I try to be. If I do not know, I'll state that up front. If it is not from direct experience or from extremely reliable sources, it will be, "I've heard".
When adding to maintain levels and let nitirites/nitrates build, dose conservatively. You can always add more if test shows show, or do a partial drain and fill to get back in range. Remember, measure twice cut once....oops (this isn't This Old House) :laugh:
HTH...
(2) Fishless Cycling
Just as it sounds, you can establish the cycling environment without any
fish. This method does not pose any threat to fish, establishes a large
bacteria colony allowing full stocking upon completion and gives you time to
decide on what fish you want.
When establishing a tank with this method, you will use a source of ammonia
to initiate the nitrogen cycle. After your tank is set up, add water and
treat for chlorine/chloramines. Your filtering systems and heaters should be
in place and operating to your satisfaction.
Add ammonia to bring the tank to a concentration of 5 ppm. The amount you
add will vary with the size tank you have. Do not be in a rush. Add small
amounts and test, repeating as necessary. If you get it too high, you can
drain and refill.
Now the hurry up and wait part happens. Every two days, test your ammonia
level in the tank. When the ammonia levels start dropping, add additional
ammonia as required to keep the ammonia at 3-4 ppm, start daily testing and
test for ammonia and nitrites. Nitrites should be developing as ammonia goes
away. This first stage could take 1-3 weeks.
When you see the test results showing Nitrites, start maintaining your
ammonia at the 2-3 ppm range. The nitrites increasing reflect you are in to
the second stage. Continue daily testing for ammonia and maintain the tank in
the 3 ppm range. You will see nitrites climb so high they will be off the
scale for a reading. This will continue for one to two weeks and it will seem
the nitrites are never going to go away.
There will be a day where you test and the nitrites have completely
disappeared, thus, the bacteria that convert them to nitrates have
established themselves. When you see this drop to zero on nitrites, dose
ammonia in the tank to about 5 ppm, and wait 24 hours. If at the end of that
period, ammonia and nitrites are zero, your cycle has been established. Test
for nitrates, and do a 75-90% water change. Pull your water down to 20 ppm
nitrates and add the fish! If you have to wait to get your fish, keep the
cycle established by dosing more ammonia, but you may have to do another
water change before adding your fish.
