Fishless Cycle Help

[Purenord]

Hello,

Ive been fishless cycling for about 6 weeks now using the add and wait method. About two weeks ago my nitite spiked but only lasted 48 hours and since then the test has shown no nitrites in the tank. Last week i did a 80-90% percent water change to see if that helped and have kept adding ammonia when it drops. Ammonia is dropping from about 5ppm to 0.25ppm in 24 hours but showing no nitrites. My tank is 120l and is quite heavily planted. I have only performed the one water change and treated the water with seachem prime. My lfs gave me some gravel from one of his tanks when i started it up.

Ive read all the articles i can find on fishless cycling and im wondering could my cycle have stalled? I understand this happens if you add too much ammonia ( i dont remember over dosing but i cant see another explanation). Because theres no way my nitrites could have dropped that quickly right? Do i just keep going and wait for another spike? I thought i was doing so well and this has really annoyed me now, i still really dont want to go out and get the sacrificial molly but every time that test comes back blue its tempting me a little more. Please help, the forum has been an amazing help with the hobby in these early stages so thank you. Also, how do i upload photos here? I need to know if ive gone a bit ott on plants (ive read you can never really have too many as long as theres still room to swim), and im a little proud of my tank so far .

Thanks again for all your help,

Chris.

 

[HayzH]

Hello,

Ive been fishless cycling for about 6 weeks now using the add and wait method. About two weeks ago my nitite spiked but only lasted 48 hours and since then the test has shown no nitrites in the tank. Last week i did a 80-90% percent water change to see if that helped and have kept adding ammonia when it drops. Ammonia is dropping from about 5ppm to 0.25ppm in 24 hours but showing no nitrites. My tank is 120l and is quite heavily planted. I have only performed the one water change and treated the water with seachem prime. My lfs gave me some gravel from one of his tanks when i started it up.

Ive read all the articles i can find on fishless cycling and im wondering could my cycle have stalled? I understand this happens if you add too much ammonia ( i dont remember over dosing but i cant see another explanation). Because theres no way my nitrites could have dropped that quickly right? Do i just keep going and wait for another spike? I thought i was doing so well and this has really annoyed me now, i still really dont want to go out and get the sacrificial molly but every time that test comes back blue its tempting me a little more. Please help, the forum has been an amazing help with the hobby in these early stages so thank you. Also, how do i upload photos here? I need to know if ive gone a bit ott on plants (ive read you can never really have too many as long as theres still room to swim), and im a little proud of my tank so far .

Thanks again for all your help,

Chris.

i am no expert (yet) but im sure you shouldnt have plants in your tank if you are doing a fishLESS cycle as it feeds on the ammonia and slows down the cycle...maybe take them out???

 

[Miles_hot]

It is possible that you're doing a "silent" cycle due to the plants....

 

[Purenord]

i did read that planted tanks slowed it down abit but i dont mind this really as i want an established tank by the time i get the fish in, im in no hurry really. its just i thought i was so close. what is a silent cycle? i've read the term on a couple of threads but don't know what it means..... thanks for your help

Chris

by the way here is the tank (hope this works) so you'll see what i mean about the planting.

 

[librarygirl]

Did you add any seeded media? It's possible the plants are helping the cycle along. How long have you been testing and nitrite has come back 0? Two weeks? If so and you haven't had any spikes I honestly think it's time for fish. Just monitor the tank closely and do pwc if needed but I don't foresee any problems. Good luck!

 

[Purenord]

I got a few hand fulls of gravel from one of the tanks at the local shop. Yeah theres been no nitrates for two weeks or so now. Okay, ive ordered 6 flame tetra and 10 cherry shrimp to arrive tuesday, just see how it goes (fingers crossed). Just done another 80% water change in preparation for the fish. Should i add ammonia now or will it be okay till tuesday when the fish get here you think? Thanks a lot for your help.

Chris

 

[librarygirl]

I got a few hand fulls of gravel from one of the tanks at the local shop. Yeah theres been no nitrates for two weeks or so now. Okay, ive ordered 6 flame tetra and 10 cherry shrimp to arrive tuesday, just see how it goes (fingers crossed). Just done another 80% water change in preparation for the fish. Should i add ammonia now or will it be okay till tuesday when the fish get here you think? Thanks a lot for your help.

Chris

I'm assuming you mistyped nitrates for nitrites in your reply?

Not sure, I don't know the exact timeframe that the bacteria can last without food. I'd keep dosing ammonia, just to be safe. Then on Monday just do a water change to get nitrates down to <20 (as close to 0 as possible is best) --- DON'T redose ammonia lol -- and turn your tank temperature down if it was set high for the cycle and then add your fish on Tuesday. Just keep an eye on things for a couple of weeks to make sure the cycle is stable. Good luck and have fun with your fish!

 

[Miles_hot]

Silent cycle is one where the tank is more than 75% planted.

Don't re-dose ammonia after "the" water change however I would agree with LG that the 80% change you've just done isn' "the" change before the fish as your bacteria will die at a rate of 50% per 24 hours and it would be a shame to lose them

You may well end up in a fish in cycle but with daily (or more) checks on water chemistry you'll be able to see if and how much you need to change.

Have fun

Miles

 

[Purenord]

Okay, thanks guys. Ive added ammonia last night and i will water change again this evening. Yeah i meant nitrites, i've had it all going round my head for so long now it was only a matter of time. Thanks again.

Chris

 

[Aqua Tom]

A silent cycle is one where the plants in the tank are using so much Nitrite & Ammonia that the test results show zero,s even though your filter has not built up a bacterial colony.

 

[Purenord]

Okay, well hopefully theres some in there some in there. When the fish go in ill test twice daily, make sure nothing gets out of hand. So you think the shrimp will be okay with natural light ( the tank gets a lot of sun through the day) till my ballast arrives? Should only be a few days. The one i went to pick up today was t5 not t8 so no good. Time for my last water change i think. Gettin quite excited now to see life in there (except for plants). Thanks.

Chris

 

[Blubble37]

good idea