Fishless Cycle :)

[Corrine]

Hey everyone

I have just added my first dose of ammonia to my Juwel Rio 180, to begin my fishless cycle

Juwel Rio 180 litre


Fishless Cycle

Tap Water

pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 0.25
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 5.0

Day 1

pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 4-5ppm (after 7ml ammonia)
Nitrite- 0


Day 2

pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 4-5ppm
Nitrite- 0-0.25 (only slightly purple)

Day 3

pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 4-5ppm (lighter than day 2)
Nitrite- 0.25

Day 4

pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 4-5ppm (lighter again )
Nitrite- 0.25 (even darker )

Day 5

pH- 8.0 (could have been 8.0 all along, as I have just tried the high pH today )
Ammonia- 4ppm
Nitrite- 0.5 ppm

Day 6

7am
pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 4ppm (lighter again)
Nitrite- 1ppm

8pm
Ammonia- 4ppm
Nitrite- between 2ppm & 5ppm
Nitrate- between 10ppm and 20ppm

Day 7

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 4ppm (slightly lighter maybe)
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- between 20ppm-40ppm

Day 8

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 2ppm
Nitrite- >5ppm

Day 9

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 2ppm

(didn't test for nitrites today, as they will probably still be >5ppm.. ill begin testing them again, when i get my ammonia to 0)

Day 10

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 2ppm

Day 11

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- between 1 & 2ppm
Nitrite- >5ppm (really bright purple)
Nitrate- between 20-40ppm

Day 12

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- between 0.5 & 1ppm
Nitrite- >5

Day 13

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- between 0.5 & 1ppm
Nitrite- >5ppm (bright purple)

(Massive water change to bring nitrites within a readable level.. ammonia dosed up to 1ppm)

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 1.0ppm
Nitrite- between 2 & 5ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm

Day 14

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0.25ppm
Nitrite- between 2 & 5ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm

Day 15

Ammonia- 0ppm

Re-dosed to 1ppm

Day 16

AM
pH- 8.0
Ammonia- between 0.25 & 0.5ppm
Nitrite- 10ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm

PM
Going to do a water change to get the nitrite within readable levels.. then re-dose ammonia to 1ppm

Day 17

PM
pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 0.25
Nitrite- >5
Total water change done (well as much water as you can remove lol) and dosed back up to 1ppm

Day 18

AM
pH- 7.4
Ammonia- 0.5
Nitrite- 1ppm

Day 19

pH- 7.6
Ammonia- 0.5
Nitrite- 2ppm
Nitrate- 10ppm

Day 20

Ammonia- 0.5ppm
Nitrite- 2ppm

Added filter floss from an established tank fingers crossed it speeds up from here

Day 21

pH- 7.6
Ammonia- 0.5ppm
Nitrite- 2ppm
Nitrate- 10ppm

Day 22

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0.25ppm
Nitrite- 2ppm

Day 23

pH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- between 2-5ppm

Dosed ammonia back to 1ppm

Day 24

AM
Ammonia- 0.25ppm
Nitrite- between 2-5ppm

PM
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 1ppm
Nitrate- between 40-80ppm

Redosed ammonia back to 1ppm

Day 25

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0.25ppm
Nitrate- between 40-80ppm

Redosed ammonia back to 1ppm

Day 26

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0.25ppm
Nitrate- 80ppm

Redosed ammonia back to 1ppm

Day 27

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm

Redosed ammonia to 1ppm

Day 28

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm

Redosed to 1ppm

Day 29

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm

Redosed to 1ppm

Day 30

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm

Redosed to 1ppm

Day 31

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm
Nitrate- >80ppm

 

[Xraymark]

I have the same tank. My water content is actually 150litres with all the substrate in the tank. Counted the number of buckets going into tank.

My first fishless cycle after 36 days did not start, I think due to over dosing the ammonia. I am adding 6.5mls ammonia for over 4ppm ammonia to the tank. With the API tester it jumps from 4 to 8ppm and its hard to tell what the exact ppm can be within this range.

I would advise a 30% water change and retest the water.

For your ph test your tap water from a cup 24h later. Maybe you done this already. Ph around 8 is good for cycle.

Temperature should be near 30C.

Check out the beginners section. Again maybe you have already.

Good luck

 

[Corrine]

I have the same tank. My water content is actually 150litres with all the substrate in the tank. Counted the number of buckets going into tank.

My first fishless cycle after 36 days did not start, I think due to over dosing the ammonia. I am adding 6.5mls ammonia for over 4ppm ammonia to the tank. With the API tester it jumps from 4 to 8ppm and its hard to tell what the exact ppm can be within this range.

I would advise a 30% water change and retest the water.

For your ph test your tap water from a cup 24h later. Maybe you done this already. Ph around 8 is good for cycle.

Temperature should be near 30C.

Check out the beginners section. Again maybe you have already.

Good luck

Thanks for your reply..

I retested and its only SLIGHTLY darker than the 4.0ppm so ive done a 10% water change now n ill test later tonight and do further water change if need be.. I'll go for 7ml next time i thnk !! fingers crossed ! Ill try pH again tomorrow.. ill put it in a cup now I hope it comes down a little as that limits the fish i can get

Thanks

 

[Corrine]

Okay ive thought of some more questions

1) Should the light be on during the fishless cycle?

