Doggiebag's First Fishless Cycle - Juwel Rekord 600

[doggiebag]

Day 23: 1/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 24: 2/9/09: ph 8.1, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 25: 3/9/09: ph 8.1, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 26: 4/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

 

[bob9009]

This part is frustrating, isn't it?

I couldn't take the waiting, so I did a big (85%) water change so I could monitor the nitrite and nitrate levels

 

[doggiebag]

it really is.......I must admit I have been considering a waterchange myself......not sure if the off chart nitrates are helping, they still just turn the test that yuck murky gold brown colour. Might try and wait it out though, it has to drop eventually. I never thought my fish-in cycles would end but they suddenly cycled one day after waiting forever lol...........this one has a fair way to go yet, it has only just been around the same time it took ammonia to drop, so it should be at least twice that I think, so another 2 weeks before I see any drop in nitrites I reckon.....

 

[bob9009]

it really is.......I must admit I have been considering a waterchange myself......not sure if the off chart nitrates are helping, they still just turn the test that yuck murky gold brown colour. Might try and wait it out though, it has to drop eventually. I never thought my fish-in cycles would end but they suddenly cycled one day after waiting forever lol...........this one has a fair way to go yet, it has only just been around the same time it took ammonia to drop, so it should be at least twice that I think, so another 2 weeks before I see any drop in nitrites I reckon.....

As long as you dechlorinate the new water, a giant water change shouldn't really hurt the cycle. Obviously the safest option is to just leave it, but I got to a point where I couldn't take not knowing what was going on. The water change was the best thing I did. It turns out that my filter was processing 2ppm of ammonia (and the resulting nitrite) in 24 hours. Over the next few days I ramped up the ammonia. Now it's processing 5ppm of ammonia completely and I'm getting 0 ammonia & nitrite after about 16 hours

The problem is waiting for those darned N-bacs to build up a sufficient force to chomp down nitrite faster than it's being produced. By doing the water change, you get rid of the 'back log' of nitrite.

One piece of advice I got that really helped me was that "the tank cycling is inevitable". The time it takes varies, but it's bound to happen. And hey - at least you're not doing a fish-in cycle with the insane amount of water changes and stress that comes along with it

 

[doggiebag]

yes, I got stuck doing 2 fish-in cycles and was water changing everyday, it is not funny and will never do it again now I know better......so Im not really fussed how long this takes, its MUCH easier than what I (and my fish) have just been through lol
I have just started a second fishless cycle on a smaller tank Im doing for shrimp. It never ends lol

 

[waterdrop]

 

[doggiebag]

Day 27: 5/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 28: 6/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 29: 7/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 30: 8/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in

Day 31: 9/9/09: ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrites 5+. added 2ppm ammonia back in still no changes........will keep waiting, no PH crash so looking okay...........just started another tank 12 days ago and that one has just finished the nitrite spike, had some help though.......this one will have to wait it out lol

 

[doggiebag]

Have just added a thread for my hex tank, with help from stability, interesting results, good comparison..........see thread here........Doggiebags 2nd fishless cycling, using Seachem Stability and 21 litre Hex tank

 

[doggiebag]

Day 32: 10/09/09: Ph 8.0, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 80-160 YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE I cannot believe it has finally dropped, what a great feeling to see that lovely pale blue !!!!!!! Woo-hoo!!!!! You can't see me but I am dancing right now lol
Have upped the ammonia to 4-5ppm and will see if it drops to 0 overnight, once it does will then start testing at 12hour points........nearly there........

si the nitrate okay? Or should I waterchange......ph seems pretty stable at present but it is very close to the 160 mark.....

 

[OldMan47]

Nitrate will keep rising until things are done. If you want to watch it, you could do a large water change so it doesn't go offscale high on you while you are finishing the cycle.

 

[doggiebag]

I just did a 70% waterchange, making sure the water added was same temp/dechlorinated. I added 70% ammonia back in too.

The nitrates now sit at between 40-80, so gives me some breathing space, was creeping too high before..........will see how things go now.

 

[waterdrop]

 

[doggiebag]

Day 33: 11/09/09:
AM TEST: ammonia 0, nitrite 0.....processing upped ammonia level in 24 hours, so will begin 12 hour testing today, added 4-5ppm ammonia.

 

[doggiebag]

Day 33 continued......
PM TEST: ammonia trace 0.10, nitrite 1

Day 34: 12/09/09:
AM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0 added 4-5ppm ammonia
PM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 1

Day 35: 13/09/09:
AM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0 added 4-5ppm ammonia
PM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0.75 13 hours not 12

Day 36: 14/09/09:
AM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0 added 4-5ppm ammonia
PM TEST:

 

[doggiebag]

Day 36 continued....
PM TEST: ammonia 0, nitrite 1

Day 37: 15/09/09:
AM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0 added 4-5ppm ammonia
PM TEST: ammonia 0, nitrite 1

Day 38: 16/09/09:
AM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0 added 4-5ppm ammonia
PM TEST: ammonia 0, nitrite 1

Day 39: 17/09/09:
AM TEST:ammonia 0, nitrite 0 added 4-5ppm ammonia
PM TEST:

things really not moving on now.....seems to be stuck at 1 nitrite at 12 hours for days now.....