Is this normal?

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Again No no no!

For example:

If you cycle to 4ppm and the fish you add werent producing 4ppm of ammonia and the bacteria started to die off, The bacteria themselves would then be an ammonia source. So you now have more ammonia in the tank to feed more of the 4ppm of bacteria youve built up. Put simply, It would equal out by itself slowly. There would be no ammonia spike because when one dies it would feed another eliminating the extra ammonia created by them dying back.
 
You seem to be taking this really personally, and it is nothing personal; simply a difference in method.

You do not need to dose ammonia to 4 ppm to start off with a light fish load once the tank cycles through. That doesn't mean that 4 ppm won't work, and none of my posts implied this. However, it is not necessary to do so, and may create extra work for the aquarist. This statement is not false. I've fishless cycled tanks before, I've done fish in cycles and media transfers and silent cycles. I've worked in a couple of lfs's and cared for anywhere from 5 to 75 tanks of my own at a time. I've started up well over a hundred. My understanding of the process is not based on regurgitated information, as is much of what I see on forums (this is not directed at you whatsoever, but there is no denying that much of the information on forums is regurgitated by those with little or no personal experience on the matter). Take that for what it's worth and let's just agree to disagree.
 
You seem to be taking this really personally, and it is nothing personal; simply a difference in method.

You do not need to dose ammonia to 4 ppm to start off with a light fish load once the tank cycles through. That doesn't mean that 4 ppm won't work, and none of my posts implied this. However, it is not necessary to do so, and may create extra work for the aquarist. This statement is not false. I've fishless cycled tanks before, I've done fish in cycles and media transfers and silent cycles. I've worked in a couple of lfs's and cared for anywhere from 5 to 75 tanks of my own at a time. I've started up well over a hundred. My understanding of the process is not based on regurgitated information, as is much of what I see on forums (this is not directed at you whatsoever, but there is no denying that much of the information on forums is regurgitated by those with little or no personal experience on the matter). Take that for what it's worth and let's just agree to disagree.

Maybe i have taken it abit personally youre right. I do get frustrated when i feel people blurp out statements without actually understanding what they're saying, in extactly the circumstances you describe, regurgitating things theyve read. I take this forum extremely seriously. I know you weren't indicating me but i never willy nilly regurgitate anything full stop. I learn and reproduce anything that makes sense using my own mind, intelligence and own understanding to do so. Someone can have all the experience in the world but never truly understand (i definitely don't mean you or HN1 here). Im the opposite, im an intelligent man my and my understanding of science is second to none.

Agree to disagree... agreed.
 
I can't really see anything in my posts that are IMO or Sevs, or HN1 that is regurgitated false information.

Agree, agree and agree to disagree.

Sorry to op for going slightly off original topic. Even though you have probably unsubscribed by now lol.
 
I've done my share of fishless cycles. I've always used 4 ppm. I agree that it's arbitrary, but because of it's popularity, it's been tested extensively by folks cycling at home. But more than anything, I like it because it's overkill. A reasonably stocked tank isn't going to be able to generate 4 ppm of ammonia in one day, but if I know that my tank is going to be able to handle it, that that gives me a certain degree of confidence when I put potentially valuable stock into a tank.

I also disagree with the idea of an ammonia spike being caused by excessive bacteria dying after being accustomed to a 4 ppm supply of ammonia. I often darkly joke that when going on vacation, fish are only hungry until the first fish dies. Similar situation with bacteria. The bacteria will be eager to absorb any ammonia available, any any dying bacteria will only serve to satiate the remaining bacteria. As such, I don't see an accumulation of ammonia occurring in these circumstances.

I also question (though not necessarily disagree with) the notion that above 4 ppm bacteria begin to die off. I agree that there probably is a point where this happens, but it is probably much lower. I've cycled sponge filters in a bucket under my sink where I accidently used more than 4 ppm (probably closer to 8 ppm) without much problem. Is there a reliable source that has information on this?
 
I think this thread took a wrong turn somewhere down the line. Myself and some others were not saying that dosing to 4ppm doesn't work or has an adverse affect on a cycle. What we were saying is that. If you are going to dose 4ppm of ammonia, then you had better be prepared for a stage that results in high nitrite and nitrate reading and lots of water changes.

Now to yourself and other experienced hobbyists this does not cause a problem. However, what we were implying is that if you are a beginner, this could seem that there was a problem with a cycle. I was stating that I have read numerous posts on beginners having trouble with fish less cycling. Like the one we are in now.

My opinion was to start slowly and build up to your overkill. Allowing time for the bacteria to grow. This may help to eliminate new hobbyists getting frustrated for the same reasons over and over.

Because I do not have an ego and accept that I am not scientifically superior than anyone else (especially people with far more experience than I have) I can accept that an ammonia spike at 4ppm not occurring does also make sense for the reason you gave.
 
This thread has run its course. One of the things I love about fish keeping is the variety of effective methods and preferences. :)
 
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