Help with first fishless cycle!

[daniel2509]

Hi guys,This is the first time that I set up a 10g tank with fishless cycle method, included: 50w heater at 78F, top fin 10 filter and 2 moss balls.

I started all the works last week around 8/5 with instructions of a guy from pet smart, he told me about the API Quick Start bottle and suggested it was good for fishless cycling. Therefore, I put 10 ml of API QS into my 10g tank every 24 hrs but i don't think it really worked until today.

Here's my test results with API kit:

From 8/5 to 8/7, my Ammonia around 0.25 to 0.50, nitrite 0, nitrate 0.

From 8/8 to 8/10, ammonia 1.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0.
At this point, I saw my water got cloudy so i did a 25% water change.

8/11, Ammonia 1.0 to 2.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, ph 7.4 to 7.8
I did a research by myself and figured out that bacteria needs Ammonia to survive, and even added extra API QS couldn't help without food sorce. Therefore, I drop 4 ppm of pure ammonia in and wait for 24 hours.

8/12 Ammonia 1.0 to 2.0, nitrite 0 to 0.125, nitrate 0, ph 7.4 ti 7.8.
I'm totally blind at this moment, i don't really know if my cycle went wrong or ii messed sth up.

I heard that API will help cycling my tank in a week. Did the guy at pet smart give me wrong info? Do I need to do sth like water change using seachem prime? Do i need to stop adding api qs and focus on pure ammonia? Sorry guys, but im totally confused! Any help would be very appreciated!

Thanks,

PS: my tank has some strange thing too. There are 1 line of tiny bubbles was created from my filter and it stayed at the front glass forever. Idk what happened either.

 

[Mebbid]

Assuming you are doing the correct dose to bring ammonia up to 4ppm then my best bet is that you are performing the nitrate test incorrectly. That is usually the first thing I would look at when the readings are strange on a tank.

First: Add 10 drops of bottle 1 to the vial containing 5ml of tank water.
Second: Shake the vial VIGOROUSLY for 5 seconds.
Third: Shake the bottle 2 like a maniac for 30 seconds .
Fourth: Add 10 drops of bottle 2 to vial.
Fifth: Shake vial like a maniac for 1 minute straight.
Sixth: Wait 5 minutes to compare the reading.

The number one problem is that there isn't enough shaking of the bottle and vial. It really does require a borderline absurd amount of shaking to get a correct test. If that's still testing 0 after that then we need to look at other potential issues.

 

[daniel2509]

Ok, here's the result oftoday. I shaked the heck out of Nitrate bottle 2 and still got the same result Ammonia maybe from 2 to 4, i guess. Nitrite 0.25 and i noticed loads of tiny bubble at water surface. Furthermore, those attached themself to my tank's glasses. Can you tell me the result by the photo and next step?

 

[Mebbid]

How many times have you noticed that the ammonia level fell? Those bubbles are most likely just trapped there due to a change in surface tension. Your water might have a little bit of scum on it from going through the cycle, it's no big deal.

One last thing, the water will get cloudy but it's just from a bacterial bloom. There isn't really anything that can be done about it and it'll go away on its own. Water changes at this point will just skew results.

 

[daniel2509]

I've already face cloudy water once, not too much but it disappeared after couple days. For the Ammonia, it fell like 2 times.



And whats wrong with the foggy glass in the picture?

I just discover sth wrong my ammonia bottle by making straight test on it with 5ml pure. 0 to 0.25 ppm, wth? Is it the wrong branch? The label : Essential Everyday TM Ammonia for all cleaning purpose.

 

[liulady]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Looking at your picture of the test results. Honestly, I'd call that 0ppm nitrite and 0ppm nitrates. That is sky blue and yellow to me! So, in my opinion, you don't have any nitrites or nitrates showing up just yet.

2. Your ammonia is sky high and that is ok. It just means that the conversion hasn't happened just yet.

3. The bubbles make me wonder if you are using pure ammonia, though? Are you sure that there are no other ingredients in your ammonia causing it to "suds"?

