Fish In Cycle (Now Fishless)

[stubs]

Well the 2 fish are now in there new home at my local fish shop - now I just need to get on with the fishless cycle

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

[stubs]

Right so I purchased some ammonia today ( 30 mile round trip to get it) no ingredients listed on the bottle apart from ammonia solution. Seeing rdd1952's excellentFishless Cycle topic I tested the bottle by shaking it and it foamed, according to the linked post that means it's no good right?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Unfortunately, I believe so.

Where are you? What brand is it?

 

[stubs]

Unfortunately, I believe so.

Where are you? What brand is it?

I'm based in Romford, the brand is homecare essentials.

 

[pathwalker]

Try homebase. They do a value range which is just 9.5% ammonia with no additives

They have s store here
Davidson Way, Romford, Essex, RM7 0AJ

Ian

 

[L_Plates]

Unfortunately, I believe so.

Where are you? What brand is it?

I'm based in Romford, the brand is homecare essentials.

I used homecare essentials ammonia for my cycle and it was fine. Have you got a photo of the bottle ?

Mine was a white squarish bottle with a sticker on the front and back. All that was listed was ammonia on the ingredients and when i shook i never got any bubble.

LP

 

[stubs]

Thanks guys got some Ammonia from home base - defiantly the right one this time, blimey it stinks and no foaming

Thanks again guys

 

[stubs]

Hi again guys,

So my fishless cycle is going ok I think but I just wanted to post some results to see what you guys think.

I added enough ammo to get the tank upto 5ppm (using the "Add and Wait" Method)on the 31/05/2011 one week ago today.

Latest readings

Ammo: 2ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: 60ppm ish (it was hard to tell)

So if I am right, I wait until the Ammo drops to about zero then add more..right? bringing it up to around 3 or 4 ppm?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You are well on your way. Because you started with a fish-in cycle, you are somewhere between phase one and two. Phase one ends when ammonia drops to zero in 24 hours, this is usually accompanied by a nitrite spike, which marks the beginning of phase two. Your ammonia isn't dropping to zero yet, but the nitrite is starting to rise and will continue to do so. I would, therefore, recommend a smaller dose of ammonia next time... maybe even as low as 2ppm. Your nitrites will continue to build up until the N-bacs can catch up. When the nitrite starts to fall from 5ppm again, I would start to raise the dose back up again, maybe 0.5ppm per day. The ammonia should still process in 24 hours, and probably even in 12 the entire time, but it might take the nitrite a little while to hit zero. Then when they both hit zero, you should be back up to 4-5ppm dosing and you are just waiting for double zeros at the 12 hour mark.

 

[stubs]

Thanks Eagles, great advice,

So yesterday ammonia was down to 0.50ppm, so I attempted to raise the ammo up to around 2 or 3 but went slightly overboard and ended up with the ammo at 4ppm, anyway my latest test today the ammo had gone back down to 0.50ppm, which is good right?

Ammo: 0.50ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm

You think I should I add more ammo today?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

No, wait for a zero. Even if the test kit states a zero, there is still a trace amount remaining, which should sustain the A-bacs. Wait for the zero and give the N-bacs a chance to catch up.


It is good that the ammonia is dropping well, but each 1ppm NH3 processes into 2.7ppm NO2. So, the N-bacs colony will need to be about 3x as big as the A-bac colony in the end. That's part of the reason it takes longer for them to come around. (Also they don't start to build their colony until after the A-bacs start to process ammonia, so the A-bacs get a head start and the N-bacs need to grow a bigger colony. That's why phase two is usually the longest.

 

[stubs]

No, wait for a zero. Even if the test kit states a zero, there is still a trace amount remaining, which should sustain the A-bacs. Wait for the zero and give the N-bacs a chance to catch up.


It is good that the ammonia is dropping well, but each 1ppm NH3 processes into 2.7ppm NO2. So, the N-bacs colony will need to be about 3x as big as the A-bac colony in the end. That's part of the reason it takes longer for them to come around. (Also they don't start to build their colony until after the A-bacs start to process ammonia, so the A-bacs get a head start and the N-bacs need to grow a bigger colony. That's why phase two is usually the longest.

Appreciate your help mate

I will wait for the zero!

 

[stubs]

So...

Ammo: 1ppm - its cycling around 4ppm a day at present.
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: 80 ppm + (hard to tell looks darker than 80 but not as much as 150)

Nitrites seem to always be at 5ppm but that's as high as the test goes, how do I know if I am getting the Nitrite spike?
The Nitrates reading, is this expected? is it quite high?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

If nitrites are at 5ppm, then you are in the nitrite spike.


1ppm processes to 2.7ppm nitrite and then to 3.6ppm nitrate, so the high nitrate numbers are expected - watch out for a pH crash.