Fishless Cycle Progress

[rdd1952]

My understanding is that pure ammonia is all but impossible to find in Australia. I'm not certain about the cloudy ammonia you are using. Generally, you don't want anything with surfactants in it. You may have to resort to using flakes or another type of ammonia source.

 

[jeej]

But how can I measure the level of Ammonia I am putting into the tank accurately by using flakes?

 

[rdd1952]

That's the problem, you can't. Unfortunately, if you can't find the proper type of ammonia, you don't have much choice but o go with an alternate method.

 

[jeej]

Ok guys, an update...

I have continued to use the cloudy ammonia. I've read a few different opinions that suggest it is ok to use this stuff, but you just need to do a huge water change before you add your fish.

Anyway, looks like I am back on track now, which is good news.

 

[therlinger]

I am also in the process of doing a fishless cycle with ammonia. From everything that I've read, I see a couple of things that might be causing your problems. First, the ammonia with surficants. You really need to get some ammonia without them. I understand it might be very difficult to find pure ammonia, my best suggestion would be to try a hardware store. You might have better luck there. Second, bringing your ammonia level to 5 ppm is the right step, however, when your nitrites spike, you're supposed to cut the ammount of ammonia in half. There is such a thing as using too much. Once the nitrites start to spike, the amount of ammonia, when kept at 5 ppm, can actually hinder your cycle which would cause what you have seen. The surfacants might be the cause of your pH drop too. Something to consider. When you get the nitrite spike, cut your ammonia in half. When you can add ammonia and get a zero reading within 12 hrs., and your nitrites are zero, then your tank will be cycled. Do a large water change 50% before adding your fish and you should be good to go. Good luck!

 

[jeej]

Thanks for the info mate. I'll do another pH reading today, but I think everything points to the huge amount of tanins that were leaked into the water last time from a huge piece of driftwood!

So when my Nitrites hit 5ppm I should then perhaps only put 2.5ppm of Ammonia in the tank?

 

[rabbut]

Thanks for the info mate. I'll do another pH reading today, but I think everything points to the huge amount of tanins that were leaked into the water last time from a huge piece of driftwood!

So when my Nitrites hit 5ppm I should then perhaps only put 2.5ppm of Ammonia in the tank?

untill all zeros, then back up again to 5. TBH I noticed no difference in just adding to 5 all the way through. Theoreticaly it would slow things down a bit, but mine was done in three weeks without mature media to seed it.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[jeej]

I am also in the process of doing a fishless cycle with ammonia. From everything that I've read, I see a couple of things that might be causing your problems. First, the ammonia with surficants. You really need to get some ammonia without them. I understand it might be very difficult to find pure ammonia, my best suggestion would be to try a hardware store. You might have better luck there. Second, bringing your ammonia level to 5 ppm is the right step, however, when your nitrites spike, you're supposed to cut the ammount of ammonia in half. There is such a thing as using too much. Once the nitrites start to spike, the amount of ammonia, when kept at 5 ppm, can actually hinder your cycle which would cause what you have seen. The surfacants might be the cause of your pH drop too. Something to consider. When you get the nitrite spike, cut your ammonia in half. When you can add ammonia and get a zero reading within 12 hrs., and your nitrites are zero, then your tank will be cycled. Do a large water change 50% before adding your fish and you should be good to go. Good luck!

Seems you were right about this. Tested the pH just now and it came out as 6, although that is the lowest indicator on the chart, so might even be lower! I've used a pH UP product to get higher.

 

[Sparkle]

I’m from Sydney, Australia. Pure ammonia is impossible to get. I’ve tried multiple supermarkets, hardware stores and chemists to no avail. I’ve been advised to use a prawn or fish food. I’ve decided against the prawn, as I think it might stink.

I’ve been cycling for 4 weeks, and I’m slowly getting there. I’m using fish food in a stocking. As the fish food is in there for hours it’s slowly supplying ammonia over the day, rather a large dosage in one go. My tank is 270 litres (about 70 US gals). I’ve got about 25 grams of rotting fish food, and replacing 5 grams per day. Hopefully that’s not too much, or too little. I’m thinking that the amount should be a little more than feed to a tank full of fish.

Ammonia levels spiked at 8 ppm in week 2, and are now gradually dropping (now less than tap water – which is 1ppm). Nitrite spiked at 2 ppm last week. I know that seems low, but it’s like the Nitrite quickly coverts to Nitrate. It’s now rapidly disappearing (0.1 ppm), and Nitrate skyrocketing (150 ppm). I also do a 10% water change once a week.

 

[rdd1952]

If the pH has dropped off the chart low, you will need to do a large waterchnge to get it back up. Nitrifying bacteria reproduction slows tremendously as pH get lower and can actually stop as it gets below 6.0. The bacteria that are present will continue to process ammonia and nitrite but they just won't reproduce and increase their mass.