Okay - I added ammonia to start my cycle about 3 days ago. I don't think I've noticed much... if any of a change in the PPM of my ammonia. It's still sitting at about 4-5 PPM and I don't know. Perhaps I got a little too much in and it's just taking longer for it to dissipate. I don't know if my extra accidental drop of Ammonia Bottle #1 has an effect.. which I doubt... because I screwed up like that before and re-did the test and got the same results. Anywho, is this normal for it to sometimes take a little while to notice ammonia drops? Do nitrite absolutely positively have to be around to take down the ammonia. Is there perhaps some sort of contamination that is keeping nitrites from forming? Or am I just impatient?
Ammonia won't drop
- Thread starter mbiggs03
- Start date
you are just impatient. Nitrites occur when the bacteria is eating the ammonia and excreting nitrites. Therefore, when you start seeing nitrites, you know that there is bacteria in the tank that it eating and converting the ammonia. A cycle can take upwards of 6 weeks so sit back, relax, and do your water tests. When ammonia starts to drop, you should see a spike in nitrites. You should then soon see a rise in the levels of nitrates as the nitrites decrease. It just takes time.
Yeah... the only thing I am monitoring at this time is my NH3 (Ammonia) levels. Not nitrites/nitrates. Unecessary testing I believe, until I see a decline in my PPM of ammonia. When I see it drop to 3 or so... I'll test for nitrites. Then dose it back to 5. Check Ammonia.. see a drop.. then check for nitrites agian... etc.
try getting a handful of gravel from the local fish store. maybe you know someone with a tank you can get some of their filter media. this will speed up your cycle.
I got lucky in the early part of my cycle. I did not have to wait and wait and wait for my ammonia to drop. I just had a Betta in a 10G - betta was happy, I did 50% changes every weekend, and everything was copacetic.
I did not have to wait interminable days for my ammonia to drop, and for nitrite formation. I just enjoyed the fish swimming around in my tank happy as a Betta in a 10G tank! Additionally I did not have either the test kit or the knowledge to care about the nitrites, ammonia etc.
Then I went and did something stupid - Research. Dumbest move, IMO
Had to go get a test kit, and start learning. Discovered that I had nigh Nitrites. Darn, Darn, Darn. However, no chewing fingernails and waiting for the Nitrites!
Except, Now I can't go get my dozen Cardinals to put in my tank. If only I had stayed in the dark - I would have had 6 neons in there by now (out of the 24 I would have bought so far)
Ignorance is, indeed, bliss. (poor fishies)