ammonia 2, nitrite 0?????

tetramoon13

tetramoon13

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Jun 14, 2006
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Milton, NH
I have been trying to cycle a 5 gal. for about 4 weeks now, and my current readings are ammonia 2, nitrite 0, nitrate is off the chart. I have been following the instructions for a fishless cycle as described in the article that used to be on this board. I am sure this has something to do with the filter when it died a couple weeks ago. The tank was without a filter for 6 days, as I awaited shipment of a replacement. I did use an air pump at this time to aid in circulation. So these readings have been consistent for about a week now, what is going on, and what should I do to correct this? :huh:
 
ph is 6.4, temp is 78.
 
alright so its probably not an oxygen deficency since your tank isnt at like 85 or something.
its probably just the bacteria that eat nitrite are growing faster than the ones that eat ammoina. since it is a fishles cycle, i would leave it alone for two days and then test on the third
 
ok, that's good....so should I just maintain the ammonia level and continue to be patient?
 
Wait, were these the numbers you had since your filter died? If that's the case I have to ask, did you use brand new filter media with the new replacement filter? If that's the case, you could have created a stall in your cycle.

You have a huge level of nitrates which means that your cycle was going fine at one point. You also have ammonia but no nitrates. If you removed the old filter media along with the broken filter you just removed the vast majority of bacteria that were cycling your tank. This could account for the continued presence of ammonia with the nitrates that were produced prior to the old filter dying. It would also explain the lack of nitrites since there is no longer a huge amount of bacteria to consume the ammonia. If you did remove the old filter media you will have to wait for the bacteria to colonize it again so the cycle can continue from the point it was at when you changed filters.......assuming that you ditched the old filter media when you put the new filter in.

Also, aren't the nitrite to nitrate bacteria the slower of the two types to grow?
 
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well the story with that is....

I originally used some seeded material (a bunch of gravel, and a well used sponge) from my other tank. When the filter died, I kept the bio-wheel submersed, and the old filter sponges are still in there, a well as the filter cartridge from the first filter. So I have not added any new filter media.
 
You need to do some water changes, and get a complete set of readings to us. If you are still fishless, start over.
 
here is a complete set of readings, I just did a 75% w/c. It is still fishless cycling. Temp is 78.

Before water change: ammonia 2, nitrite 0, nitrate 80+, pH 6.2, GH 12, KH 2.

After water change: ammonia .50, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, pH 7.2, GH 6, KH 5.
 
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