FISHLESS CYCLING

[panther1505]

Yesterday I was finally able to start fishless cycling my aquarium. I added 4 teaspoons of ammonia to the water before the ammonia level reached ~5. The nitrite level was 0
So today I added the same amount of ammonia to the water, just like the instructions for fishless cycling said to do.
It seems to me that the ammonia level has risen and is getting closer to the highest level on the test card which is 8.0ppm.
The nitrite level is still 0ppm.
I have never done this before, so I am a little on the nervous side about goofing things up.
Should I keep adding 4 teaspoons of ammonia to the water every day until I get my nitrite spike?
Then I will do my 90% water change. Then add fish.

 

[Sky042]

This may be a stupid question. but did you give it a source bacteria? Otherwise adding the ammonia alone isn't really going to get things started.

 

[panther1505]

The instructions that I read for fishless cycling didn't say anything about adding a source bacteria.
It said to add ammonia to the water, paying attention to the amount being added. When the ammonia level reaches approximately 5ppm, record the amount of ammonia that it took to reach the 5ppm.
Add this amount of ammonia to your tanks water every day until you get a nitrite spike.
Then cut the amount of ammonia being added in half until the ammonia and nitrite levels are 0ppm.
Once the ammonia and nitrite levels have spiked and then returned back to 0ppm,
I make a 50-70% water change.
I test the nitrate level. Nitrate level should be below 40.

 

[tstenback]

Your tank will cycle without the seed bacteria, it just takes longer. If you can add the seed bacteria from an established aquariums filter material, gravel , plants and ornaments, it will speed up the process quite a bit. HTH

 

[panther1505]

Now that I have the ammonia level up to around 5+ppm, would adding the seed bacteria be too much, too fast?

 

[tstenback]

No, anytime is a good time to add the seed bacteria.

 

[punkserb]

don't mean to threadjack but its a relavent question....is one java fern enough seed for a 5 gallon? its a pretty big one with 6 leaves the longest which is 5 or 6 inches.

 

[luxum]

The more seed material, the better. If you can get some established gravel or filter material, that's your best bet for seeding. However the tank ~will~ cycle even if you use all new stuff with no seeding material whatsoever, it will just take longer since you have to wait for the right type of bacteria to find it's way into your aquarium and set up shop.

 

[panther1505]

So if I remove my artificial plants and replace them with some real plants from the LFS, my fishless cycling won't take as long?

 

[punkserb]

So if I remove my artificial plants and replace them with some real plants from the LFS, my fishless cycling won't take as long?

yes. because there will already be bacteria on there.

 

[panther1505]

I have been adding 4 teaspoons of ammonia to my water for 4 day now. The nitrite level is still at 0ppm.
I've got 3 artificial plants in my tank right now. If I were to remove them and replace them with real plants from my LFS, would that speed up the cycling process?
What type of plants do you suggest I get?

 

[BirdofPray]

It all depends on what you want, but this is my personal expirence. I was adding 15 drops to my tank for about a week and still no nitrites. I went to my LFS and got 2 Java Ferns and in 2 days my nitrites are about halfway up on the scale now. I had all new stuff in my tank, gravel, decorations and such and knew that my cycling was going to take awhile, but it seems to have speeded up after the plants were added. HTH.

 

[panther1505]

The rise in your nitrite level is considered a spike, isn't it?
So now you should cut the amount of ammonia you've been adding to your tank in half, until your ammonia level and your nitrite level return back to 0ppm. Yes?
Then you can do a water change, then add fish, right?

My aquarium is brand new too. With all new stuff.

 

[BirdofPray]

Well I've read that a spike is when the nitrites go off the scale. Mine are only in the middle, so I'm still adding the normal amount of ammonia until I see a really high level of nitrites, then back it off.

As for the rest of your questions, I'm no expert since this is the first time I've ever fishless cycled, heck, first time I've ever cycled period. However, from my understanding, yes, that'll be the order. Also, a large water change, I've read around 85-90%.

 

[WheelmanCA19]

I've been cycling (fishless) for about a week now. Added way to much ammonia (WAY, WAY too much) Think that might have killded the plants I bought, but, oh well I can get new ones. Beginners mistake. Did water changes to get it down to readable reading on my test kit.

Anyway I just tested positive for Nitrites! (5-10 PPM) I'm so happy. Was stuck with amonia but not Nitrites for a while there. (I was actually thinking about just doing a complete water change and do cycling with fish, but the better part of me decided against that)

Nitrites! Haha, wow, never though something like this could make me so happy.

My ammonia is still reading 4~ppm right now. How often do I need to add ammonia to the tank now?

I only added ammonia once since I started cycling. Lets just say I poured it into the tank from the bottle. (Look at me, I'm retarded!) After about 4 20% changes it was where I could read it on the scale, and its stayed a constat 5-4ppm since then, so I never added any to the tank.

(Not trying to hijack the thread, but it seemed like a better idea to add it here than to make a new thread about it) I'm such a n00b still.


EDIT:

I'm guessing I should keep adding small amounts of ammonia to keep it at 4-5ppm untill the nitrites start going down? that way the bacteria that turns amonia into nitrite doesn't die off while the bacteria that turns nitrite unto nitrate colonizes?
Its held at about 4-6ppm for about 2 days now, so should I wait untill the amonia gets down closer to 2ppm before I add more?