I am going to do my first fishless cycle soon. It will be done in a 10 hex and I will have a pH kit, ammonia and a kH kit. I will also be using gravel from an already established and healthy tank to speed up the process a bit. Now, here is the problem. I understand what to do, but what does it mean? I know I want 5 ppm of ammonia and what for a nitrate spike. But I have no idea what any of this means. Do I want the nitrate to go high, add more ammonia to make it 5 ppm and if it goes to 0 ammonia and 0 nitrate and 0 nitrite in 24 hours is the cylce complete? Can someone PLEASE explain this to me?
I Need Help With A Fishless Cycle
- Thread starter from my dorm
- Start date
you need a nitrite and nitrate tests as well.
The nitrITE level will go up, stay up for a while and then drop. NiTRATES should Then appear.
I have seen it recommended to add ammonia and test everything for another day day after you see nitRATE just to 'make sure' that your readings stay at 0 ammonia,0 nitrITES and a bunch of nitrATEs.
Then you do a Large water change to bring the nitRATES down to like 10 ppm, and you can add your fish right away. make sure you have your full compliment of fish selected so you can add them all at once. of course you can keep feeding the bacteria ammonia indefinitely i suppose and the tank will stay cycled and ready for your fish. ( stop the amonia when you add the fish, they'll take over that part
)
Hope that clears things up.
Then keep adding ammonia and keep testing the nitrITE level.( you can also test ammonia and nitrate now and again during this period.they should be 0)
The nitrITE level will go up, stay up for a while and then drop. NiTRATES should Then appear.
I have seen it recommended to add ammonia and test everything for another day day after you see nitRATE just to 'make sure' that your readings stay at 0 ammonia,0 nitrITES and a bunch of nitrATEs.
Then you do a Large water change to bring the nitRATES down to like 10 ppm, and you can add your fish right away. make sure you have your full compliment of fish selected so you can add them all at once. of course you can keep feeding the bacteria ammonia indefinitely i suppose and the tank will stay cycled and ready for your fish. ( stop the amonia when you add the fish, they'll take over that part
)Hope that clears things up.
oh, i reread your post.
you add ammonia every day for several days ( maintaining the level at 5ppm) while you wait to see nitrITE.
then you keep adding the ammonia daily ( 1/2 the amount you added each day before) untill you Don't see any more nitrIte. that takes longer.
when the nitrites dissappear the nitrates appear ( i remember it that way.. maybe not exactly the same time, but close)
The whole process can take 3 or 4 weeks although it is often faster especially with youre seed gravel. the part where you see nitrITES is the longest part.
you might know this part already bt what is happenning roughly, is you are growing a flock (colony) of ammonia eating bacteria who are pooping out nitrITE. then you will be growing a colony of nitRITE eating bacteria who poop out nitrATE.
the nitrAte is the end of the cycle.
it means you have enough bacteria to eat all of the ammonis AND enough to eat al of the nitrItes.
These bacterial colonies live mostly onhard surfaces in your aquarium and especially on your filter media. thats why you dont want to wash the filter media opff with chlorinated water for instance.
Keep testing levels frequently first few weeks after adding fish. also test if you ever add a fish or loose a fish.
feel free to ask again
you add ammonia every day for several days ( maintaining the level at 5ppm) while you wait to see nitrITE.
then you keep adding the ammonia daily ( 1/2 the amount you added each day before) untill you Don't see any more nitrIte. that takes longer.
when the nitrites dissappear the nitrates appear ( i remember it that way.. maybe not exactly the same time, but close)
The whole process can take 3 or 4 weeks although it is often faster especially with youre seed gravel. the part where you see nitrITES is the longest part.
you might know this part already bt what is happenning roughly, is you are growing a flock (colony) of ammonia eating bacteria who are pooping out nitrITE. then you will be growing a colony of nitRITE eating bacteria who poop out nitrATE.
the nitrAte is the end of the cycle.
it means you have enough bacteria to eat all of the ammonis AND enough to eat al of the nitrItes.
These bacterial colonies live mostly onhard surfaces in your aquarium and especially on your filter media. thats why you dont want to wash the filter media opff with chlorinated water for instance.
Keep testing levels frequently first few weeks after adding fish. also test if you ever add a fish or loose a fish.
feel free to ask again
