Fishless Cycling - How long did yours take ?

[Vivienne]

Measured this morning and the nitrite levels are definitely comming down ! - It took time for the pale pink colour to develop instead of turning magenta immediately. Who knows, by next weekend we may finally be able to get fish. Looks like the big water change at the weekend might have done the trick.

 

[rdd1952]

Measured this morning and the nitrite levels are definitely comming down ! - It took time for the pale pink colour to develop instead of turning magenta immediately. Who knows, by next weekend we may finally be able to get fish. Looks like the big water change at the weekend might have done the trick.

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Are you still adding ammonia daily? If not, the bacteria already developed to process the ammonia will die off. It is very normal for the nitrites to reach levels over 6 ppm (highest on my kit) during fishless cycling. My nitrites were off the chart (over 6 ppm) for at least 7 or 8 days before they finaly dropped back (about 16 days after ammonia dropped the first time). Nitrates were well over 100 by the end also but the water change gets rid of those. Doing a water change during the cycling process may actually hurt as there won't be as much bacteria to process the nitrite once it is finished.

 

[blitztidus]

i always come out to about a week or two.

 

[Vivienne]

Are you still adding ammonia daily?

Adding Ammonia every morning, straight after I do the water tests. (Half the no of drops it originally took to get it to 5ppm - 60 drops/day). No Ammonia when I test each morning and only a hint of nitrite today, so it looks like fish near the weekend ! - I'll have to start telephoning a few shops to find out who has what in stock.

I understand what you're saying about the water change. Too often I'm sure would be detrimental. In this case though, nitrite got so high I think it would have taken forever for the bacteria to get rid of the back log. Now it just needs to convert the nitrite that's converted from Ammonia each day.

We had a power cut for a couple of hours the night before last - bit concerned some of the bacteria might have died back, but it must be a more resilient than I give it credit for, since there doesn't seem to have been any effect at all.

 

[OohFeeshy]

My first took about a month, no wonder really, it was botched from the start. I got rid of the filter eventually as well. My 20 took about 2 weeks, I just dumped a load of loodworm in. Worked suprisingl well. My didn't exactly cycle fishless, I tried fishless but was mislead, so ended up with nitrite spike, but then I cleaned the whole thing and bunged in some of my danios. So, it seems OK now.

 

[Bloo]

I think it very much depends on the type of filter (and filter media) and also the size of the tank. I know clone, but when I did fishless it took approx 3 - 4 weeks.

 

[rdd1952]

Since you are still adding ammonia, I would hold off on adding fish until you are to the point where you add ammonia in the morning and that has been completely processed in 24 hours or less meaning no ammonia or nitrite the next morning. If the nitrite is still showing after 24 hours, you still aren't completely cycled. It sounds like you are very close though. ALso, remember that you will need to continue to add ammonia every day right up to when you get fish. If you plan on adding fish Saturday, add ammonia Friday. Everything should be back to 0 Saturday morning and you are ready for fish.

 

[Vivienne]

Thanks rdd, I'm just guessing that we'll be ready by the weekend judging by how fast the nitrite levels have been dropping since the weekend. At this rate I should get two or three days with zero readings for both ammonia and nitrite by then. Temp in the tank is a little on the high side, so that needs to come down a bit too. If it's not ready we'll need to wait, but fingers crossed!

Called a few of the lfs's today to find out when they get their deliveries, what they do about quarantining etc. One shop gets deliveries Friday morning and has them on sale by Friday afternoon - they said their supplier quarantines them. Even with my limited knowledge I'd have thought a little recovery time from the trip wouldn't go amiss. Closest place has most of what I want and restocks their shop on a Friday evening from their separate quarantine building. That sounds a bit better !

Starting to give some serious thought to which fish - a school of harlequins and a RTBS seem to be getting top votes and a plec that stays small.

 

[rdd1952]

It shouldn't take the temp long to come back down, depending on what your normal room temp is. You could always float a bag of ice in it before you go to get fish just to get it where you want it. As for the time between when the LFS get their fish in and when you buy them, it does make a difference for some species. Most delicate fish (especially fish like otos which are all wild caught) can experience some die-off when they first get them in. It's always a good idea to ask how ling they've had a spceific fish before you buy it. As long as they give you a money back guarantee for a week or 2 you probably shouldbe ok. Sometimes it's hard to find a store that you feel comfortable with and that you know has good fish that you don't have to worry about having disease. Good luck.

 

[mux11]

I have a couple questions...
If I dont know anyone with a healthy tank and the lfs wont even let me in the store.
Is there any other good places to get the bacteria?

pH tests are really different for marine than fresh?

If I get rocks from a creek should I wash them first or is this good bacteria?
Thanks
NOOB

 

[platyfreek]

I'm not sure about the rocks from the river. they might have good bacteria but they probably are polluted or something. and if ou wash them off you wouldn't be able to kill thes pollution off without killing the good bacteria.

 

[rdd1952]

You definitely don't want to put anything like that in your tank. You don't know what type organisms or bacteria they contain.

 

[Vivienne]

Well, that's it - fish have been in the tank for 24 hours now. One fatality unfortunately. Came down this morning to a dead harlequin. I did notice one behaving differently to the others yesterday - more inclined to rest on the gravel periodically amongst the plants. I'm pretty sure it was that one that didn't make it.

I was running the filter for what will be a small second tank in with the main tank I was fishless cycling - one of these stingray things. My intention was to cycle both filters simultaneously. Got it set up in it's own tank yesterday too and put in a few fish - half a dozen danios. Unfortunately that tank had a nitite reading this morning (although no ammonia), so it's going to be lots of water changes.

 

[Vivienne]

That is so strange ! Did a 30% water change on the small tank this morning after we got the nitrite reading. Fed the fish a little flake food. Tested again this evening, assuming I'd do another partial water change, but no ammonia and no nitrite. Gone. Nothing. I'm starting to think I'm losing my marbles - ah well, it wouldn't be the first time. Maybe I'll just go do the test again to be sure !

I know the filter should have been fully cycled, but I swear the test went pretty pink this morning and now it's clear.