Fishless cycle stalled? - insane amounts of nitrites...

[shynepo3]

Hi, i recently started a fishless cycle with a 5gallon tank. I have no plants, and used some seeded gravel. Pure ammonia as well. It's been about 10 days, and these are my readings:

ammonia - 0.50ppm
nitrites - way above 5ppm
nitrates - 80-160ppm

So, I tried to taking tap water 75% and 25% tank water, and re-tested nitrites, and got exactly 5.0ppm. Not sure what this works out to, but it sounds like over 20.

I've done 2 big (40-50%) water changes, but nitrites have not gone down. Any suggestions? Should I just continue to refill ammonia when it hits 0.25 to 1.0, and eventually everything will take its course?

thanks in advance for any replies..

**edit, it's been like this for about 5 days, high nitrites, low ammonia***

 

[fort384]

do another 50% PWC, get the nitrite reading down under 5ppm. High nitrites could stall the cycle. And yes continue dosing ammonia until you get no nitrites showing up in the tests.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Currently, I would try to get your nitrItes down. Right now your biological filter hasn't grown enough to take care of them. Once your nitrItes are down, I'd recommend dropping your ammonia dosage to .75ppm. That way your bacterial colony will be able to adjust for the nitrItes. I'm not sure about all the minutiae but I do know that high parameters can stall cycles. Your nitrAtes are really high too, so doing PWCs will bring that down as well.

Your tank is right at the edge of being cycled, as evidence of the nitrAtes, and a lot of people seem to stall here. Get those nitrites and nitrates down with PWCs and let it take it's course.

 

[shynepo3]

Thanks for replying so quick..

I've done 2 big changes...so I should do a 50WC when i get home, and then re-test after 30 min, and hope nitrites are below 5.0ppm? If they are not,should i do another 50% change and so forth until it does go down?

 

[fort384]

yes, sounds like a good plan! Waiting 5 minutes to test will be long enough...

 

[shynepo3]

ok, i'll go at when i get home....i hope this works **fingers crossed**...i'll let u know...

my poor betta is in a 5 gallon rubbermaid tank just waiting for this done (i didn't know about cycling, the betta was for my daughter). we had 1/2 gallon starter kit tank before, and i felt sorry for him (but he was mkaing bubble nests in there, so i guess he was happy?), and we got him the 5 gal. Then, after having him in there for about a week, i found out about fishless cycling and was advised to take him out immediately (some ppl are telling me it's the same and to leave him in). Ive been doing every other day 50% changes on his 5gallon rubbermaid temp home...but i can't wait to move him back...

my wife thinks i'm nuts to do this all for just a "fish"..but u know, they're living things, like everyone else.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

shyne, I have to commend you for doing all this for a new hobby. Way to go.

FWIW, I did a fish in cycle myself, because I didn't realize just how much of a noob I was and all the things that went into a fish tank. You came to the right place, and we'll be happy to help you along. It's good to learn late than to think you can stick a goldfish in a bowl.

Just keep us up to date and we'll be happy to help.

 

[eco23]

If it helps, you can check out the link in my signature...hopefully it can answer some questions for you. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

 

[shynepo3]

Thanks coyote. It's funny cause I had no intention of taking care of the betta. I told my daughter it was her responsibility. But they are so interactive like. He comes to me like a dog.... It's just amazing. Lol.

I definitely chec out your guide Eco,thanks.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Haha, it's beautiful when you get a fish with personality. I recently got myself a Black Lyretail Molly that is very active and very friendly. When I put my hand in the tank he comes and nibbles at my fingertips. I fell in love...

But the bioload from that one fish put my tank in a mini-cycle so I'm pretty much going through the same thing you are right now. O-o; Keeping constant watch on my ammonia and nitrite levels...

As long as you continue your PWCs and keep us posted, you'll do fine. It's a silly question, but I assume you're using a dechlorinator to condition your water before each of these changes?

 

[Kat1103]

everyone has their own opinions on here and many won't agree with me. but we are all just here to give advice and ideas and you take it from there but in my experience and research I've learned that getting the nitrites to lower is the longest part of the cycling process(which is normal) and by doing big water changes (50% and bigger) you are just delaying it and making the process take longer. do what u want with my thoughts but I have tried many things by trial and error. hope this helps u

 

[shynepo3]

ok, so i did two 50% water changes. after the first one, i still got a nitrite reading that was off the charts...so i did another...here are my readings now:

ammonia - 0.25 (this is the EXACT same reading prior to the pwc; my tap water has 0.25, so i think it's showing this cause of the tap water. should the tank be able to make this 0 within 12 hours?)

nitrite - 5 or 2 (the API test kit shows the colours to be the same for both. so annoying. anyways, i tried to do 1 drop and 3 drops, but it comes out to a pinkish purple color that's not on the chart..with the nitrite test, i seem to either get 5 or 2, or some color that is lower but not on the chart, or extremely dark purple reddish, meaning off the chart. i dont get it...but for now, 5 drops is either 5 or 2ppm, so i guess we'll assume it's 5?)

**i know the test kit is ok, cause when i test my betta's temp home, its 0ppm - that light bluish colour.

nitrate - between 20-40ppm...before the pwc, it was extremely high, around 80-160ppm

so what should i do now? should i feed some ammonia, or wait till it gets to 0? i really hope i didnt mess it up..i'm using prime for conditioner.

And Kat, I appreciate the reply regardless..i just go with majority most of the time since i really know nothing..

 

[fort384]

I don't think you messed anything up.

I would feed a bit of ammonia (up to 2-4ppm), and test again in 24 hours.

 

[shynepo3]

really? would it be ok to get the ammonia to 0 first? i think i really over did it with the ammonia before..

 

[fort384]

I don't think it will hurt. Just don't leave it at 0 for long.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

By any chance does your tap water have nitrites of its own? Never heard that happening before, but you might want to test that too. Keep up your PWCs until you get your nitrItes down.

You really need to keep changing your water until they're at a normal level. Even if you have to do two or three PWCs in a row. Then dose with the ammonia.

 

[fort384]

If his nitrites are reading at 2-5ppm, they should be fine. What makes you think they need to be lower than that?

 

[eco23]

If his nitrites are reading at 2-5ppm, they should be fine. What makes you think they need to be lower than that?

I agree. As long as you've brought them down to a measurable range, there's no need for additional pwc's.

 

[eco23]

I would also keep dosing the ammo up to 4ppm every 24 hours. Anytime they are at zero there is no food for the ammo > nitrIte bacteria.

 

[shynepo3]

Hey coyote, that's a beatiful fish ....is that a Betta too?'I don't know much about fishes... Never seen a black one at the store.

Going to hold off on the pwc unless nitrites
Rise again. Want to see Amm drop to 0 too