Problems With Fishless Cycle!

[mike_nofx]

I have read the article on fishless cycling. It basically says, 'add enough drops of ammonia to reach 5ppm, then add that amount daily till you get a nitrite spike'.

I added enough on the first day to get 5ppm, then i added the same amount the next day, and the next day. my ammonia levels kept climbing higher, not staying at 5ppm.....

Ive also read one member write that you add ammonia till you reach 5ppm, then you dont add anymore ammonia till your ammonia levels reach 0ppm again...

I am really stuck for what to do. I am about 5 days in now, and this morning i did a 10% water change to try lower my high ammonia levels.

So what is the best way to add amonia?]

Thanks

 

[KingKenny]

Read these: There are two methods.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...3861&hl=methods

 

[DebraAustin]

I did the add and wait method and it worked great. I would highly recommend it. It is hard to wait all the time it takes to get the water to process correctly, but my fish are all happy and I only had one die and he didn't look good from the moment I put him in the tank (didn't even make it 8 hours). Just remember to do daily testing of all three; ammonia, nitrate, nitrite (don't need to start the nitrite until you start having nitrates) and wait until the first two are process in 12 hours or less. Then follow the directions in the pinned articles before adding any fish.

Hope this helps a little.

Debra

 

[BHornsey]

Hi,

I also found it a little confusing after reading two articles. What I deduced (and found to work on two tanks recently) is that you apply 'X' drops to bring ammonia to 5ppm. You then keep it at 5ppm until nitrite spikes (for me this was usually only 3-4 days). If ammonia dropped before then, I added only enough to bring it back to 5ppm.

So, if 20 drops was required to create 5ppm initially (thus 4 drops for 1ppm) and it drops to 3 ppm after a day you need to add 8 drops to top it back up to 5ppm.

After the nitrIte spikes, proceed as the article states (½ original dose daily until nitrIte drops back to zero)

Hope this helps.

Brian H

 

[edgun88]

OK man this is exactly what you do. It worked for me, it'll work for you.

1. Add 5 drops of Ammonia for ever 10 gallons, every day.
2. You will soon see a Ammonia spike, 5 ppm or <
3. I let it sit for a few days and tested for Ammonia and Nitrite, everyday. If Ammonia levels decrease at all repeat step 1.
4. In a few days you will get a NITRITE spike. (means good bacteria are growing!)Now you should add only 2-3 drops of Ammonia for every 10 gallons.
5. In another few days if you continually add small amounts of Ammonia then your Ammonia and Nitrite levels will drop to 0 ppm.
6. Do a 30% - 40% water change and you are ready for fish!

First time I ever did it, it took like 3 1/2 weeks. It helps if you use a filter cartridge, gravel, plant, or ornament from an already cylced tank so that you can add fresh bacteria to your tank to get the process going quicker.

Ammonia>Nitrite>Nitrate

Good Luck!