How much ammonia does a fully stocked tank produce

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valerie

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Apr 18, 2001
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I have been fishless cycling my tank for a few days now and it got me thinking. When fishless cycling most of the time you bring the ammonia up to 5ppm and keep it there building a biobed big enough to handle that much.

I was wondering how much ammonia a fully stocked tank or even a overstocked tank produces? Is it anywhere near the 5ppm daily that you produce when fishless cycling? Or is it way less?

I have been thinking of this for a while and am curious to the answer and how one would find out.
 
Well, you'd find out easily by not adding ammonia and testing for it. But your answer wouldn't apply to the tank right next to it. Ammonia is also produced by decay processes, plant leaves, an extra fish flake or two, a couple of defrosted brine shrimp.

Your thought is suggestive: "Would a slightly milder jolt of NH3-- say to 3 or 4ppm-- produce pretty much the same nitrification in the long run, but cycle the tank a little faster?"

Hmm....

Heavy planting seems to work faster too...
 
You'd have to move your stock into a complete uncycled brand new tank, leave them for 24 hours and take an ammonia reading. I don't think I'd recommend this though..unless you're not worried about stressing or killing your fish.
 
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