You are still going through the process. As has been said before, there is no magical time table for cycling, fishless or fishy. No two tanks are going to cycle at the same rate unless they are set up the exact same way and are being maintained the exact same way, and even then you may still see some variations.
Where am I?
- Thread starter Beeker
- Start date
It may be that your biologicals died off a little from lack of food between dosings. During cycling, things can take unprodictable swings, hence the importance of fishless cycling.
Hang in there, things will level out.
Hang in there, things will level out.
I think something is wrong. Even less of my ammonia was used in the last 24 hrs since I last posted. The nitrites are still high but the ammonia is at 3 or 4. The nitrates are still only at about 6 or 7. Things were going so well. I can't figure out what happened.
Can somebody please explain the reason why my numbers are high and what it means. It has been 20 hrs since post #24 and my ammonia is at 3 or 4, my nitrites are at about 2 or 3, and my nitrates are somewhere between 40 and 80 (The colors are too close to tell.) I thought my ammonia was supposed to be low to 0, and when the nitrates go up the nitrites were supposed to be low to 0 too. My Ph is also very low, somewhere between 5 and 6. Can somebody please explain what is happening, why, and what I should do? This whole thread has been the entire history of the cycle I've been going through.
a full cycle should take anywhere between 6 and 8 weeks, Beeker, be patient, sweetie.... just keep making sure that the ammonia is always put back to 5ppm. If it doesn't change one day, don't add the ammonia..... if it does, add it.
It has been reccommended to me to do a small water change and add some baking soda. That is what I will do now. Appearently, the drop in Ph was caused by the cycle and that same drop caused the bacteria to slow its burning of the ammonia.
(This post is basically just to keep a record of everything that is going on with my cycle and every step I am taking.)
(This post is basically just to keep a record of everything that is going on with my cycle and every step I am taking.)
Hey Beeker. I am currently fishless cycling a tank as well. I am in my 4th week. I have been experiencing frustrations as well. My amonia levels are now 0 after 24 hrs but my nitrites have camped out at 2 (grrrr) for the past seven days. Many of the same people who are posting here for you are posting in on my thread as well... and the advice is very much the same.
IMO weve chosen the most responsible method of cycling our tanks. I am pretty frustrated as I am sure you are... the only thought that helps me remain patient is: "if I had fish in this tank theyd be dead or dying" when we do add fish we will be adding them to a cycled tank and though it takes a little longer and we do not get to watch fish swim around while we are doing it we are better off and so are our future fish...
sorry I dont have advice other than that so dtasy the course and good luck to you
IMO weve chosen the most responsible method of cycling our tanks. I am pretty frustrated as I am sure you are... the only thought that helps me remain patient is: "if I had fish in this tank theyd be dead or dying" when we do add fish we will be adding them to a cycled tank and though it takes a little longer and we do not get to watch fish swim around while we are doing it we are better off and so are our future fish...
sorry I dont have advice other than that so dtasy the course and good luck to you
BEEKER, TAKE A BREATH
Sit down and relax a second.
You are not going to hurt anything if there's nothing in the tank to hurt. There are no fish or plants present. You're not in a hurry.
If you are going to make this a planted tank eventually, you have not chosen the best course of action. If not a planted tank, it's pretty much the only course of action.
You are getting some good advice above. You just have to apply it and be patient.
As mentioned above, a fishless cycle varies in length from approx. 4 weeks to 10 weeks. In a 10, it should not take that long.
The cycle is nothing more than building a bio-colony. You add a bit of ammonia and it will give way to nitrites which will use it and give way to nitrates, which will use the nitrites.
Once the nitrites appear you only have to be concerned with the values shown on your nitrite test kit and then start looking for nitrates. Just adding a tiny bit of ammonia to feed the cycle to completion. At a point, down the road, the nitrites will recede, cease adding ammonia and you're ready for a couple of fish. They will supply enough ammonia to complete the cycle. You should then experience zero ammonia and zero nitrites.
Plants use all of these elements and if it's going to be a planted tank, you could have dumped a bunch of cheapie stems in and some floaters, and two small fish and it's 'cycled'. Period. The plants take care of the fish while the tank matures.
The way you've done it is fine for a plantless tank. Just watch for the nitrites to subside and the nitrates to rise and when the ammonia drops to zero you do a 50% water change and can add fish. Your colony is established.
I don't usually haunt this forum, but I will watch for questions if you have any, but in all honesty you are getting good advice.......I already said that didn't I.
I responded to your PM here because I could not have been so long winded in a PM(and lord knows, I can be long winded).
I hope this helps. I'd call you 'sweetie' too, but people would talk.........and anyway I'm sure I'm not a cute as Dangerdoll.
Len
Sit down and relax a second.
You are not going to hurt anything if there's nothing in the tank to hurt. There are no fish or plants present. You're not in a hurry.
If you are going to make this a planted tank eventually, you have not chosen the best course of action. If not a planted tank, it's pretty much the only course of action.
You are getting some good advice above. You just have to apply it and be patient.
As mentioned above, a fishless cycle varies in length from approx. 4 weeks to 10 weeks. In a 10, it should not take that long.
The cycle is nothing more than building a bio-colony. You add a bit of ammonia and it will give way to nitrites which will use it and give way to nitrates, which will use the nitrites.
Once the nitrites appear you only have to be concerned with the values shown on your nitrite test kit and then start looking for nitrates. Just adding a tiny bit of ammonia to feed the cycle to completion. At a point, down the road, the nitrites will recede, cease adding ammonia and you're ready for a couple of fish. They will supply enough ammonia to complete the cycle. You should then experience zero ammonia and zero nitrites.
Plants use all of these elements and if it's going to be a planted tank, you could have dumped a bunch of cheapie stems in and some floaters, and two small fish and it's 'cycled'. Period. The plants take care of the fish while the tank matures.
The way you've done it is fine for a plantless tank. Just watch for the nitrites to subside and the nitrates to rise and when the ammonia drops to zero you do a 50% water change and can add fish. Your colony is established.
I don't usually haunt this forum, but I will watch for questions if you have any, but in all honesty you are getting good advice.......I already said that didn't I.
I responded to your PM here because I could not have been so long winded in a PM(and lord knows, I can be long winded).
I hope this helps. I'd call you 'sweetie' too, but people would talk.........and anyway I'm sure I'm not a cute as Dangerdoll.
Len
Considering that I am a female, anyone can call me "sweetie" and get away with it.
At this point, I understand that I have wasted my time. It is going to be a planted tank, so I didn't have to go through all this craziness. Well, you live and you learn.
I already did a small water change, added some baking soda, and changed the water again.
My numbers are currently:
Ph: 7.4
KH: 8
NO2: .1
NH3: .5
NO3: 80
How does that sound? What is ideal KH? Since I just changed my water and the Nitrates are still at 80 what does that mean and what do I do now?
At this point, I understand that I have wasted my time. It is going to be a planted tank, so I didn't have to go through all this craziness. Well, you live and you learn.
I already did a small water change, added some baking soda, and changed the water again.
My numbers are currently:
Ph: 7.4
KH: 8
NO2: .1
NH3: .5
NO3: 80
How does that sound? What is ideal KH? Since I just changed my water and the Nitrates are still at 80 what does that mean and what do I do now?
