Going To Do Fishless Cycle Instead

[jdubs]

Hi!

For the past 6 weeks I have been cycling my 16 gallon tank with a Betta and a few glowlight tetras. The ammonia has been crazy high (between 4-8ppm). I was doing twice a day water changes (80-90%) with my tap water (which by the way fluctuates between .5-1 ppm, ugh). I since have moved the glowlights to a hospital tank that is more manageable. I have been testing the ammonia in that tank and it doesn't appear that they were the "dirty" fish . . . I believe it is the Betta. He has been alone in the 16 gallon tank for 3-4 days and the ammonia keeps shooting up to 4-8ppm . . .twice a day! Though it probably wouldn't be recommended I moved him to his own smaller tank that I can more easily manage water changes.

My question is should I just leave the ammonia at 4-8ppm in the fishless tank? Is this too high for the cycling processes? The water temp is 80F and the PH is about 6.8. There are two live plants and it is filtered.

Oh and the nitrites and nitrates have stayed at 0ppm.

I have read and read many of the topics and find them very informative!

Thanks!!!!!

 

[ZoddyZod]

your tapwater is between 1ppm & 5ppm ammonia?

hmmm, I'm not even sure those levels are legal. Where are you based? Also, what test kit are you using?

just checked - legal limit is 0.5ppm in the UK.

 

[jdubs]

tap water is between .5-1ppm...it is city water and they use chloramine (chlorine and ammonia) as part of the cleansing process

 

[ZoddyZod]

sorry, missed the . you had there.

where are you though? Anything over 0.5ppm is apparently over the legal limit - for the UK anyway.

 

[jdubs]

ann arbor, michigan . . . apparently it would seem that it is ok here

 

[ZoddyZod]

hmmmm, it seems there is no legal limit stipulated in the US.