Fishless cycling: are my levels too high?

[Lady Cougrrr]

I'm on day 23 of my fishless cycle. My ammonia goes to 0 ppm every couple of days and I then add enough to bring it up to 2-3 ppm. My nitrites spiked off the chart at over 5 ppm (a strip test shows it may be over 10 ppm) at day 14 and have stayed there ever since. My nitrates have been steadily increasing and are nearly at the limit of my test - between 80 and 160 ppm.

Are these levels of nitrite/nitrate too high for the cycle to complete? Is everything going as it should be, or should I do a big water change to lower the levels?

 

[mgamer20o0]

its fine. try not to let the ammonia hit zero. keep adding ammonia to keep it up to 3-4ppm. i would also look into a liquid test kit since test stripes can give inaccurate readings.

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

Phew! I'm glad all is okay, thanks!

I have liquid tests by API, but originally bought test strips before I knew they weren't as accurate. I primarily use the liquid ones, but I used the test strips this time just to compare because they have a higher range.

Thanks again!

 

[missileman]

I am sorry but I have to dissagree with mgamer20o0
Very high levels of Nitrite and/or Nitrate can and will stall a cycle. I have had it happen to me.
You should do a partial water change to keep the nitrite no higher than 8ppm, and Nitrate no higher than 60ppm.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Agreed, PWC to keep the nitrite down. Nitrate I wouldn't be so worried about but that will come down w/ the PWC. Your very close to being done. The Nitrite/Nitrate stage is the longest.

Not sure what your temp is but pop it up to 80-82 might give them a jump start as well.

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

Thanks for chiming in, guys! I'll do a PWC right away and get the levels down. Don't want to stall the cycle when I'm this close!

Captain, I have my temp set at 82 degrees. I started it at 76 until I read more into the fishless cycling and bumped it up higher. It was just a couple days after that I got my first reading of nitrite!

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

Okay, I did two PWC's. The first one I removed about 25% and tested: no real change in my levels. So I did another 25% and there was only a little change. I'll wait until the tank settles down and test again. Might I have to do yet another big water change? My back is sore from lugging those buckets!

 

[cogburn]

get a python... back saver and the best aquarium tool EVER invented

 

[missileman]

How long are you waiting to test after the water change?
I would let it settle overnight and see what you have tomorrow.

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

Cogburn, oh do I long for a python! I posted in a separate thread about my concerns for it (I have to choose from either very, very cold unsoftened water, or to match tank temp I'd have to mix in some water from my water softener). But I'm hopeful that I can figure out a solution and get a python!

Missileman, I did another test as you said today, and my levels are still off the charts.

 

[cogburn]

dont feel bad... im still struggling with mine too... fishless cycling sucks... but it beats killing fish... nothing worse than looking at that brand new 180 gallon tank i paid a TON of money for and still not being able to put fish in it

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

dont feel bad... im still struggling with mine too... fishless cycling sucks... but it beats killing fish... nothing worse than looking at that brand new 180 gallon tank i paid a TON of money for and still not being able to put fish in it

I agree! I much prefer knowing that no matter how badly my fishless cycle is progressing, at least there are no fish suffering!

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

I did another large water change (about 75%) a couple of days ago and added back in some ammonia because the change took it down to 0. In the last couple days the ammonia has gone down to zero and I add more, and my nitrites are still unreadable, even using the dilution method!

So my nitrites are obviously eating well because the ammonia continues to disappear (I add in enough to bring it to 2-3 ppm each time), but the nitrates aren't moving (I confirmed that I was doing my API test wrong, I've probably never had anymore nitrates than what is in my tap water). It seems like my cycle is stuck on the nitrite spike, and they are showing no signs of decreasing.

What should I do? Stop feeding ammonia? Is there anything I can do to help the nitrates along? I have reached week 4 of my fishless cycle, and the nitrites went off the charts 2 weeks ago.

 

[missileman]

Keep feeding the amonia every day and keep an eye on the nitrite,
Try to keep it around 5ppm or less, 8ppm at the most. PWC as needed.
If you are seeding with any kind of bacteria now is the time to add more.
(if you stop feeding the amonia the bacteria will die)

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

I'll do some more water changes and try to bring down those nitrite levels. Thank goodness I bought a python! (Now I'm actually looking forward to a PWC because I get to try my new toy! )

I'll keep adding the ammonia, but maybe I shouldn't be adding so much that it brings it up to 3-4 ppm each time? And I definately want to find a source for some bacteria. I'll give the local fish stores a call...

 

[missileman]

make sure that the plastic part that attaches to the faucet adaptor is tight to the plastic part below it, if you look inside it looks like a large hex shape (for a large allen wrench) Mine was loose the first time I used it and I sprayed water all over my bathroom.
When I fishless cycle, at the stage you are at, I add enough to bring it to bewteen 1 and 2ppm but twice a day, so the bacteria has a more steady source.

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

make sure that the plastic part that attaches to the faucet adaptor is tight to the plastic part below it, if you look inside it looks like a large hex shape (for a large allen wrench) Mine was loose the first time I used it and I sprayed water all over my bathroom.

I wish I had read your post first...the EXACT same thing happened to me, and I sprayed water all over the kitchen!

I had to do 2 very large water changes, but it seems I finally caught up to the nitrites. It looks like they're reading below 5 ppm now. I'll check again tomorrow. And I'll keep adding the ammonia at a lower level than I was previously doing and hope for some nitrates to show up soon!

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

I've been writing down my readings on a daily basis, but today I decided to actually chart it on a graph. That gave me such a good visual on how certain things affect the readings!

It seems when I dose extra ammonia, my nitrites spike -I posted a separate thread about the sudden spike, now I think I know why it happened- and my nitrates die off (they drop to zero). Now that I've been adding lower and more even amounts of ammonia, my nitrites have levelled off and my nitrates seem to slowly be rising.

Hopefully my tank will finish cycling now!

 

[drillsar2]

instead of wasting money on python go to a water bed store and get a hose they fill for water beds same thing and alot cheaper