Any way you can get some seeded material (old filter media, decorations from an established tanks, etc.)? It makes things move SO much more quickly...

 

[daniel2509]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Looking at your picture of the test results. Honestly, I'd call that 0ppm nitrite and 0ppm nitrates. That is sky blue and yellow to me! So, in my opinion, you don't have any nitrites or nitrates showing up just yet.

2. Your ammonia is sky high and that is ok. It just means that the conversion hasn't happened just yet.

3. The bubbles make me wonder if you are using pure ammonia, though? Are you sure that there are no other ingredients in your ammonia causing it to "suds"?

Any way you can get some seeded material (old filter media, decorations from an established tanks, etc.)? It makes things move SO much more quickly...

I just did a 50% water change with Prime and use Ace Pure Ammonia, because I'm confused plus I want to start over again. Should I use Tetra Safe Start Plus or API Quick Start again? Wanna speed up the process asap though

 

[Mebbid]

I just did a 50% water change with Prime and use Ace Pure Ammonia, because I'm confused plus I want to start over again. Should I use Tetra Safe Start Plus or API Quick Start again? Wanna speed up the process asap though

If you already have it and don't have to buy it then yeah, go ahead and use it. Otherwise I'd skip it. Do you have any nearby friends with fish tanks or a privately owned pet shop nearby? Either of those could be a good source of some seeded media. Either of them can help you out with seeded media which will work much better than the bottled bacteria.

 

[Landonwyeley16]

Hi I am new to this website and I need help wit a 30 gallon fish tank I am about to start cycling any information will help thank u

 

[cgthebeast]

Hi I am new to this website and I need help wit a 30 gallon fish tank I am about to start cycling any information will help thank u

Hi, this is considered thread jacking haha, but you can create a new thread or pm me for help if you want

 

[daniel2509]

If you already have it and don't have to buy it then yeah, go ahead and use it. Otherwise I'd skip it. Do you have any nearby friends with fish tanks or a privately owned pet shop nearby? Either of those could be a good source of some seeded media. Either of them can help you out with seeded media which will work much better than the bottled bacteria.

Oh, Just filter media right? Im using top fin 10 filter atm and i got a friend who are running a betta shop. When I came to his store and asked for help, all he told me was tried to use prime. However, I noticed that he used sponge filter for his tanks, and most of the bettas were in 2.5 g tank with no filter. Kinda interesting!

 

[daniel2509]

Oh, Just filter media right? Im using top fin 10 filter atm and i got a friend who are running a betta shop. When I came to his store and asked for help, all he told me was tried to use prime. However, I noticed that he used sponge filter for his tanks, and most of the bettas were in 2.5 g tank with no filter. Kinda interesting!

Test for today: 8/16
Ammonia 4.0
PH 7.4
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

 

[Thumper828]

My test tubes are exactly the same..lol... How long are you into your cycle?

 

[daniel2509]

My test tubes are exactly the same..lol... How long are you into your cycle?

It already took more than a week, i guess. I just can't stand that and go straight to my friend's betta shop to steal his sponge filter. 15 mins ago, i squeezed everything from that sponge to my tank, lol. I'll update after 24 hours

 

[Mebbid]

It already took more than a week, i guess. I just can't stand that and go straight to my friend's betta shop to steal his sponge filter. 15 mins ago, i squeezed everything from that sponge to my tank, lol. I'll update after 24 hours

hehe good plan Throw the entire sponge in there while you're at it

 

[daniel2509]

hehe good plan Throw the entire sponge in there while you're at it

Glad to see you Mebbid! Urrg, i've already returned the filter to him. Btw, how long does it take for the bacteria to start working with the cycle? I put the sponge filter in a plastic bag while transfering, will my bacteria die? Because It took 45 mins from his shop to my home, just worry a lil bit!

Btw, these are my 2 babies! Can't wait to put them in
Halfmoon betta from Show












Giant Halfmoon Plakat