On Track?

[emo]

Hey there. Been fishless cycling for 2wk + 5days, using household ammonia (9.5%)

I used the method to bring the ammonia levels to 5ppm, which took 15 drops (ish). (it's a 10g btw)

So anyways, about 4 or 5 days after, the nitrites started to rise quickly, I cut the ammonia in 1/2 to 8 drops.

Now my nitrite has been dropping for the past 3 days or so, it's now at about 0.3ppm. However, i'm a little concerned as my ammonia is at around 1.5ppm, which it has started dropping to from a constant 4.9-5ppm.

Nitrate is around 7 or 8ppm (it's a heavily planted tank)

Should my ammonia not be at 0 while my nitrite drops? Maybe i'm adding too much ammonia?


I've tested fresh tap water, ammonia and nitrite are both 0, so test kits appear to be ok...

Thanks

 

[modernhamlet]

Normally, yes. But cycling doesn't always go as planned. Just ask around!

The ammonia is still going down daily, right? It's just not going down all the way overnight. Honestly, I think patience is the best approach here. Keep feeding them and both bacteria colonies will eventually get there. Cycling seems to take about 20-25 days for me, in general. Hang in there, it's worth it when you see all of your fish healthy and swimming together from the start. No stress for them or you.

Good luck!

 

[BobK]

Are you adding to reach 5ppm daily? I wasn't sure from your post. If you're being consistent and you're converting the nitrite to nitrate you're almost there. Glad you decided to do a fishless cycle. I wish I knew about it when I was getting started. I bought a whole setup (tank, filter, heater, the works) and the fish in at one time at the advice of a Petco. It was a 5 gallon tank with 10 neons and they were all dead w/in days. That was a long time ago but I still feel bad about it.

 

[emo]

Brilliant, thanks very much!

Until I got a nitrite spike I was adding enough to keep the ammonia levels at 5ppm. But after that I cut it in half, and very gradually, it started to drop.


Only thing about cycling now is, i'll be going to see my parents for about a week at christmas, from around monday 20th! Eek... so i think a couple of frozen prawns should do the trick till I get back? Or at least I hope they will!


Thanks again!