Erm, over 0.25 ppm is harmful to fish >.< 1 ppm would do some serious damage! Seriously, if you want to grow the bacteria with ammonia (fish-less style) then it has to be done without fish. If you want to grow bacteria with fish in the tank, then just add the fish (slowly) and keep an eye on the parameters. Adding loads of plants would make the latter much easier.Probably so little ammonia that it would be undetectable in a water volume that size. If you want to increase gradually (which is not necessary with a fish-less cycle), try 1 ppm, the 2 ppm, then 3 ppm and stay on 3 ppm till you get the double zeros at 12 hour mark. Just dose and wait till it drops to 0 ppm, dose and wait.. etc. The bacteria normally take about 1.5 days to double in number in an ideal environment, so within about two weeks, the tank should be able to handle a full stock.. but remember that in practice, it may be very different from theory.
Do watch the smaller tank water readings, there's more chance of something going wrong in a small volume.
I really hope this works well for you, please do keep me posted on the progress![]()
So 1ppm of ammonia wouldn't kill the existing tank occupants? This would save moving them and make it a lot easier for me. In practice things things do sometimes turn out differently....we shall see. Will dothanks for your help
Sorry got your post confused...0.25 ppm - course it is!!!! Fish will be removed and plan A will go ahead. Thanks again.