Fishless Cycle Diary

[mancin]

I've finally got my 55 Gallon set up and began the fishless cycle. I took some mature media from my other 55 Gallon tank that I hope will give it a good kick start. I'll be adding Ammonia at 10 PM every night, and will check at the 12 hour mark at 10 AM (my lunch time from work) and at the 24 hour mark at 10 PM. Tank temperature is at 79 degrees. I know in the 80's is better for a faster cycle, but the heater doesn't have the actual settings on there, so I'm not sure how much to move the dial in order to get it up a few degrees. I guess I could play around with it and see. pH is 7.5 at the moment.

I plan on having this as a planted tank and am tracking that progress here

I figured I wouldn't test for NitrItes or NitrAtes until I see the Ammonia going down within a day (I think I read that when cycled, Ammonia should process in 12 hours?). Should I also be checking the pH daily? I've heard that pH crashes are common in a fishless cycle.

If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

Day 1
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 5ppm (Topped Ammonia to 5ppm)

Day 2
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Around 5ppm, it's really hard to tell the difference between 2ppm and 4ppm, but I think it's the same as yesterday

Day 3
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Around 2ppm, I added back up to 5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm

Day 4
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Between 1ppm and 2ppm
NitrIte: 0.25ppm

Day 5
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Between 0.50ppm and 1ppm, I added back up to 4ppm - 5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm

Day 6
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Between 0.25ppm and 0.50ppm, I added back up to 4ppm - 5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm

Day 7
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Between 0.25ppm and 0.50ppm, but I think closer to 0.25
NitrIte: At least 1ppm but probably higher, the colors are really hard to differentiate after 1ppm
NitrAte: Between 5ppm and 10ppm

Day 8
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: I think 1ppm, it's more purple whereas the 5ppm is a bit more pinkish
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 9
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: Between 0.25ppm and 0.50ppm
NitrIte: I give up on trying to read this one. Either 1ppm or 5ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 10
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 11
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm
NitrAte: Unknown (out of NitrAte test)

Day 12
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm
NitrAte: Looks like 20ppm

Day 13
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm
NitrAte: 20ppm

Day 14
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm (bf thinks maybe 5ppm)
NitrAte: 20ppm

Day 15
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: No visible change
NitrAte: 20ppm

Day 16
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: No visible change
NitrAte: 20ppm

Day 17
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: No visible change
NitrAte: 20+ppm

Day 18
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: I'm pretty sure 1ppm now because there's not any pink tint to it
NitrAte: 40ppm

Day 19
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm
NitrAte: 40ppm

Day 20
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 1ppm (not sure why I'm getting an Ammonia reading again?)
NitrIte: 1ppm
NitrAte: 40ppm

Day 21
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 1ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm (Are my eyes deceiving me?! Nope! It really is 0! Probably because I haven't added more Ammonia for a couple days)
NitrAte: 40ppm - 80ppm

Day 22
****pH crash. 7.5 to 6.0! 80% water change. 1 hour after water change:
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Will re-dose Ammonia tonight back up to 4ppm!

Day 23
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm



Day 24
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 25
Time: 10 PM (24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 26
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 1ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10+ppm

Day 27
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0.50ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
****pH starting to nose dive again. Currently in mid 6s.
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 20ppm

Day 28
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
****pH now at 6.0. Will be doing a water change shortly.
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0.50ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
****Did an 80% water change. pH now back to normal
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 29
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm



Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 30
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0.50ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm

Day 31
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10+ppm

Day 32
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 20ppm

Day 33
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 20+ppm

Day 34
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm

Time: 10 PM(24 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm, I added back up to 4ppm-5ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 40ppm

Day 35
Time: 10 AM(12 hour mark)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm

Big water change and fish added!

 

[mancin]

The mature media seems to be helping. I have a NitrIte reading today (Day 4). The Ammonia was down yesterday and I dosed it back up and it appears to be down again today. I just realized though, should I be adding more Ammonia back up to 4-5ppm if it's still above 0? I did yesterday and then wondered if I should be waiting until it completely drops. I know there's a couple different methods to doing this. Should I go ahead and dose it back up to 4-5ppm tonight since I did that yesterday?

