Fishless Cycling: Is This Normal?

[mnemonik23]

Started fishless cycle almost 5 days ago… So far no changes in ammonia , it’s still around 3-4 ppm, no nitrites or nitrates. pH around 7.8 and temp is 86F.
Today I added a piece of drift wood and while rearranging stuff I picked a few pebbles and plants and they were covered with some kind of slippery or greasy invisible layer but it felt nasty in my hands

I was wondering if that is normal?


Thanks!

 

[waterdrop]

Congrats! You've got naturally good parameters for growing the beneficial bacteria you want! Probably thousands of the ammonia oxidizing bacteria are dividing and eating ammonia in there right this minute! It just takes tons of them before the test kits will start to detect them making any changes. The little cells go through a lag phase as they prepare to grow and then move into their growth phase and take off. Just relax and get into your morning and evening test routine and making notes in your logbook.

The slippery film you feel is also normal and a good sign. That's a bacterial biofilm. This is the beginning of a bacterial colony and its how they all get attached to things and get thenselves started. Its a biofilm that will be forming on the biomedia materials in your filter that's where your beneficial bacteria will be taking hold and eating the ammonia.

Meanwhile some of the film you feel out in the tank (and also their in the tank water) are a completely different, faster growing type of bacteria ("heterotrophic" bacteria) who are the ones who break waste and debris down into ammonia. When you start a new tank, these start up faster and form some biofilms and sometimes a "bacterial bloom" that looks milky white in the water. All of this is completely normal and nothing to worry about.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[jonnyf84]

yup, just bio-film, a good sign.

 

[mnemonik23]

Alright! Thank you for good news!!! I thought something got rotten in my aquarium

 

[Rooster]

Alright! Thank you for good news!!! I thought something got rotten in my aquarium

You HAVE !!!! Its bacteria (and enzymes) that break down "bio matter" so its a GOOD THING ! Shows that your tank IS supporting life

 

[mnemonik23]

Ok, something isn't right or I'm just being paranoid...

7 days already passed, ammonia still around 3-4ppm, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, pH around 7.7.
I installed Seachem AmmoniaAlert and it shows 0.05ppm... I do realize that API test kit suppose to be more precise, but there is quite a big difference between 3-4ppm and 0.05ppm

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[tenohfive]

It can take more than a week. I've not done a fishless cycle but 3 weeks total is normal. Trust the API kit over anything else and continue as normal.

 

[waterdrop]

agree with tenohfive

 

[mnemonik23]

I thought that first ammonia spike should start going down in about a week according to fishless cycling guide. Ok, I'll be waiting!

Btw, do you guys think this drift stump is not to big for my aquarium? I like it very much as it has lots of hiding places for corys.
Not sure how 1" per gallon rule will be affected by having this stump...

Thanks!