Confused newb needs help please

S

sm100378

Registered User
Sep 20, 2007
115
0
0
Minneapolis, MN
Hi,

Okay, I think I need a rundown of my cycling, as reading more articles is confusing me.

I have a 37 Eclipse that is cycling now for four days. Everything is setup (filter, pump, biowheel, substrate, rocks, plants).


My main question is: At what "day number" do I start to add pure ammonia to my tank to increase the level? Should I have done this at day 1? Is it okay to do this on day 5? -----> I have had the tank cycling 24 hours FYI, with the bubbler on and off and the lights on and off.

Looking for some help in the ammonia stage or if someone can provide "useful" links for a beginner, that would be so appreciated!

**Time frame for the ammonia add
**Nitrite
**Nitrate

:bowing::bowing::bowing:

Thank you kindly,
SM
 
It doesn't matter when you start. You could wait five years if you really want. It's just that until you start adding the ammonia, no cycle will ever begin.

Make sure of course that your water is free of chlorine or chloramine. Otherwise the bacteria will never get to live at all.


Now how long it takes to start and go through the stages is never consistent. There are a million variables. But in general at regular tropical temperatures (you know, the normal range of 70-80 f) it should be about two weeks before the ammonia consuming bacteria appear and you start to get zero readings. Then the nitrite byproduct of that begins to appear. The nitrite consuming bacteria will often take a little longer to come along than the ammonia stuff - that can take sometimes several more weeks.

Generally for a proper and completed cycle expect between three and four weeks. Possibly sooner, possibly later.
 
Ammonia can be added as soon as the tank is set up. Then just test for ammonia and nitrite regularly until you see your ammonia start falling and nitrite rising. At that point you'll have to start replacing the ammonia that gets used up while you wait for the nitrite eating bacteria to establish. Keep the ammonia at about 4ppm until the cycle is done.
 
And remember, the more ppm of ammonia you keep, the more bacteria will form, and the more fish the system will be able to sustain when you first stock it.
 
But the ammonia level should be kept no more than 6ppm ... It seems from all I have read that ammonia levels over 6ppm can kill off the good bacteria.

So the 4ppm range like kimmisc mentioned is a good number to shoot for .....It will help you produce a nice large good bacteria colony yet keeps you in the safe zone by not being so close to the 6+ppm mark that you shouldnt have to worry about overdosing the ammonia if you accidently add alittle bit more one time or another when you are replacing what has been used up. This is also what I tried to keep my ammonia level at when I cycled my 55g ... So at this level you should basically be able to fully stock your tank all at once when the cycle is done.

Just add it to around the 4ppm mark and start testing...when nitrites start showing up then ammonia levels will start dropping.....you then just add enough ammonia to get and keep the level as stable as you can to the 4ppm mark until nitrites have fully disapeared and nitrates have spiked. This will take several weeks to fully cycle so just be patient and take the time to read all you can on the forums while you wait :)
 
Very good info, thanks!


So, once my ammonia and nitrite readings are around zero (or literally zero), or basically when the cycle is complete what is the proper % of water change to do (as I am reading on other posts). I have seen 25 - 90% with dechlorinator. One sub question I have is it says to add water that is already dechlorinated...how is this possible if I am using the python and adding the dechlorinator at the same time the water is replaced and then filled right away?

P.S. I also bought stress-zyme ( bacteria in a bottle)....should I use this to help me out?

Thank you!
:worthy:
 
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Once your cycle is done the big water change before adding fish will all depend on what your nitrate readings are. I believe I ended up doing 2 water changes before adding my fish to get the nitrates around 20.

Just take a test of the nitrates after the cycle is done...You may find that the nitrate level is so high that the test cant give you an accurate level on the color chart.... If this is the case do atleast a 50% wc then test your nitrates again .. Once you get the nitrates to a readable level on the test color chart you can judge the amount of water change needed to get them down to around the 20 range (I try to keep mine in the 15-20 range) . Just remember whatever the nitrate reading is that you get a 50% water change will pretty much cut that number in half....

For an example say your nitrate reading is 80 .... a 50% wc would get you at 40 ....but a 75% wc would get you at around 20.

As for adding dechlorinator with the Python just do as stated above.... dose it to the total amount of water in your tank right before or during filling it.. in your case dose for the whole 37g tank no matter what % water change you are doing. I like to measure my dechlorinator out and have it sitting by the tank so when I turn the water on to fill I then go and pour it into the stream of water coming out of the Python to help mix it better.

I wouldnt fool with adding any "snake oil" treatments that claim to help a tank cycle or claim to contain good bacteria unless you can get some Bio-Spira . It is about the only known additive that contains anything helpful to cycle a tank. Then it still might be hit and miss since it has to be kept refrigerated until it is ready to use and you never know how it was handled before you buy it to be sure.
 
I dumped in lots of ammonia - to a point where it was off the charts for my mbuna tank and it cycled just fine. I had such high nitrate at the end that I had to a full 100% water change twice before I could add the fish. But I was able to stock the whole tank at once without the slightest issue, due to the massive colonies of bacteria that were present from all the ammonia.

So I suppose my experience indicates otherwise when it comes to the notion of too much ammonia killing the bacteria. But it's not like I was doing a controlled, scientific model to test it so still that doesn't mean this is solid data and conclusion.
 
Basically what you are saying is that since you removed all your water, the bacteria had built up on the bio-wheel (if available), substrate, sides of tank, etc. so that it still had it "present" in the tank with no water, correct?







echoofformless said:
I dumped in lots of ammonia - to a point where it was off the charts for my mbuna tank and it cycled just fine. I had such high nitrate at the end that I had to a full 100% water change twice before I could add the fish. But I was able to stock the whole tank at once without the slightest issue, due to the massive colonies of bacteria that were present from all the ammonia.

So I suppose my experience indicates otherwise when it comes to the notion of too much ammonia killing the bacteria. But it's not like I was doing a controlled, scientific model to test it so still that doesn't mean this is solid data and conclusion.
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