 

[djl08]

the best method is the add and wait method, ie, wait till it reaches 0 then add more to bring it up to 4ppm.

- Dj -

 

[OldMan47]

As long as there is a small surplus of ammonia when you test the next day, the bacterial colony will be growing at its maximum rate. Whether you add back to 5 ppm every day or do the add and wait, the surplus ammonia, the part the bacteria failed to use the previous day, tells you that there are no starving bacteria in the tank. The bacteria are all eating well and reproducing at their best rate. When you are processing all of the ammonia in 24 hours is soon enough to worry about what the actual concentration is each day. Before that, it just makes it easier to monitor the growth rate of the bacteria by having a consistent starting point.

 

[mancin]

Decided to check for NitrAtes today (Day 7), and I have a reading! Based on what you guys are saying, since I'm producing both NitrItes and NitrAtes now, I think I'm going to wait until the Ammonia is actually at 0 before topping it back up. It seems to me the Ammonia is being processed in *almost* 24 hours. Hopefully another couple days and the full amount of Ammonia will be gone in 24 hours. Would you agree?

Tank temp is now at 84F, not necessarily on purpose. I think I have a faulty heater (the heater will NOT turn off, I have not once seen the light off). Even after playing around with the dial, it seems to have no impact. I ordered a new one just to be safe. Don't want to cook my fish when the cycle is over!

 

[OldMan47]

Once the ammonia reaches zero, you do need to dose back up once a day to keep the progress moving forward. The nitrate reading an be thrown off by the nitrites that are present so don't jump too far to conclusions about the progress. With the bit of mature media that you had, it is entirely possible that you are making good progress but I would keep an eye on things for a while.

 

[mancin]

Once the ammonia reaches zero, you do need to dose back up once a day to keep the progress moving forward. The nitrate reading an be thrown off by the nitrites that are present so don't jump too far to conclusions about the progress. With the bit of mature media that you had, it is entirely possible that you are making good progress but I would keep an eye on things for a while.

No problem. Thanks for the advice. I am planning on adding more ammonia tonight because surely it's at 0 now since it was pretty low last night. Of course I'll check before I add more. I figure now that I have a reading (even if I can't trust them yet ) I'll probably check all 3 from here on out to see if there are any major fluctuations.

 

[mancin]

Well, I'm a little bit early tonight (about 20 mins) but the Ammonia is completely gone. I may have to start posting pics of the NitrItes to get your opinions. I can't tell the difference from 1ppm+ to save my life.

 

[mancin]

Ammonia has been processed in 24 hours the past few days. Work has been so crazy (and I have a sick fish in another tank) so I haven't been able to take my 12 hour tests the past several days. I'll have to check tomorrow AM and see how much Ammonia is gone as I re-dosed it back up. The NitrItes seem to be holding steady, but they seem to be going somewhere because the NitrAtes are rising.

 

[waterdrop]

I suspect your nitrites(NO2) will start to visibly creep up before long.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

IF your nitrites are holding steady and you are dosing ammonia daily, you are starting to develop a nice colony of nitrite processing bacteria. That will be why the nitrates keep rising. It won't be too much longer if you stay on top of things.

 

[snowflake311]

It takes longer for the. NItrites to drop. My tank is done it took 7 and half weeks. The waiting foe the nitires to drop was so hard. But I did mess up my cycle long story. Any ways you might think it will never end but it will.

 

[mancin]

NitrAtes are still rising, but NitrItes seem to be holding steady. No real change with those two, however I have an Ammonia reading again. Not sure if I put too much in last night, or if this is normal, but I didn't add any more tonight since it wasn't at 0.

 

[OldMan47]

At day 20, you are making nice progress. You will notice that even when we think a cycle is done, the advice is to wait a week to prove it before adding fish. Every once in a while, the numbers will come back up a bit like you just saw on your ammonia. That is why it is better to wait. That is also why some fish are marked as being for "mature" tanks only. After the filter matures a bit, small spikes like that stop happening.

 

[mancin]

I took the readings last night and again at the 12 hour mark this morning and something didn't feel right. I grabbed my pH test kit and sure enough my pH has crashed! It's normally around 7.5 and now it's 6.0! I'm going to do a large water change and keep an eye out it for the rest of the cycle.