Need help with Fishless Cycling
- Thread starter purblind
- Start date
This is my first fishless cycle and I'd like to have the experience under my belt. Also, I'm planning on adding fish that I want to keep for as long as possible. Less stress on them, the longer I can keep em' the better. Not to mention a possible waste of money and dead fish due to stress.
Planning to add:
1- Flying Fox
1- Ruby Shark (Adding last and under supervision)
4- Glass Catfish
2- Pineapple Swordtail
2- Golden Pencilfish
4- Redline Rasbora
3- ID Sharks (already have)
6- Zebra Danio's (maybe)
Planning to add:
1- Flying Fox
1- Ruby Shark (Adding last and under supervision)
4- Glass Catfish
2- Pineapple Swordtail
2- Golden Pencilfish
4- Redline Rasbora
3- ID Sharks (already have)
6- Zebra Danio's (maybe)
A couple of things, As said earlier, the nitrite portion will take longer, furthermore, my experience has been that nitrites dissapear all at once (or close to it. Ammonia seems to dwindle so you can imagine (or see) the colony building. Nitrite builds and builds and then suddenly one day it drops or dissapears. So don't lose faith. It won't be long if you re-introduced some filter media in the last few days.
As far as the ammonia mentioned by bludevil12, if it has surfactants don't use it. look for clear ammonia with nothing but ammonia water and cheleating agents. The cheleating agents aren't needed but won't hurt anything. all other additives you might encounter are bad news.
Something else to watch is PH. Fishless cycling consumes Kh very rapidly, and Ph can drop and stall things out. Since Ph/Kh is not mentioned, it would be something to check. I'd keep Kh at or above 3 dKH the carbonate really does help with the cycle anyhow.
Actually the "old Fashioned way" is way more B/S, way more risk, and definately way more work. not to mention way more time before you can fully stock your tank. Fishless cycling makes far more sense in so many ways it is rediculous not to use fishless anytime you cycle a tank from scratch. Only plant cycling comes close to being as good, but the risk factor is still high for anyone without a lot of experience and a lot of plants.
Dave
As far as the ammonia mentioned by bludevil12, if it has surfactants don't use it. look for clear ammonia with nothing but ammonia water and cheleating agents. The cheleating agents aren't needed but won't hurt anything. all other additives you might encounter are bad news.
Something else to watch is PH. Fishless cycling consumes Kh very rapidly, and Ph can drop and stall things out. Since Ph/Kh is not mentioned, it would be something to check. I'd keep Kh at or above 3 dKH the carbonate really does help with the cycle anyhow.
Actually the "old Fashioned way" is way more B/S, way more risk, and definately way more work. not to mention way more time before you can fully stock your tank. Fishless cycling makes far more sense in so many ways it is rediculous not to use fishless anytime you cycle a tank from scratch. Only plant cycling comes close to being as good, but the risk factor is still high for anyone without a lot of experience and a lot of plants.
Dave
Thanks for the Goldex ammonia tip, Purblind, I've been looking for some pure ammonia, but didn't think to look in Canadian Tire. Hope they have the same thing here in BC.
daveedka said:
Thanks for the above tip. I re-tested everything and got these readings:
PH: 6.8
Nitrite: 3.3-33ppm
KH: < 1 degree
GH: 9 degrees
CO2: 6ppm
Nitate: 5.0ppm
Having a KH that low, what can I do to get it back up? Water change?
