Does my fishless cycle stalled
- Thread starter tiger702
- Start date
My experience with fish-less cycling is it takes a lot longer than 12 days, assuming that's what you're describing. It took me more like 6 weeks.
Be 100% sure you're doing the nitrate test correctly. Having ~20ppm nitrates while you're showing ammonia and nitrites doesn't make sense to me.
Be 100% sure you're doing the nitrate test correctly. Having ~20ppm nitrates while you're showing ammonia and nitrites doesn't make sense to me.
Thank you for your reply. I forget to mention that I have seeding from my friend after week of cycling Nitrite and Nitrate appear after I seeded old rock from my friend tank. Furthermore, the water was cloudy on day 7. It is now clear. what step do I need to do I don't want it stalled my process. Thank you,
If you're using seeded media and/or decor, I'd do a water change until you see zero ammonia and nitrite and then lightly stock your tank. Check your water parameters often and be ready for a water change if you do see ammonia, nitrite or excessive nitrate.
I'm a little more cautious--since nitrites aren't declining, I would add ammonia to 1 ppm. That will be enough to keep the bacteria fed, and you should see nitrites continue to climb and then suddenly just drop.
Nitrites do this, they seem to take forever to go away then one day BOOM they convert on a major scale. So I'd go with Oriongirl's procedure, maintain some ammonia to keep things fed, no water changes at this point and once the nitrites drop off you should be good to go, after a water change.
If you had seeded filter media vs rock I would say instant stocking would be fine but I don't trust decor to handle bio-needs alone.
If you had seeded filter media vs rock I would say instant stocking would be fine but I don't trust decor to handle bio-needs alone.
Thank you everyone for help. I did feed ammonia for 2ppm for almost 3 day and ammonia go down to 0ppm in 24 hours but the Nitrite not down. I did test this morning the result still almost the same. Do you guy think that I have not wait for long enough
If nitrites are not being converted to nitrates, wait it out. Try not to dose more than 2ppm ammonia and give it some time. You're close!
Does your tap water show nitrates?
I would do a large water change or two, re-measure, dose the amount of ammonia it takes to get you to 1-2ppm, then see if it converts straight to nitrates.
The last time I did a fish-less cycle by adding ammonia was 5-6yrs ago. Now all I do is swap a used filter over to a brand new setup and it's good to go, producing nothing but nitrates.
Does your tap water show nitrates?
I would do a large water change or two, re-measure, dose the amount of ammonia it takes to get you to 1-2ppm, then see if it converts straight to nitrates.
The last time I did a fish-less cycle by adding ammonia was 5-6yrs ago. Now all I do is swap a used filter over to a brand new setup and it's good to go, producing nothing but nitrates.
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