how long should fishless cycling take??...

[8isenuf]

I have had my 28 gallon bowfront tank going for 3 weeks now with the ammonia at 5. There are still no nitrites at all?? How long is this supposed to take??

Thanks, Wendy

[candi]

It can vary from tank to tank. My 26 Gallon tank took around 3-4 weeks. It's taken two months for some people. How are you adding ammonia?

[jrh]

What's the temperature and the pH? I think higher temperatures (up to 85 or so?) will help bacteria reproduce faster, and it's harder for the colony to grow with a low pH.

Do you have a source for any seed bacteria at all?

I know I'd be getting frustrated after 3 weeks with nothing happening.

[8isenuf]

I haven't had to add much ammonia at all, maybe a drop if I get it too low after a water change which I usually need to do every week if the ammonia level gets too high.

[8isenuf]

The temp is 78, I'll try raising it to 85, I have no ph test kit, I only bought ammonia and nitrite. I have not seeded the tank with any bacteria either?? should I try getting some?

Thanks, Wendy

[Star_Rider]

why are you changing water in a fishless cycle?

[8isenuf]

I did a couple of water changes to lower the ammonia level in the tank when it got too high?
was that alright to do?? did I make it take longer by doing this?
Thanks, Wendy

[jpappy789]

I really dont think there is such thing as too much ammonia in a fishless cycle...the only reason it is bad to have in a tank is because it is toxic to fish...but you dont have any;)

The worst that can happen is that with so much ammonia you end up producing a much bigger bacteria colony than needed. But thats not really a bad thing anyways...

[southpaw]

Ammonia levels over 6ppm can stall a fishless cycle out....

But what I am trying to figure out is why the ammonia level would be rising for you to do a water change at all??? .... Once you add the first dose to get it to 4-5ppm you dont add anymore until it starts dropping which means nitrites should start showing up.

[Born4spd]

Is all this necessary?

Ive always just let the tank run for a couple days and slowly add fish..

[jm1212]

yes, it is necessary. without cycling the tank, you'll be swept into very frequent water changes to keep the ammoina and nitrite under 0.5. ammoina and nitrite are very toxic to the fish, and can easily kill them even in small ammounts.

slowly adding fish can only be attempted in large, platned tanks that have enough volume and plants to keep the ammoina down long enough for the bacteria to start growing.

[THE V]

The downside to fishless cycling is the extra time that it tanks for the cycle to be completed. This is because of a lack of inoculum.

When you cycle a tank you are simply waiting for the natural bacteria and protists to colonize the tank.

When you put a fish in the tank there is always (no matter how careful you are not to use the stores water) millions of microscopic hitchhikers coming with it. In time these grow and balance out in numbers between species into a stable ecology.

In fishless cycling you usually do not have the "all at once" inoculation of the tank like when you add a fish. Instead you wait on spores of the bacteria to be transfered to your tank by air currents. This needless to say can take a long time especially in cold or very dry environments.

My recommendation-- go buy a plant from a very clean store and put it in your tank. Then see how long it tanks for the nitrates to start appear. I betcha it will be a lot sooner than otherwise. You might want to very slightly increase the amount of ammonia you add to your tank to make up for what the plant is eating up.

[8isenuf]

I was wondering why it would rise without adding ammonia too?? It seemed weird to me as well. I find the test kit kind of hard to read. It has a colour for 4.0 ppm and the next is for 8.0 ppm. I am trying to get it just above the 4 colour...but..maybe it is at 6 and has stalled out?

thanks, Wendy

[southpaw]

Keeping it in the 3-4ppm range is fine for most stocking.... I had rather it be alittle less than 4 than over just because of the jump from 4 to 8ppm on the color cards making it hard to be sure what it is just to be on the safe side.

[GeoPappas]

I just cycled a 40 gallon tank. It took about 6 1/2 weeks. Felt like an eternity. I believe that Ammonia was cycling around 2-3 weeks, but the next step (Nitrate cycling) took much longer.

You shouldn't be doing water changes, because that will remove the Nitrates (and thus increase the length of time it takes for Nitrate-eating bacteria to show up in numbers).

Some things that might help the cycle:

- If you can seed your tank, that will reduce the time drastically
- Turn the tank lights off. The bacteria supposedly love the nightlife.
- Add a crushed flake of fish food to the tank. This supposedly gives bacteria some needed nutrients.
- Increase the temperature in the tank. The bacteria like it hot.
- Add a bubble wand. Bacteria flourish in an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

Here are some good threads on the fishless cycle:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84598

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88796

Good luck.

[Rbishop]

What ammonia did you use....you should have the beginning traces of nitrites by now...

[8isenuf]

It is called Old Country Ammonia.

[silentskream]

did you seed the bacteria?
(add some established filter media or gravel to the tank?)

[8isenuf]

no, I have no other tanks to get the seed from...I did, just today crush a tad of fish food to put in the tank, I also discovered I need to keep the light off...the kids like it on because of the aerator and the shark thingy they like to watch, but, we will keep it off for now....

Wendy

[GeoPappas]

What ammonia did you use....you should have the beginning traces of nitrites by now...

I believe that the water changes have been reducing the Nitrites, and thus reducing the amount of Nitrite-eating bacteria (which convert the Nitrites to Nitrates).

[GeoPappas]

It is called Old Country Ammonia.

According to the following thread, that might not be pure Ammonia:

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/freshwater-beginner-information-questions/11239-help-finding-ammonia-cycling.html

[8isenuf]

shoot....I thought it was just ammonia. I guess I'll have to start all over again?? and try and find pure ammonia somewhere in Ontario?? The store mentioned in Alberta is not available where I am.
Thanks, Wendy

[silentskream]

shake the bottle.. if it foams up, then it's the wrong stuff.

[8isenuf]

no foam??! I shook and shook the bottle for a few minutes and no foam.

[persephony]

Hi
Yes it is necessary as the high and changing amonia and nitrite levels can poisen your fish, and even if they can survive it you are almost certainly decreasing their life span.

I added fish flakes at the same time everyday for three weeks and tested water everyother day. As soon as the amonia and then the nitrite have spiked and returned to zero you can add your fish.

Fishless cycling is the best start you can give your fish, they are less likely to get ill in the future.

Good luck and be patient