwater to gently rinse the filter in (as it was a filter media donation so fairly packed with gunk as well as the lovely bacteria). My boyfriend wasnt best pleased as he figured this will have cleaned out all the bacteria we've been growing.... Is this true? I won't meed to clean it again as the tank is pretty clear but wiill this have slowed my cycle?

Also is the tank water meant to be yellow? It doesn't smell funny but it is definitely yellow.

 

[Electric Warrior]

Hi, rinsing your sponges the tank water wont kill off any of the good bacteria; it will just get a lot of the debris off of the filter. Only using tap water on media will kill anything. The beneficial bacteria that you want on your filter media is not something you can see anyways. I wouldn't worry too much about the appearance of the water while you are cycling your tank tbh. Do you have any wood in your tank right now? The tannins will definitely stain the water a bit for a while.

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

That will be it then - ive got a load of bogwood... Possibly too much? Is there such a thing as too much bogwood?

 

[Electric Warrior]

That will be it then - ive got a load of bogwood... Possibly too much? Is there such a thing as too much bogwood?

Naw... The tannins that seep into the water wont do any harm, the actually benefit some types of fish. You could soak it in buckets for a few weeks before adding it to the tank? That's what I did. I soaked mine for about 5 or 6 weeks beforehand, changing the water with hot tap water every few days, and most of the tannins came out. If it still bothers you after your cycle is over, you could put some carbon into your filter, and that will remove it. A lot of people, especially those that are trying to create a blackwater environment will just leave it so that it turns water a tea colour, but it's really going to be your preference.

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

Am I ok to add ammonia twice a day? 2-3 ppm is clearing in 12 hours so should I be topping up every 12 hours or just waiting? Nitrites no change yet.

 

[Essjay]

Just top up once every 24 hours. Each 1ppm of ammonia gets turned into 2.7ppm nitrite so if you top up twice a day, all that ammonia will result in an awful lot of nitrite.

Edited because I just realised I repeated myself in the same sentence!

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

Thanks essjay x

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

Tested the water this afternoon and nitrites have dropped to zero! Tested again because I couldn't believe my eyes.... I swear it was 5ppm yesterday?! Anyway, added 3 ppm ammonia again. Shall I increase it up to 4-5ppm as I originally was doing so that the tank can be cycled for full stock or just keep topping up to 3ppm every day for a few days first?
So excited at the prospect of fish in a few weeks!
Sick of people coming round and say where are your fish hiding, then looking at me blankly when I say I can't have fish yet because the filter's cycling!

 

[Electric Warrior]

Tested the water this afternoon and nitrites have dropped to zero! Tested again because I couldn't believe my eyes.... I swear it was 5ppm yesterday?! Anyway, added 3 ppm ammonia again. Shall I increase it up to 4-5ppm as I originally was doing so that the tank can be cycled for full stock or just keep topping up to 3ppm every day for a few days first?
So excited at the prospect of fish in a few weeks!
Sick of people coming round and say where are your fish hiding, then looking at me blankly when I say I can't have fish yet because the filter's cycling!

You really don't need to add more than 2ppm of ammonia once a day, tbh.