Fed Up With Fishless Cycle

[rabbut]

A slow start makes me wonder about the ammonia you are using... Is it from the same bottle you used for the last fishless cycle? If not, what brand is it and what does it do when you shake it?

Are you doing a replacement with this upgrade, or are you going to be running two tanks?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Truck]

this might sounds like a silly question but are you using filter media?

 

[emilythestrange]

A slow start makes me wonder about the ammonia you are using... Is it from the same bottle you used for the last fishless cycle? If not, what brand is it and what does it do when you shake it?

Are you doing a replacement with this upgrade, or are you going to be running two tanks?

All the best
Rabbut

Running two tans im afraid, as these are my only sacred two Haha
The small tank is only a fluval 1 plus so really small filter media

I am using exactly the same ammonia its from homebase Pure ammonia.
Not had any problems with it. it is really strong

P.s My Nitrite Is 0ppm and my Ammonia is 0.5ppm... i added two pipettes of the ammonia at 7am this morning

this might sounds like a silly question but are you using filter media?

Yes i have a fluval 3 plus (plenty of filter sponge!!!!)
When i have seen the sponge i can see algae growth on it.. just not enough like

 

[doresy]

I haven't read through all the posts in this thread but I'm guessing low ph levels will stall a cycle so I wont go there.

I will just say that I think 5 ml of pure ammonia solution in a 100lt tank is a bit too much. Also, if it is a 100lt tank then I bet you have no more that 90 odd in there if you have rock and wood and stuff.

My rio 125 litr has about 110 lts of water in it (the rocks are hollow) and when I put 5ml of ammonia in it the level went up over 8ppm which is too high. Had to water change to get it back down to 5ppm.

Too higher level of ammonia is a great cycle stopper

 

[rdd1952]

P.s My Nitrite Is 0ppm and my Ammonia is 0.5ppm... i added two pipettes of the ammonia at 7am this morning

Ok. If the nitrite is at 0, it looks as if things are where they should be. What is the nitrate reading? If it has been steadily rising, then it sounds to me like you're cycled.

I will just say that I think 5 ml of pure ammonia solution in a 100lt tank is a bit too much. Also, if it is a 100lt tank then I bet you have no more that 90 odd in there if you have rock and wood and stuff.

My rio 125 litr has about 110 lts of water in it (the rocks are hollow) and when I put 5ml of ammonia in it the level went up over 8ppm which is too high. Had to water change to get it back down to 5ppm.

Too higher level of ammonia is a great cycle stopper

For a 9.5% solution which most bottle ammonia is, 5 ml to 100 liters (about 25 gallons) would be about right. Of course, there is displacement of water by substrate, decor, etc. but that's at least close. I generally figure about 1ml per 5 gallons to get to 5 ppm.

 

[emilythestrange]

P.s My Nitrite Is 0ppm and my Ammonia is 0.5ppm... i added two pipettes of the ammonia at 7am this morning

Ok. If the nitrite is at 0, it looks as if things are where they should be. What is the nitrate reading? If it has been steadily rising, then it sounds to me like you're cycled.

I will just say that I think 5 ml of pure ammonia solution in a 100lt tank is a bit too much. Also, if it is a 100lt tank then I bet you have no more that 90 odd in there if you have rock and wood and stuff.

My rio 125 litr has about 110 lts of water in it (the rocks are hollow) and when I put 5ml of ammonia in it the level went up over 8ppm which is too high. Had to water change to get it back down to 5ppm.

Too higher level of ammonia is a great cycle stopper

For a 9.5% solution which most bottle ammonia is, 5 ml to 100 liters (about 25 gallons) would be about right. Of course, there is displacement of water by substrate, decor, etc. but that's at least close. I generally figure about 1ml per 5 gallons to get to 5 ppm.

Should i lower the amount of ammonia i am using?

Halve it, this is what i did with the other tank.. i halved the solution when i saw nitrites...
Im not on this "add and wait" method

No tank should take 3 Months
Everyones making jokes about it being a new craze having a fishless tank.


