On The Cycling Topic

[alexpitcher]

Hi guys, since it seems to be fishless cycling day today i thought i would add my query

Have been fisless cycling for the last 4 or so weeks. Started off adding enough ammonia to my 120Litre tank approx 6ml to get it to 5ppm approx. Over the weeks it stayed there then it dropped to 0ppm last week. Saw a rise in my nitrites (API off the scale). Beginning of this week they started dropping and then Wednesday morning 0ppm or a pale blue colour. Yes, i thought. Anyway since i havent got time to go and get my fish until this week end i carried on topping up with ammonia the same 6ml, last time i did this was yesterday morning. Came home last night expecting to see 0ppm but all i saw was 4ppm, tested again this morning 4ppm and all the while my nitrites are 0ppm. Have just done a partial water change and its still reading 4ppm (kind of expected that since i only changed about 20litres).

Would really appreciate a bit of guidance here because i am gobsmacked

Many thanks

 

[djceri_g]

this has happened to me twice!! Its either you have added too much ammonia, or maybey when you did a water change you didnt leave water sanding or treat the water to kill chemicals, chlorine? I think chlorine kills bacteria

 

[alexpitcher]

this has happened to me twice!! Its either you have added too much ammonia, or maybey when you did a water change you didnt leave water sanding or treat the water to kill chemicals, chlorine? I think chlorine kills bacteria

Thanks djceri

 

[djceri_g]

good luck, don't give up!

 

[xeno]

Check your pH. It may have dropped low to between 5 and 6 causing your bacteria to go dormant and unable to process the ammonia (I think). If this is the case, you may have lost your bacteria. Do a big water change to correct your pH and add more ammonia. Check a few hours later and see if it is dropping and nitrItes rising. Also check your KH it may be low causing your pH to drop too low.

 

[flash22]

silly question you have been toping the amonia back up when the amonia level drops ??? if not i think thats your problem no amonia to feed the bacteria so there not making the nitrite. and your bacteria have died off

i have spent weeks reading up on cycling just started my tank friday

 

[djceri_g]

Ive had some wierd experiences with the fishless cycling i have been doing, the tank im cycling now, I add 8 drops of ammonia every day, it does drop to 0 im 12 hours, also the nitrite, but not a nitrate reading. Only once through this cycle Ive had a nitrate reading! the same with the fully cycled tank, no nitrate reading!

 

[Dark Wolf]

Ive had some wierd experiences with the fishless cycling i have been doing, the tank im cycling now, I add 8 drops of ammonia every day, it does drop to 0 im 12 hours, also the nitrite, but not a nitrate reading. Only once through this cycle Ive had a nitrate reading! the same with the fully cycled tank, no nitrate reading!

Hmmm, maybe you've just got a poor nitrate test kit.

 

[djceri_g]

I have two nitrate testing kits. Both have same results. The water here has 0 aswell.

 

[djceri_g]

wierd isnt it

 

[Matty P]

Just wondering how you prenounce: nitrifying???

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's pronounced nigh-tri-fiy-ing or something like that anyway!!

there's a few options which have been mentioned in this post which i'll expand upon as i think one of them will be your answer

1 - your pH has crashed. It's normal for pH to fluctuate while cycling and it's important to monitor it because if it drops below 6 your cycle will slow right down, and below 5 your bacteria will die off altogether effectivley putting you back to day 1 of your cycle. So it's a good idea to continually monitor your pH and have some sort of buffering media to hand (like crushed coral) which you can add to the tank if the pH is dropping. Can you check your pH as this may give you a clue as to what's happened.

2 - you didn't add ammonia frequently enough once the cycle was complete, effectively starving the bacteria and putting you possibly not back to day 1 but certainly back a little bit. Nitrifying bacteria will start to die off in 12 hrs if not fed so if you intent to carry on feeding them with ammonia after your cycle is done then you should be testing ammonia levels and probably adding more every 12 hrs or so. What's the longest you went without testing or feeding?

 

[Matty P]

Thanks Miss Wiggle