Fishless Cycle Question...

[Brody3665]

I have successfully completed a fishless cycle before by adding ammonia but this time I ran into a problem. I thought I was towards the end of the cycle, my ammonia was staying at 0 and I had nitrites. Now I have 0 nitrites and have gone back to getting ammonia readings again. I have not dosed the tank with ammonia for about 10 days and now I am stuck.

Any help...

 

[Squawkbert]

10 days of no NH3=dead bacteria.
You're starting over.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

you need to be adding ammonia every couple days. you need to keep the ammonia at 3-4 ppm. when it goes from 3-4 ppm to zero in 24 hours your cycled. right now its like you just filled up the tank like its brand new.

 

[Brody3665]

I was adding the ammonia just like you stated but the last time that I added it, it never went back to the zero mark...

 

[Reddog80p]

I have successfully completed a fishless cycle before by adding ammonia but this time I ran into a problem. I thought I was towards the end of the cycle, my ammonia was staying at 0 and I had nitrites. Now I have 0 nitrites and have gone back to getting ammonia readings again. I have not dosed the tank with ammonia for about 10 days and now I am stuck.

Any help...

Yup you basically starved the bacteria. That's why when you finish "fishless" cycling you add almost all of your fish. The ammonia produced by the newly stocked fish feeds the bacteria. If the bacteria has nothing to eat it dies. You will have to start redosing the tank.