Fishless Cycle - Add & Wait Method

Cant really do much with the filter I have - it has a 'waterfall' effect on the surface, giving a slight ripple to the water. Gonna see if I can get an airstone in the tank to introduce more oxygen - just need to wait until the brother is home so i can steal some of his un-used equipment, haha!

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Cant really do much with the filter I have - it has a 'waterfall' effect on the surface, giving a slight ripple to the water. Gonna see if I can get an airstone in the tank to introduce more oxygen - just need to wait until the brother is home so i can steal some of his un-used equipment, haha!

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:good:
 
Airstone added last night :)

For three days running my Ammonia Level has been 2.0 PPM - doesnt seem to show any sign of reducing :/
Hello Nemo,
At this early stage of the cycle it takes about a week for your ammonia bacterias(A-Bacs)to take any effect. When you start to see your ammonia level drop from 2ppm then you can start testing for nitrItes. The nitrIte bacterias(N-Bacs)on average take twice as long to start processing in to nitrAtes.

Keith.
 
Decided to do a little more reading up on everyones fishless cycles (Add & Wait) method, and judging on everyones results it seems that if the Ammonia level got to 2 PPM they had nitrite showing. I've been sat at 2PPM for the past three days now, and theres no nitrite in the tank - it just doesnt seem to make any sense? :S

Beginning to think, the mature filter media is 'dead' so it doesnt seem to be helping the cycle along?
 
Decided to do a little more reading up on everyones fishless cycles (Add & Wait) method, and judging on everyones results it seems that if the Ammonia level got to 2 PPM they had nitrite showing. I've been sat at 2PPM for the past three days now, and theres no nitrite in the tank - it just doesnt seem to make any sense? :S

Beginning to think, the mature filter media is 'dead' so it doesnt seem to be helping the cycle along?


Patience.

It will happen. You are sounding a bit negative but i promise that the ammonia will suddenly drop, litraly overnight. You will just have to wait it out.


~Tom~
 
With a risk of sounding really stupid - I'm 100% convinced my filter media is dead.
Doesn't the media need ammonia to keep the good bacteria Alive?
The media was in the tank atleast a week before I realised/was told I'd need to add household ammonia to kick start the cycle.
 
With a risk of sounding really stupid - I'm 100% convinced my filter media is dead.
Doesn't the media need ammonia to keep the good bacteria Alive?
The media was in the tank atleast a week before I realised/was told I'd need to add household ammonia to kick start the cycle.
Yes the bacteria needs some source of food(ammonia) to stay alive, a week without any ammonia input has proberly killed any beneficial bacteria that was present in the mature media you are using. I take it there is no drop in your ammonia level?

Keith.
 
There was a drop 3 days ago from 4PPM to 2PPM.
Out of interest are you getting any nitrite readings? On average it takes about 7 days for the ammonia bacterias(A-Bacs)to take effect so your current ammonia level could start decreasing anytime.

Keith.
 
There was a drop 3 days ago from 4PPM to 2PPM.
Out of interest are you getting any nitrite readings? On average it takes about 7 days for the ammonia bacterias(A-Bacs)to take effect so your current ammonia level could start decreasing anytime.

Keith.

Nitrite readings have been 0PPM since 6.2.11 (the day my ammonia first dropped).
 
The algae thats currently present in my tank - removing today its a pain (unsightly) thinking of gravel vaccuming would this cause a disturbance in my cycle?
 
The algae thats currently present in my tank - removing today its a pain (unsightly) thinking of gravel vaccuming would this cause a disturbance in my cycle?
No, you will be fine but remember to dose your h/h ammonia back up in a gradule manner to the desired level(4/5ppm). The fresh water you put back in remember to dechlorinate and roughly match the temp of the water in your tank.

Keith.

P.S Keep an eye on the measured ammounts of h/h ammonia your putting in so that next time you can apply it in one ammount :good:
 

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