fishless cycle experiment

[baldmtnbrew]

I am trying to do a fishless cycle I used 1 cooked peel and eat shrimp for my 55 gal. tank
my P.H. is 8.4
Ammo is .5
Nitrite is 0
Nitrate is 0
I am on day 10 should I do a PWC?

 

[zacusmaximus]

I don't think cooked shrimp is going to do a whole lot as far as starter nitro cultures go. I've only ever heard of people using unprocessed, uncooked seafood products.

 

[Guest]

update to day 5:

changed some old carbon out of my main tank. added the old carbon to the 5 gal to help seed it some more. from reading about old carbon, it will not leach anything back into the tank and the bacteria on it should help the cycle. i will remove it when the cycle is complete.

 

[Guest]

day 6
8/28/06

morning test results(@ 10 min)

ammonia---- <.25(less than .25)
nitrites------- >.5(greater than .5)
ph------------ >8

ammonia is very low. nitrite test dark purple, approaching 1. if nitrate tests are unreliable at this point, there is no use wasting time testing them. ph is high, my test kit only reads to 8.5. added 3 drops ammonia to the tank. no cloudiness, tank is crystal clear.

 

[Guest]

day 7
8/29/06

morning test results(@ 5 min)

ammonia------- 0
nitrite----------.25
ph--------------8+

added 3 drops ammonia to tank. doing a pwc later today to lower ph.

 

[Guest]

day 8
8/30/06

morning test results(@5 min)

ammonia--------0
nitrites-----------0
nitrates----------0
ph---------------7.5+-

unless im making a serious error, this tank is cycled. adding a couple danios and a plant today. this tank took 7 days to cycle. on the 8th morning it appears to be ready for fish. the fishless cycle experiment is over.

started 8/23/06
ended 8/30/06

items used(besides tank equipment);
ammonium(hydroxide)
seeded media from established tank.
total cost--- $1.07(tank equipment excluded)

special thanks to those who helped out.

 

[JRagg]

Where are your nitrates? I'm guessing since there wasn't a lot of ammonia added that they're still undetectable.

In any case, this does show that seeding a tank works very well.

 

[malkore]

This is pretty much what I expected to see when I saw you'd be using existing filter media, even if it was a small piece.

It provides a small colony of all the bacteria you need, so all they have to do is grow to match the size of the food source (ammonia and nitrite).

nicely documented.

 

[Guest]

Where are your nitrates? I'm guessing since there wasn't a lot of ammonia added that they're still undetectable.

In any case, this does show that seeding a tank works very well.

honestly, the lack of nitrates threw me off and i thought i might be making an error in judgment calling the tank 'cycled'. mid way through, i was testing positive for nitrates but was told that i could be getting false readings, so i stopped testing for them. it is a small tank and i only used a few drops of ammonia daily, but the lack of nitrates is still a bit confusing at this point.

but one thing is for sure, fishless cycling with a jump start of media is the way to go

 

[7Enigma]

Would you please add a couple more drops of ammonia in (your pH is still low enough), and see what your readings are at 12 and 24 hours post-dose?

I agree I think you cycle is near being finished but the lack of nitrAte reading has me a bit concerned.

I think if we saw in 12hours no ammonia, and by 24hours no nitrIte that we could safetly say you are finished.

 

[Guest]

i already added a few fish and a couple plants, i dont think i should put ammonia in it now. i did a water test and show 0 ammo, 0 nitrites, and a small amount of nitrates, probably 3, a slight orange color. the fish are fine and not showing any signs of sickness. i will test again later and post the results.

 

[7Enigma]

i already added a few fish and a couple plants, i dont think i should put ammonia in it now. i did a water test and show 0 ammo, 0 nitrites, and a small amount of nitrates, probably 3, a slight orange color. the fish are fine and not showing any signs of sickness. i will test again later and post the results.

Well frankly as long as you have no ammonia or nitrItes it doesn't matter. Hopefully that seed material did its job and you'll never see them again. Congrats on a safe fishless cycle.

 

[Guest]

update:
close to one week later, and not one danio has died in this newly cycled tank. they swim around happily looking for food and there is no sign of any trouble. i added a couple snails and they are doing fine as well. with plants, a few danios, and a couple snails, this tank is doing good.

 

[7Enigma]

Congrats! You did it the way it should be done IMO.