Another Fishless Cycling ?

Shelzbells

Shelzbells

AC Members
Apr 1, 2005
34
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6
Iowa
I am doing a fishless cycle on a 29 gal. I started 10 days ago. The first day I brought the ammonia up to 4-5 PPM and it has been that for the whole 10 days. So it appears that the cycle has not even started yet to me. My question is, since the ammo has not changed should I still be adding ammonia to it on a daily basis ,(I havent been)
Would adding water from a seeded tank help any? I dont have any filter media that I can add, as the other tanks im running UGF's. I went through 2 small bottles of stress zyme........and that hasnt seemed to help AT ALL.
 
I'm pretty sure the stress-zyme is crap. I've heard biopira can work, but I would use water from your other tank. Suck some out of the gravel bed using a turkey baster, and you should get some bacteria with it.

I've not used the fishless method before, but it seems logical that there would be no measurable progress for several weeks. Think of it this way. You start with 1 bacteria, next day you have 2..then 4..8..16..32..64..128..258..516...and so on. Very soon you will go from not having enough bacteria to make a dent in the ammonia levels to having millions. I've heard this happens very fast. Then you have to go through the same thing with the bac. that changes nitrites to nitrates. It's called logrithmic growth.

I think you only have to add ammonia when the level starts to drop. When that happens, you will probably have to start adding ammonia on a regular basis as there is now a sizable pop of bacteria using that ammonia.

Hang in there
 
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