Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

[Barliman]

Cycle stalled?

Okay, this is weird. After my last post, things looked promising. I was adding enough ammonium chloride to bring the ammonia to 4PPM, then waiting for it to drop to zero before adding more, hoping to get the cycle to where everything goes from ammonia to nitrate in 24 hours.

Since the last time I added AC a few days ago, however, the ammonia has dropped to between .5 and 1 and just stayed there. Nitrites are zero (and have been for a few days) and nitrates are between 40 and 80.

Any ideas, O Nitrogen Cycle Gurus?

 

[Vic Vega]

Hi there. Have you checked the PH recently? If I recall correctly, it's pretty delicate at this stage and a crash could cause a stall. If so, do a big ol' water change and I bet you're right back on track...and about done.


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[Barliman]

Ah, thanks! Hadn't thought of that. I'll measure it tomorrow.

 

[Vic Vega]

Any updates?


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[Barliman]

Any updates?

Tested it the next day: ammonia still at .5, and Ph had dropped to 6.7-6.8 from 7.2. So, I did an eight gallon water change, which raised Ph back to 7.2 and KH to 4 (it had gone down to 0-1). I'm going to have to look at ways to stabilize it.

Meanwhile, the new plants arrived yesterday, and they look gorgeous. They're floating in the tank until tomorrow, when I'll have time to plant them.

Meanwhile, I've started another 7-day course of Stabilize, just in case the bacteria needed a boost after stalling. Couldn't hurt.

 

[Caliban07]

Bacteria consume 7.14ppm of Kh per 1ppm of ammonia to nitrate. Carbonates are a very important part of the process. Constantly adding ammonia draws heavily on carbonates, if you had none, a bit of baking soda would have been enough. Water changes work though.


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[Vic Vega]

And honestly I'd stay away from the Stability. You've already got nitrifying bacteria in there and that stuff is questionable at best in my opinion.


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[ElanaJoy]

Hello experts and self declared "non-experts", instead of starting a new thread, I thought maybe I would tack on to this one if that is okay? I am doing a fishless cycle on a 5 gallon. I started with good media from my lfs and a single large frozen shrimp in a stocking. After 3 or 4 days my ammonia levels were I in between .5 and 1.0 (If I remember correctly) and I took out the shrimp. Now, a week later, I got it tested again and it was nearly 2.0. Any idea why it would have gone up after removing the source? I didn't do any water changes, but should I? Thanks!

 

[Barliman]

There might be bits of the shrimp left in the tank that fell off while it was floating. Ew.

I wouldn't worry. You want your ammonia between 2-4 anyway to feed the cycle. Just measure it every day until it reaches zero, then add enough pure (no additives) ammonia to bring it between 2-4 again. This is going to take a few weeks.

 

[ElanaJoy]

There might be bits of the shrimp left in the tank that fell off while it was floating. Ew.

I wouldn't worry. You want your ammonia between 2-4 anyway to feed the cycle. Just measure it every day until it reaches zero, then add enough pure (no additives) ammonia to bring it between 2-4 again. This is going to take a few weeks.

Thanks for the response! So, should I try to make it a bit higher for now? Or do you think approaching 2.0 was high enough to just start waiting?

 

[Barliman]

Thanks for the response! So, should I try to make it a bit higher for now? Or do you think approaching 2.0 was high enough to just start waiting?

I would leave it at 2 right now and let it gradually go to zero, then add enough to bring it to between 2-4 PPM.

 

[ElanaJoy]

I would leave it at 2 right now and let it gradually go to zero, then add enough to bring it to between 2-4 PPM.

Thanks Barliman. Had my water checked today, there has still been no source of ammonia per your recommendation. At this point, I am going to blindly follow your advice It's at .25 or a little under right now. Should I wait for it to go to 0 to bring it back up, or start now? Thanks. Also, can you write just a sentence or tow explaining the rational behind this. (not cycling in general, but the part about bringing it back up) Thanks!!! I really appreciate it!

 

[Barliman]

Thanks Barliman. Had my water checked today, there has still been no source of ammonia per your recommendation. At this point, I am going to blindly follow your advice

Hah! My fiendish plan worked!

It's at .25 or a little under right now. Should I wait for it to go to 0 to bring it back up, or start now? Thanks. Also, can you write just a sentence or tow explaining the rational behind this. (not cycling in general, but the part about bringing it back up) Thanks!!! I really appreciate it!

There are some good explanations earlier in this thread, but, as I understand it, you don't want to put in too much, too fast, or you could overwhelm the bacteria and stall the cycle. You just want to give them enough to feed on and multiply, until they get to a point where they can handle 2 PPM in 24 hours.

Good luck with it, and remember that patience truly is a virtue.