2) Will live plants slow down the process by eating the ammonia?

3) Can i do water changes before adding my next dose of ammonia? ( I have tannins in the water from my red moor root, which i want to get rid of .. i s'pose the 90% water change at the end would maybe suffice , idk)

Sorry for all the questions Just want to make sure i get everything right !

 

[Xraymark]

Somebody else may correct me on this
It's better to cycle without plants as some of the ammonia is used up by the plants but is doable. The other reason is that you will need to put the light on with plants. Ammonia and light equals algae. Light isn't necessary for a cycle.
Yes you can do a water change but if the tannins are annoying you, maybe soak them outside the tank during cycle.

 

[Corrine]

Somebody else may correct me on this
It's better to cycle without plants as some of the ammonia is used up by the plants but is doable. The other reason is that you will need to put the light on with plants. Ammonia and light equals algae. Light isn't necessary for a cycle.
Yes you can do a water change but if the tannins are annoying you, maybe soak them outside the tank during cycle.

They've already spent a few days in the bath as i haven't a bucket big enough ! So ill suffer with the tannins for now , its not too bad i s'pose..

Ah so i can have the lights off throughout the whole cycling process?

 

[Corrine]

I just read some articles online about fishless cycling that said.. Everytime your ammonia drops below 4ppm dose it up with ammonia (it also said it could cycle in 2-3 weeks) .. I was under the impression that I was waiting until it returned to 1ppm before i dosed it back up to 4-5ppm ! I know there must be more than 1 way to do it.. but theres just so many different ways, and i wanna do the best one hehe! !!

What do you guys advise?

 

[Xraymark]

Yeah there can be slight variations on the fishless cycle. This is just my take on it. Somebody else may give other advice.

Initially add ammonia to 4-5ppm. Not above as the wrong type of bacteria can grow.
After about 2 weeks the ammonia may start to drop.(everybodys cycle is different)
Once it zeros add ammonia up to 3ppm. The lower level helps grow the correct bacteria.
Once it zeros within 12 hours start upping the ammonia to 4ppm then 5ppm until it zeros within 12h. If this stays consistent then your cycled.
Only add ammonia once a day even though the ammonia has cleared.


Thats just a very basic overview and its how I applied it. Test your water for ammonia, nitrite and ask for advice as you go along.

 

[Corrine]

Yeah there can be slight variations on the fishless cycle. This is just my take on it. Somebody else may give other advice.

Initially add ammonia to 4-5ppm. Not above as the wrong type of bacteria can grow.
After about 2 weeks the ammonia may start to drop.(everybodys cycle is different)
Once it zeros add ammonia up to 3ppm. The lower level helps grow the correct bacteria.
Once it zeros within 12 hours start upping the ammonia to 4ppm then 5ppm until it zeros within 12h. If this stays consistent then your cycled.
Only add ammonia once a day even though the ammonia has cleared.


Thats just a very basic overview and its how I applied it. Test your water for ammonia, nitrite and ask for advice as you go along.

Thanks very much Ill probably start asking more questions as my figures change..

 

[the_lock_man]

I would agree with what Xray has advised.

3) Can i do water changes before adding my next dose of ammonia?

If you did a water change, you would be depriving your fledgling bacteria of their food source. Therefore, water changes during a fishless cycle are only for when things have gone wrong (a kind of reboot, if you like).

Keep testing pH as well. I can't remember the exact science, but high nirates that will accumulate in the water can convert into nitric acid (or something along those lines) and cause the pH to drop. As Xray says, a pH of 8.0-8.2 is best, but it's ok at lower than that - until it drops below around 6.5-6.3, and this can caause the bacteria to stop multiplying. If this happens, either do a water change, or add bicarbonate of soda bit by bit until the pH is back to around 8.2.

 

[Corrine]

I would agree with what Xray has advised.

3) Can i do water changes before adding my next dose of ammonia?

If you did a water change, you would be depriving your fledgling bacteria of their food source. Therefore, water changes during a fishless cycle are only for when things have gone wrong (a kind of reboot, if you like).

Keep testing pH as well. I can't remember the exact science, but high nirates that will accumulate in the water can convert into nitric acid (or something along those lines) and cause the pH to drop. As Xray says, a pH of 8.0-8.2 is best, but it's ok at lower than that - until it drops below around 6.5-6.3, and this can caause the bacteria to stop multiplying. If this happens, either do a water change, or add bicarbonate of soda bit by bit until the pH is back to around 8.2.

Okay Thanks for your advice I'll just have to suffer the tannis for a bit longer ! Not really a major problem ! I'll keep an eye on th pH too

Thankyou

 

[Corrine]

 

[Corrine]

(Please see my first post)

Is it normal to see nitrite on day 2 of the cycle ... it seems to be going nice and quickly.. any comments/suggestions ?

 

[HayzH]

cycles vary.

If you have your tank at right temp and ph the Abacs will feast on that ammonia quite happily.

all's going well. x

 

[Corrine]

cycles vary.

If you have your tank at right temp and ph the Abacs will feast on that ammonia quite happily.

all's going well. x

Thankyou its good to hear that, fingers crossed it carries on nice and smoothly ..