Cycling - PWC Needed?

[JoeyPB]

I've been snooping around on these forums for about a month now and have learned a great deal from them, so thanks to everyone for that.

I started fishless cycling my 29 gallon tank on 5/28. Things have gone smooth and I saw almost immediate progress with the cycling. My levels are as stated below:

Temp - 84F
Ammonia - 0ppm
No2 - 5.0ppm
No3 - 10 ppm

There has been no change since 6/5. My ammonia is dropping faster than I can keep up with it. I've been adding pure ammonia to bring the level up to 2-4 ppm every evening, and ammonia drops to 0ppm within 12 hours, I'd say.

I don't think my cycle has stalled. I'm thinking I'm in need of a PWC to bring the levels down in order to get a more accurate reading. Does this sound good? Or should I leave it alone for a couple more days and see if there is a change?

 

[Smitty]

Don't do a PWC. You are well on your way to a very successful cycling since the ammonia is getting taken care of every night. Once you don't have a trace of nitrIte then you should be done with your cycle and can do a PWC before introducing fish.

Remember to still introduce the fish only a couple at a time.

Good job!

 

[carey]

Don't do a PWC. You are well on your way to a very successful cycling since the ammonia is getting taken care of every night. Once you don't have a trace of nitrIte then you should be done with your cycle and can do a PWC before introducing fish.

Remember to still introduce the fish only a couple at a time.

Good job!

+1 I agree in all points. Pretty soon the nitrites will also drop and then youre' good to go.

 

[Gti_Leo]

i did two PWC when i was cycling some lace rock, i had to my nitrites were at an unreadable level and my nitrates were at 180ppm and was stalled for 2 weeks so i did it and 3 days later the cycle was finished

but its agreeable don't PWC untill you can't see any movement anymore like me

 

[JoeyPB]

Thanks guys! I'm going heed your advice and leave it alone until I see the trites drop.

 

[JoeyPB]

Here's a little update on my cycle:

Yesterday 6/15
Ammo 0 ppm
Nitrites 5.0 ppm
Nitrates 80 ppm

After 10 days of the same results, my nitrates spiked overnight.

Today 6/16
Ammo 1 ppm (accidentally dosed ammonia to about 8 ppm the evening before)
Nitrites somewhere between 2 and 5 ppm.
Nitrates 160 ppm

Things seem to be moving along nicely now. I expect my trites to go down within a few days followed by a large wc (around 90%). I plan on getting my first pair of fish this weekend and placing them in a QT.

 

[Smitty]

Looking good.

 

[Sarcothelia]

You might want to lower that tempt a bit, preferably below 82 and ideally around 78 so you have some buffer room. Do water changes like you said if it seems the ammonia keeps reaching 0 rapidly, and after that add a hardy fish assuming you are certain that the nitrifying bacteria have taken hold (which it seems like they have, just be sure to get those trites around 0 and trates under 20)

 

[JoeyPB]

I bumped my temp down to 80 the other evening once I noticed a couple hitchhiker snails in the tank. They seem to be doing fine.

What effect would the wc have on the quick ammonia drops? Isn't that a good sign of a strong bio-filter? I was thinking I'd do around a %50 wc if my trites didn't reach 0 within a few days. It was suggested to do one once trites and trates were off the charts in the fishless cycling guide I read on here.

 

[Smitty]

At this time I don't think it would hurt to do a PWC because the Ammonia is getting consumed after only one day.

 

[JoeyPB]

Well I do believe I am fully cycled. Just got home and did all the tests.

Ammo 0
Trites 0
Trates 160

Thanks all! Time to get my QT going!