Fishless Cycling - Have I Gone Wrong

[richiej1979]

Hi folks,

Ok I set up my tank on the 28/12 and left it until a few days ago and I started the fishless cycle.

OK I tested the water first and ammonia was low but still had traces and the nitrite was low but still had traces and I had a fair bit of Nitrate.

I think this was caused by some of my plants dying.

Anyway's I have added ammonia to 5 mg/l daily for the last few days, each day I get the same results on the test.

Ammonia 5mg/l, Nitrite was high and so was nitrate.

Sorry I can't remember exactly how high but it was on the middle of the scale and I am using the nutrafin bottle kits.

oh and Ph has remained stable at 7.5-8.

Any help would be great.

 

[Underwurlde]

I think this was caused by some of my plants dying.

Are you saying:
a.) this is an established tank?
b.) that your plants have died already in less than 2 weeks?
c.) I hope you don't have fish in there! Please tell me you havn't!


Test your tap water on its own for Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate. Use this as a reference, tell us the results please.

Keep adding Ammonia & testing as the pinned guide suggests.
The whole process will take weeks but can be speeded up by rising the temperature of the tank to about 28°C-30°C and adding Mulm to the filters & substrate.

Ignore pH for now, it will be unstable during cycling and is not representative of anything anyway.


Andy

 

[richiej1979]

I think this was caused by some of my plants dying.

Are you saying:
a.) this is an established tank?
b.) that your plants have died already in less than 2 weeks?
c.) I hope you don't have fish in there! Please tell me you havn't!


Test your tap water on its own for Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate. Use this as a reference, tell us the results please.

Keep adding Ammonia & testing as the pinned guide suggests.
The whole process will take weeks but can be speeded up by rising the temperature of the tank to about 28°C-30°C and adding Mulm to the filters & substrate.

Ignore pH for now, it will be unstable during cycling and is not representative of anything anyway.


Andy

No is a new tank not established. The plants are dying because I didn't really choose the right plants first and I haven't really got enough light.

.........and no, I have not put any fish in

I just thought that Nitrite was supposed to start off lower than that.

 

[Underwurlde]

Well, it's like any test really. You need a starting point. Hence test your tap water and comapre that to the results you see in your tank.
a-b = what is actually 'produced' (if anything) by your tank. If a-b=0 (or close to it), then things start to make sense...

Andy

 

[richiej1979]

Well, it's like any test really. You need a starting point. Hence test your tap water and comapre that to the results you see in your tank.
a-b = what is actually 'produced' (if anything) by your tank. If a-b=0 (or close to it), then things start to make sense...

Andy

Thanks - I will test it tonight!