Fishless Cycling

[Botanica]

Hi everyone! I haven't been online on quite a while...but my husband and I have finally got our 135gallon tank up and running! We are cycling it without fish for a number of reasons...and I think we are doing great so far...but I have a question or two to be sure we are on the right track. We started the cycle on August 3rd with Ace ammonia as recommended and we are already seeing it drop from 4ppm down to .25ppm in under 12 hours...so I think that's pretty fast. So now the nitrites are somewhere between 2-5ppm...to be expected I know...but my concern is that my nitrates tested at 10ppm 2 days ago but only test 5ppm yesterday and today. I understand that I could have just read the test wrong...but I'm afraid of somehow stalling out the cycle inadvertently. The ph has fallen from 7.6 to 7.4... But that seems okay. We have lots of air in place and the temp is a constant 84. Are we doing anything wrong or is there anything else we could do to help it along? I know it hasn't been long...but better safe than sorry.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Trisha

 

[jlk]

Hi! Sounds like things are going well! The difference in nitrate levels may have been a testing error so I wouldnt be very concerned. However, you need to keep a close eye on your ph. You have lots of conversion happening and your buffer levels are being used up. Buffers keep your ph stable. If it falls any further (which I expect it will), a water change is in order to restore buffers to keep your cycle progressing. Make sure you are only dosing ammonia once every 24hrs- any sooner or more frequently is overkill.

 

[Botanica]

Hi! Sounds like things are going well! The difference in nitrate levels may have been a testing error so I wouldnt be very concerned. However, you need to keep a close eye on your ph. You have lots of conversion happening and your buffer levels are being used up. Buffers keep your ph stable. If it falls any further (which I expect it will), a water change is in order to restore buffers to keep your cycle progressing. Make sure you are only dosing ammonia once every 24hrs- any sooner or more frequently is overkill.

Thanks for such a quick reply! After I posted this thread we were looking at the tank and I noticed a bit of green algae Growing on the tallest rock in the tank. We have LED lighting so it's only the rock really close to the surface that it is growing on...so I didn't see it at first. I would guess that's where my nitrates went. As for the ph...I will watch it closely and do the required water changes. I only done the ammonia in the evening...but I test morning and evening...so that's how I know it's dropping so quickly. . Thanks again...and I will keep you posted.

 

[Botanica]

Ok...I'm completely confused...things seem to be going along well...ammonia is dropping to 0 in 24 hrs and we are waiting on nitrites which are beginning to move downward. Yeah! . I have been watching the pH closely as advised...and here is where it gets confusing.
The pH test this morning read 7.2...down but not bad as of yet. So, this evening when I tested to add ammonia, I retested the pH...it read 7.6...up! Ok...that didn't seem right...so after all the other tests were done but before I added ammonia, I retested the pH. When I added the drops...the water turned yellow...6.0!! I immediately took another vial and got more water...all from he same spot in the tank btw...and added the three drops. It read 7.2...!!?? Three pH tests within ten minutes with three different results!? I will do a water change tomorrow for sure...but I have a need to understand why...lol. Any ideas?
I have noticed also that when I run the nitrate test on this tank...the water turns orange after adding the drops from bottle #1 (I am used to it being highlighter yellow). When I add the drops from bottle #2 (after shaking), the water lightens up quite a bit...the test is reading only 5.0ppm. I don't think the test kit (API) is faulty because the test looks "normal" when I run it on my 20 gallon tank.

 

[jlk]

That is a bit odd in respect to the ph test, especially to get such different results. I am guessing there may been been a bit of residue in the tube to get the highest result. I think its time for a water change no matter what. Make sure you temperature match & properly condition the water. The nitrate test sounds pretty normal. You have good amm>nitrite conversion happening so things are progressing well! Hang in there!!

 

[Botanica]

Ok...so the water change worked wonders on my cycle! It seemed to slow the ammonia eaters down a bit...but the next morning after the pwc I tested and the nitrites were gone! Overnight! . I had read about it happening like that...but was excited nonetheless. So I've just brought the ammonia back up to 4.ppm and hope to see a zero reading tomorrow.

Here is my next question...how fast do we have to stock the aquarium so as not to disrupt the cycle? I have been adding ammonia to bring it up to 4ppm daily for a week or more now. We have a still small angelfish and a pair of gbr who currently reside in my 20g tank and we want to move them into the large tank first...then add the other fish "slowly"...lol...as slowly as we can control ourselves to do. . Should we be concerned about making sure the bio load is big enough to keep up with the 4ppm per day? Is this even a concern? Thanks for all your help!

 

[bud29]

If your biofilter can transform 4 ppm ammonia to nitrAtes in 24 hours, your bio filter is strong enough that you could stock your tank fully at once. Now this isn't necessarily a good idea because of possible territory issues, so you could stock about 50% first and the other 50% a few days later if all your parameters are good. You don't want to do it very slowly, because your bio filter will adjust to the lower ammonia level and then it will be overwhelmed by the addition of new fish.

 

[Botanica]

That's what I thought. What are some of the messier fish so I could maybe stock those first...like I've heard that plecos are a bigger tax on the bio load. We are planning a community/semi aggressive mix...ie angels, rams, rainbowfish, cardinals, cories, etc...recommendations welcome! We are trying to stretch it put until payday to buy fish...but a few before that could be managed. Thanks!

 

[bud29]

What are the exact numbers for stocking? I would add the pleco last because they prefer more mature tanks.

 

[Botanica]

Numbers is something we are still figuring. The tank is 135 gallons...and we want to provide the fish with the proper numbers in each group to be comfortable...so that will dictate what we end up stocking. I will start a stocking thread I think to help work it all out. My husband and I are planning to make rounds of local fish stores to see the possibilities in person...we are fairly new to this.

Testing the tank again in about an hour...the 24 hr mark...hopefully we're fully cycled...woohoo! Big water change today either way. . Fingers crossed!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Crossing my fingers for ya and hoping you have good readings!

 

[Botanica]

Woohoo!!! Readings today were perfect!!!
Ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrate. 40

pH is low...6.8... But I need to do another water change anyway. I added ammonia again to feed the bio filter while we shop for fish.
Thanks for all the help! My first experience with a fishless cycle was awesome because of all the valuable information I've gathered from this community!
Now...stocking...

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Yay for you! Keep us updated on what you plan on stocking with... Of course some pics if you can