Fishless Cycle Question

[yes9003]

I started a fishless cycle for the first time about two weeks ago and I used a Add and wait method from your forum. Currently I ran into a problem, yesterday was two weeks of cycling and my results were Ammonia 2.0, Nitrite 1.0, I did not add additional ammonia as stated in the articles only when it nears 0. When I checked the water today my readings are ammonia was 1.0 nitrite 0, nitrate 20. I think my cycle must have been interrupted. I am stuck right now and dont know what to do, any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance

PS the only logical thing for me was to add ammonia to the tank

 

[L_Plates]

Alwas wait till ammonia hits 0. It might be a good idea to start a log so we can track daily readings. Yhis woll help look into any possible issues further down the line.

LP

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Are you saying that you dosed the tank to 4ppm ammonia and it taken 2 weeks to drop to 1ppm?

How big is the tank?
How much ammonia did you dose in ml?
Whats your ph?
What testing kit you using for water stats?

 

[yes9003]

Are you saying that you dosed the tank to 4ppm ammonia and it taken 2 weeks to drop to 1ppm?

How big is the tank?
How much ammonia did you dose in ml?
Whats your ph?
What testing kit you using for water stats?

I have a 55g tank, I used a calculator to calculate the dose which is around 11ml for add and wiat cycling. I always use API drops/testube tests to test my water parameters. The ammonia started to drop in about a week, but never reached a zero, as soon as it dropped to 0.5 I added ammonia again to keep it at 3-4 ppm as stated in this forum.
Thank you for your reply

Alwas wait till ammonia hits 0. It might be a good idea to start a log so we can track daily readings. Yhis woll help look into any possible issues further down the line.

LP

Hi, I will start the log today, and thanks for helping me figure it out.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Thats fine almost text book. The 1st ammonia drop as approx 7-10days Nitrite will normaly take twice as long to show(which yours has started) I added ammoina @ 0.25 on my tank and didt effect the cycle so you should be fine. I would check your ph thought to low and it can stall the cycle. Also if you have not already turn your heater to 29c it will improve the rate of the bacteria as to how fast the multiply

 

[yes9003]

Thanks, I had my heater on from day one water temps at 82-84F, haven't checked the ph. But i know that my older tank's ph always low coming from the tap 6.0-6.5, I have never seen it to go higher. I experimented with some products to raise the ph but not successful since its always up and down. I did place some kind of rock to buffer the ph but it seems to have little effect. I also seeded the tank with a sponge from my older tank which i did not use fishless cycle ( I was cruel to my fish).

 

[yes9003]

I tested my tank today and i got the following readings
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40
Seems like i takes a long time to reach 0 at this point.

 

[jerry050321111]

Alwas wait till ammonia hits 0. It might be a good idea to start a log so we can track daily readings. Yhis woll help look into any possible issues further down the line.

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[BigbruiserAl]

Take a look at your Ph if low as in the 6's your cycle will be slowing/stalling. Let us know we can tell you how to bump it for the cycle(dont advise messing with ph with fish in but for the cycle it will be fine)

 

[Aqua Tom]

Take a look at your Ph if low as in the 6's your cycle will be slowing/stalling. Let us know we can tell you how to bump it for the cycle(dont advise messing with ph with fish in but for the cycle it will be fine)

+1

 

[yes9003]

Take a look at your Ph if low as in the 6's your cycle will be slowing/stalling. Let us know we can tell you how to bump it for the cycle(dont advise messing with ph with fish in but for the cycle it will be fine)

Hi, thanks for your seponse. Yes my ph is 6.0 maybe even a bit lower. Currently my results
Fri 7/22 Ammonia .25 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 40 ph 6
today Ammonia .25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40 Ph 6.
I will appreciate if you let me know how to bump up my ph.
Thanks in advance

 

[Aqua Tom]

Bicarbonate of soda. Available at most supermarkets. This will up your Ph. What size tank is it so we can work out a dosage?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Bicarbonate of soda. Available at most supermarkets. This will up your Ph. What size tank is it so we can work out a dosage?

+1 make sure its Bicarbonate of soda, think i used like a tea spoon for 220l so you dont need alot. Yours is a 45 US gallon yeas?

 

[yes9003]

Bicarbonate of soda. Available at most supermarkets. This will up your Ph. What size tank is it so we can work out a dosage?

+1 make sure its Bicarbonate of soda, think i used like a tea spoon for 220l so you dont need alot. Yours is a 45 US gallon yeas?

I have a 55 gallon tank, thanks I will get the bicarbonate of soda today.

Bicarbonate of soda. Available at most supermarkets. This will up your Ph. What size tank is it so we can work out a dosage?

+1 make sure its Bicarbonate of soda, think i used like a tea spoon for 220l so you dont need alot. Yours is a 45 US gallon yeas?

Is it the same as Baking Soda, I checked the label and it pure sodium bicarbonate.

Bicarbonate of soda. Available at most supermarkets. This will up your Ph. What size tank is it so we can work out a dosage?

+1 make sure its Bicarbonate of soda, think i used like a tea spoon for 220l so you dont need alot. Yours is a 45 US gallon yeas?

I have a 55 gallon tank, thanks I will get the bicarbonate of soda today.

Bicarbonate of soda. Available at most supermarkets. This will up your Ph. What size tank is it so we can work out a dosage?

+1 make sure its Bicarbonate of soda, think i used like a tea spoon for 220l so you dont need alot. Yours is a 45 US gallon yeas?

Is it the same as Baking Soda, I checked the label and it pure sodium bicarbonate.

Never Mind it is the same thing I checked on google, thanks again

 

[yes9003]

Good morning, I checked my parameters today as follows
Ammonia 1.0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 40, ph 7.4