How long to fishless cycle?

[mozzer]

How long does it usually take to fishless cycle a tank? I'm using ACE janitorial strength ammonia. I got high nitrites very quickly, but I'm still waiting for nitrates at Day 10. In fact, I've seen the nitrates go down from 20 ppm to 10 ppm. I have plants.

I seeded my canister filter with floss from the LFS, so shouldn't that have greatly accelerated the process?

 

[shellieca]

What is the ammonia doing in a 24 hr period? Are you dosing to 4-5 & then testing 24 hr laters to see how much its dropping? I'm not clear on your nitrates . . . you have seen them or you haven't? Using seeded media can change up the cycling process. So, I would test daily if you have ammonia/nitrites = 0, nitrates <20 (some say 40) for a week straight, I'd say you're cycled. Remember to add fish slowly, only a few a week or every 2 weeks.

 

[mozzer]

What is the ammonia doing in a 24 hr period? Are you dosing to 4-5 & then testing 24 hr laters to see how much its dropping? I'm not clear on your nitrates . . . you have seen them or you haven't? Using seeded media can change up the cycling process. So, I would test daily if you have ammonia/nitrites = 0, nitrates <20 (some say 40) for a week straight, I'd say you're cycled. Remember to add fish slowly, only a few a week or every 2 weeks.

I test daily with the API FW Master Kit. In the last 24 hours, 4.0 ppm ammonia reduced to 0.5 ppm. This has happened a couple of times. My nitrites have remained high (5.0 ppm), but my nitrates, although present, aren't getting higher. In fact, my nitrates have declined from 20 ppm to 5.0 ppm in the last 24 hours. My nitrates haven't been higher than 20 ppm since I started.

 

[shellieca]

Sounds like you're going through the nitrite phase which can last for 3 wks, give or take. It sounds like your cycle is doing what it supposed to, the nitrates should start spiking when the nitrites start lowering. I've had nitrites last 2 wks & a tank I'm currently fish IN cycling has had nitrites for 4 wks I think now. The ammonia isn't hitting 0 yet so you've still got some cycling to do. Are you keeping an eye on your Ph?

 

[mozzer]

Sounds like you're going through the nitrite phase which can last for 3 wks, give or take. It sounds like your cycle is doing what it supposed to, the nitrates should start spiking when the nitrites start lowering. I've had nitrites last 2 wks & a tank I'm currently fish IN cycling has had nitrites for 4 wks I think now. The ammonia isn't hitting 0 yet so you've still got some cycling to do. Are you keeping an eye on your Ph?

So even with the media from my LFS I can expect the nitrite and nitrate phases to each last a few weeks more or less? My pH is a steady 7.5.

I know that I need to do a large PWC (90%) when the cycle completes and before I add fish. When else should I do a PWC? Since I'm in the nitrite phase of the cycle, does it even matter if I know the nitrite level at all? The levels must be very high with the continuous addition of ammonia and no conversion to nitrates as of yet. Do I just need to sit tight and wait for the nitrate levels to also get high and do normal weekly PWCs until then?

 

[shellieca]

I would say either you didn't get enough media from the LFS, it wasn't seeded well or maybe you add untreated tap water that killed the BB. The nitrite phase is typically the longest, nitrates should lower with water changes. Since you don't have fish, there's no need for a weekly water change during the cycling. During a fish LESS cycle the only times you do a water change is if your Ph drops into the mid-low 6's, nitrates sky rocket to say over 80 for a week or more or the nitrites are off the charts.

 

[mozzer]

Hmm...ok. I use a Python for PWC and fill from the tap so of course the water goes into the tank untreated. The best way to treat would be to add Prime (I read about double dosing) after removing the tank water and prior to turning on the tap, correct?

 

[shellieca]

Yes add the Prime to the tank for the full volume of the tank BEFORE refilling. I use a Python for my 46g & that's what I do. Some people do double dose, 1st dose before refilling & the 2nd after its refilled. Do you unplug the filter & heater(s)? If not you shoud & then wait a few minutes after its refilled to plug everything back in.

 

[mozzer]

I do unplug the filter and heater. So after the fill, the idea is to allow the Prime to work before allowing the water to get inside the filter, correct? How long do you wait?

 

[shellieca]

Yes that's the idea. How long varies for me but I'd say 5-10 minutes on average.

 

[mozzer]

Thanks, very much!

 

[mozzer]

UPDATE: I HAVE NITRATES!!!

So the past few days have shown that 4.0 ppm ammonia can be reduced to 0 ppm within 24 hours. However, my nitrites remained at 5.0 ppm all week, as did nitrates.

I did an 80% PWC this afternoon because I've been wondering if my cycle was stalled and my nitrites are still 5.0 ppm, but my nitrates are already at 80 ppm!

I guess this means my cycle was stalled, eh? What is going on here? Were my nitrites so high that they were preventing the bacteria from converting anything to nitrate? Since my nitrites are already pegged at 5.0, should I keep doing 80% PWCs and testing successively until I can measure both nitrites and nitrates?

I'm so excited!!

 

[mozzer]

Oh, and my pH has been rock solid at 7.5, but this afternoon it read 7.2. I wonder if it was beginning to crash...

 

[shellieca]

WOO-HOO!! You're getting closer to the end!! You're only doing one water change a day? That's what I'd do, test once a day & water change as needed. Someone else may advise differently.

 

[mozzer]

I did a 50% PWC about a week ago. This afternoon, I did an 80% PWC and then another 80-90% PWC tonight to see if I could get the values within range. Now my parameters are:

pH = 7.5
NO2 = 0.5 ppm
NO3 = 10 ppm

I only added 1 ppm of ammonia this time since the first part of the cycle seems to be doing well. Tomorrow's test will be huge!