Fishless Cycling Problem

[barry_sheen]

Hi there

I am currently doing a fishless cycle on my 15L baby biorb. I am using the add and wait method described in the fishless cycling sticky. I added amonia so it tested at 4ppm to my tank a week ago and there has been no drop in the level so far. The temperature is in the early 80's. How long should I expect to wait for a difference in amonia levels? Is there anything I could do/not be doing in order to promote the bacteria growth?

Thanks in advance

Barry

 

[mic8310]

How's the ph level? I'd suggest a water change to lower ammonia incase that level is too much for a little tank and see if it cycles 2ppm. I'm sure someone will give more experienced advice soon but that's what I'd do.

 

[Wordy]

Hi Barry

This is going to be a little of topic, but I've got a baby BiOrb, and to be honest and in my experience it's an awful tank if you use it straight out of the box with the ceramic media. When my big tank has finished it's fishless cycle, I'll be moving my 3 Cardinal Tetra's in there and them converting it. I had 6 in there and due to them panicking and swimming down and getting stuck under the media while I was doing water changes 3 have injured themselves and died

My plan for converting it is going to be get rid of the filter and media it came with, get a small filter and attach it to the thing with the suckers to it attaches to the side. Then add a sand substrate and a couple of rocks and small plants.

If you have a look here, http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=220270 this is what Jennybugs has done with hers and it looks alot better and safer for the fish.

Good luck

 

[barry_sheen]

Thanks for the advice Wordy....Those pictures look great, I'm hoping to get a bigger tank soon so may do this to the baby biorb after that.

And mic8310, I haven't been testing the PH but I will have a look tonight. What ph level would be a problem?

Thanks for your help

Barry

 

[mic8310]

Oh erm I not sure lol I know on my colour card thingy it has to stay green in, if it drops less then it can crash the cycle! I'm at work at the minute so couldn't tell you when its officially too low but a water change usually tops it back up.

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome Barry.
You ideally want to keep the pH at around 8 to 8.4. For most people that is not practical. If you can keep the pH above about 6.5 your cycle will make progress. If it drops all the way to 6.2 it will basically stop moving forward.

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, the above pH advice is spot on.

An ideal temperature is 29C/84F which you sound to be pretty close to. The real answer to your question is probably to just be patient. Its extremely common (in my experience reading people's cycles here on TFF) for the ammonia to not drop at all for even a couple of weeks. Out of boredom you might try getting some cheap live plants if you haven't done that. I like to think that sometimes a few beneficial bacteria might get seeded in with the water that's on them, but that's probably just more positive thinking than reality! And I agree, let us know your pH!

~~waterdrop~~