Did my cycle die off?

[ppo8820]

I have been fishless cycling for about 2 months. Recently I changed out the substrate for a Floramax midnight since I am going the planted route. Well, to be sure my cycle thus far didnt crash, I of course kept my filter media in a bucket with the plants full of water. It only took me 30 min to change out the substrate. The next day, I tested and I had no ammonia, and higher Nitrites.

I had a little Safestart left, so I tossed it in. The next day I tested and I had no ammonia and sky high nitrites. The high nitrites are what I have been stuck at for a LONG time so I figured the TSS died and I was back where I left off before substrate change.

I added ammonia, since it was at 0, but then I didnt do anything to the tank for the last 5 days. I thought I would test tonight since it looked very clear, the water is practically sparkling clean. Tests show .25 ammonia and suddenly nearly no Nitrites. Did I ruin my cycle?

 

[jetajockey]

What's your nitrates at? Sounds like the nitrite oxidizing bacteria are working, so you should have a huge nitrate # by now.

.25 ammonia could be a fluke, the test isn't exacting.

 

[ppo8820]

Well now I am more stumped. The NitrAtes are 5-10ppm. So in all I have .25 or less NitrItes, .25 ammonia, and 5-10 Nitrates. The Nitrites were OFF the charts.

 

[ppo8820]

There was also white powdery crap all over the glass and plants that looks to have up and vanished as well. Am I actually cycled?

 

[jetajockey]

I don't know how directly ammonia translates into nitrite and then nitrite to nitrate. If it were a 1:1 ratio (or something similar) then it wouldn't be all that surprising to get a 10ppm reading of nitrate. IIRC the nitrite test only registers up to 5ppm so even 'off the charts' could still be relatively 'low', if you get what I mean.

 

[NigelK8485]

It's not a 1:1 ratio, when my nitrites were showing 5+ppm and then dropped to .25 ppm my nitrates went from 20ppm to 180+. I'd say redose with ammonia and see what happens, if the ammonia gets processed to 0 within 24 hours and see if the nitrates raise.


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[ppo8820]

I think I gave the Nitrate results too soon. After checking the vial before bed, it was in 20ppm range.

 

[Mebbid]

You just had a backlog of nitrites that took too long for the bacteria to clear before getting back into the testable range.

You had too much nitrite and continuing to add ammonia kept it too high.

 

[wildroseofky]

Disturbing the substrate can create a mini cycle. You are removing some of the BB and releasing a lot of gunk into the water column. It is always a good idea to keep a check on water perimeters when making any major change to a tank. Adding more than one or two fish at a time will cause the water quality to get out of whack also. You have to give the bacteria time to increase to handle the new load.

 

[militantpotato]

Without looking up the exact numbers, 1ppm of ammonia becomes 3ppm of nitrites, 3ppm of nitrites becomes 3.4 ppm of nitrates. That might be off by a little.

As ammonia is converted, carbonate is used up, which will lower ph. If none is replaced you can have a ph crash which will stall a cycle. I'm a fan of weekly water changes while doing a fishless cycle for that reason.

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[ppo8820]

Thanks everyone. I am so glad I finished my first fishless cycle. What a long, dreadful process it was.