Should i wait for the ammonia to drop to 0ppm and add 2 platys?

 

[rdd1952]

What are your nitrates? I honestly think your tank is cycled but not knowing how high your nitrates have risen is the key. Unless I am misunderstaning something, it certainly seems that the ammonia and nitrite are dropping back to zero or at least close in a 12 hour or less period.

 

[rabbut]

I know it's difficult to carry on with a Fishless cycle at times, they can realy move slowly. I still suspect there is something going on... You did try moving some media across from your other tank diden't you? If you are doing an upgrade swap with the old one, just move the old tanks filter media across with it's fish after a 100% waterchange and allowing for temperture to settle down. If this tank is to run as well as your old one, add 1/3 of the mature media from your other tank and continue trying. If it doesn't pick up after that, something in or arround the tank has to be preventing it from cycling properly, and you idealy need to suss what... Most filter bacteria killers are fish killers also, and fish can be killed by imature filters

All the best
Rabbut

 

[emilythestrange]

What are your nitrates? I honestly think your tank is cycled but not knowing how high your nitrates have risen is the key. Unless I am misunderstaning something, it certainly seems that the ammonia and nitrite are dropping back to zero or at least close in a 12 hour or less period.

I really hope it is because i will cry with joy!!

Patience has been used waiting for 3 months +


Ill go test for nitrates now never tested it on this tank yet didnt see the point...
Will do now.

 

[emilythestrange]

I know it's difficult to carry on with a Fishless cycle at times, they can realy move slowly. I still suspect there is something going on... You did try moving some media across from your other tank diden't you? If you are doing an upgrade swap with the old one, just move the old tanks filter media across with it's fish after a 100% waterchange and allowing for temperture to settle down. If this tank is to run as well as your old one, add 1/3 of the mature media from your other tank and continue trying. If it doesn't pick up after that, something in or arround the tank has to be preventing it from cycling properly, and you idealy need to suss what... Most filter bacteria killers are fish killers also, and fish can be killed by imature filters

All the best
Rabbut

No i never tried using some mature media, i darent because the filte ri have is so big for the 100l tank..... cutting 1/3 off the small tank seems a shame because it works perfectly


Just tested nitrAte
Its 80 ppm

OH DEAR

its cherry red colour (on api freshwater master kit)

 

[rdd1952]

Sounds to me like you are cycled. With an API nitrate kit, everything about about 20 looks the same so you could easily be over 100. I would do the normal large water change and then dose one more time to about 3 ppm (probably 3 ml) with ammonia. If ammonia and nitrite both go back to zero within about 12 hours, then bring on the fish.

 

[Jimbo1984]

Lol, it's cycled! Do a big water change to lower those nitrates...

P.S. Isn't it 2 months since mid November?!?!

 

[emilythestrange]

Sounds to me like you are cycled. With an API nitrate kit, everything about about 20 looks the same so you could easily be over 100. I would do the normal large water change and then dose one more time to about 3 ppm (probably 3 ml) with ammonia. If ammonia and nitrite both go back to zero within about 12 hours, then bring on the fish.

Wooohooo cross my fingers

 

[backtotropical]

I'm with RDD on this. It sounds very much like you are cycled. Best to do a little ammonia tester first though, before getting too excited.

BTT

 

[Schmill]

I might have the wrong end of the stick here as so many people are saying that it's cycled, but wasn't only 2 pippettes of ammonia added before the last test, rather than 5ml?
I don't know how much the pipette holds, if it is 5ml then fine, yes, seems cycled. If the pipette is a fraction of the amount, (as I read it), and was added just to check all was working then it's possibly not cycled.

Im adding 5ml of pure ammonia to a 100l tank.... Everytime to ammonia is 0 when i test it.

I added only 2 pipettes of ammonia at 7 am
and 1 hour ago it read 0-50 of ammonia

5ml is correct for that tank, as I am using 15ml of Homebase Ammonia to cycle my 300L tank

If your ammonia goes to zero, and then you add 5ml of ammonia, what ammonia and nitrIte readings do you have 12 hours later?