Amonia Dosing
My first and only fishless cycle completed about 3 months ago. The process, in my case took just over two months. And, the process followed exactly the various write ups in terms of the changes in chemical balance during the process.
I was pretty much impressed during the later stages when I was waiting on my nitirtes to go down. I was feeding amonia as you are daily. The system in my case was robust enough to handle a lot of amonia on a daily basis. I would test and see amonia near zero. I would add six cap fulls of amonia to 45 gallons of water and re test. I use an AI liquid kit and the color differance between 4ppm and the next higher level is not distinguishable to me. So, my added amonia would increase the level to something above 4ppm. That would consistantly drop in 24 hours to zero.
I have been doing 20% water changes weekly now and test just before the change and the amonia and nitrite levels have remained at zero.
I use a HOB filter with two elements and two bio wheels. I have changed the filter elements once so far. I elected to change one at a time to minimize the impact on my bacteria colony.
Mark
My first and only fishless cycle completed about 3 months ago. The process, in my case took just over two months. And, the process followed exactly the various write ups in terms of the changes in chemical balance during the process.
I was pretty much impressed during the later stages when I was waiting on my nitirtes to go down. I was feeding amonia as you are daily. The system in my case was robust enough to handle a lot of amonia on a daily basis. I would test and see amonia near zero. I would add six cap fulls of amonia to 45 gallons of water and re test. I use an AI liquid kit and the color differance between 4ppm and the next higher level is not distinguishable to me. So, my added amonia would increase the level to something above 4ppm. That would consistantly drop in 24 hours to zero.
I have been doing 20% water changes weekly now and test just before the change and the amonia and nitrite levels have remained at zero.
I use a HOB filter with two elements and two bio wheels. I have changed the filter elements once so far. I elected to change one at a time to minimize the impact on my bacteria colony.
Mark
