Not your average cycle question

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THE V

THE V

Hiding from my children
Nov 25, 2007
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Don't bother purchasing the commercial product from the store. You've got a cycled 20 gallon tank right there.

Change out the water to remove the high nitrates. Next take the media from your cycled 20 gallon take and squeeze it good into the cycling tank. Test the water to see where you are at and then add in pure ammonia and do a fishless cycling. You'll be ready to add in fish within a week or less using this method.
 
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schapman1886

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Sep 24, 2010
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THE V said:
Don't bother purchasing the commercial product from the store. You've got a cycled 20 gallon tank right there.

Change out the water to remove the high nitrates. Next take the media from your cycled 20 gallon take and squeeze it good into the cycling tank. Test the water to see where you are at and then add in pure ammonia and do a fishless cycling. You'll be ready to add in fish within a week or less using this method.
Click to expand...
Any tips on where to pick up ammonia with no additives in the US? I'll have to shop around.

Thanks for all the information and tips!
 
flyinggig

flyinggig

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Jan 7, 2012
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Do yourself a favor....... change out that substrate now! Old and contaminated substrate will cause all kinds of grief that you could otherwise avoid. Good lesson here for cleaning anything 'used' thats going to be put into a fishtank, from decor to substrate to filters.
Let your NITRITE spike clear on it's own to complete this cycle...... when it drops and your NITRATES start to rise, you have a cylcled tank. (Amn=0, Nitrites = 0). Water changes at this point will only weaken your cycle, and remove the food source for the bacteria trying to colonize your tank. Let the bacteria do its thing.
I found my "pure" ammonia at walmart. (white bottle, blue/orange label). Shake it to see if it foams up or stays clear..... Go with the clear stuff.
(Not sure why you're looking for more ammonia though).
This tank is not ready for fish. Have patience!
 
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schapman1886

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Sep 24, 2010
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flyinggig said:
Do yourself a favor....... change out that substrate now! Old and contaminated substrate will cause all kinds of grief that you could otherwise avoid. Good lesson here for cleaning anything 'used' thats going to be put into a fishtank, from decor to substrate to filters.
Let your NITRITE spike clear on it's own to complete this cycle...... when it drops and your NITRATES start to rise, you have a cylcled tank. (Amn=0, Nitrites = 0). Water changes at this point will only weaken your cycle, and remove the food source for the bacteria trying to colonize your tank. Let the bacteria do its thing.
I found my "pure" ammonia at walmart. (white bottle, blue/orange label). Shake it to see if it foams up or stays clear..... Go with the clear stuff.
(Not sure why you're looking for more ammonia though).
This tank is not ready for fish. Have patience!
Click to expand...
I thoughougly mixed the sand up when i was cleaning the tank out to clear it of dirt and dust that may have been in the tank. EDIT: Not only did I mix it up, I did many water changes as well. Just thought I would clarify that I didn't just 'mix it up' lol



As for the cycle, I do have to keep feeding ammonia until I add fish, correct? How long can the bacteria go without an ammonia source?
 
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SMinNC

SMinNC

What you give
Feb 23, 2009
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Plus/also...

If you have the same sand in your established tank. I'd just sprinkle a couple of cups of it across the top of your cycling tank.

If the substrate is different, and you don't want to Mix them. Just put some in a media bag and set it ontop of the substrate.

You could also do the media bag with substrate in the filter.
 
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schapman1886

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I just did some tests and also failed to mention that as I was mixing and cleaning the sand, the snail shells have been floating at the top of the tank due to them being full of air. I just cleaned them out and put a very small sprinkle of fish flakes in the tank. Also put some of my media in the cycling tank from the established tank.

Ammonia - about .25 ppm
Nitrite - still high, between 2 and 5 ppm, can't really tell exactly.
Nitrate - about 5.0 at least, maybe even 10. I have a hard time telling the difference. I wish I were a woman :p

What do you guys make of this? Should I still go ahead and buy some pure ammonia and dose the tank and see how fast it turns it into nitrite?
 
Kashta

Kashta

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Jun 24, 2008
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If you buy the ammonia now you won't use much of it unless you want a bottle of ammonia around for some other reason. I wouldn't buy a whole bottle just to finish the end stages of a cycle. You can finish this up with the fish food flakes.

Just keep at it and wait until ammonia and nitrites stay at 0 before adding the fish you mentioned. You're too close to this being done to create a delay now.
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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IME it takes a lot of flakes decomposing in order to reach the ammonia levels necessary for cycling. Not to mention the time it takes for the decomposing is definitely a delay.

Ammonia isn't expensive and is a much easier form of dosing IMHO. The bacteria wont suffer for a few days if they aren't fed.

But it's up to you...
 
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