Need Help With Cycling

[carlosk]

Ok,

So here's the scenario..... I'm currently in the middle of my 1st ever aquarium setup. I have researched as much as I can and read through as many posts and forum discussions as I could (especially on topics relevant to me) but yet I'm at a bit of a crossroads and need to decide on my next move.

Basically I've been doing a fishless cycle since Dec 1st. I've a 180L tank with sand and driftwood in place. I've added ammonia from the start (up to 4ppm) until I saw the level decline, then I'd bump it back up. So I've followed all the basic guidelines to begin with. Now I'm at the stage where when I dose to 4ppm ammonia, by the next day, I'm back to 0 ammonia... however my nitrite and nitrate levels are both off my charts..... I have a nutrafin test kit that reads nitrites to 3.3ppm and nitrates to 110ppm. So after browsing the web and reading up on such things... I decided to perform a 120L water change.... I retook the readings an hour or so later, and my ammonia was at 0 while the other two were still off the charts (higher than 3.3 and 110). So I suppose my question is... what is actually the best step for me to take next. The reason I titled the post confusion.com is because the more I read up on the subject, the more everyone is contradicting each other.

I know patience is key and it takes time, thats not a problem for me, but I;ve also read that nitrite levels that are far too high will stall a cycle. I've read that water changes are pointless because it's a fishless cycle and I've also read that they are very important to keep the cycle going. I read that I not perform a water change, instead only dose up to 2ppm ammonia. My pH is hanging around 7.5 to 8.0 and my water is hard. I have no value for this but I know it to be true as it's an issue in the area I live. So I guess, that I'm worried about stalling the cycle or making a mess of things this far in. I just want to keep doing things right so everything is hunky dory when I am ready to add fish.

Any thoughts or recommendations are welcome. I'm sure you're all sick of reading newbie issues regarding cycling a tank, but I guess this is what a forum is all about.... plus I did try find the answers in other posts before posting this. I just find I'm going around in circles all the time....

 

[flitabout]

We aren't sick of it, and if we were we wouldn't be here to help. My first question is are you using test strips or a liquid test tube kit?

 

[SquareBubble]

I had the same problem with my cycling (finally finished cycling about 2 weeks ago after about two months of adding ammonia xP )
It really was just a matter of carrying on adding ammonia and waiting for me though - the nitrite went from off the charts to 0 overnight (literally, I was testing every day xP ) and then I had to do about 3 big water changes before the nitrate went below 20ppm (first change - 60%, second change - 70%, third change - 90% ) - you might be able to do it in less water changes though, I was a bit lazy with my first water change, in future I'd go for a full 90% from the get go P:

 

[carlosk]

We aren't sick of it, and if we were we wouldn't be here to help. My first question is are you using test strips or a liquid test tube kit?

I'm using the Nutrafin Mini Master Test Kit. So all liquid and test tube based. No strips ever used

 

[flitabout]

Well from your readings it looks like you are right on track. I know it may not seem like it. It's infuriating even for the most experience of aquarist! Don worry about Nitrite level until they go over 5ppm but you are looking at needing to do a water change to get the nitrates down. I would personally get them down to at least 40ppm. I have heard that super high nitrates can slow a cycle just like the nitrite. So do around a 75% water change. It sounds like you are toward the end of you cycle.

 

[carlosk]

Well from your readings it looks like you are right on track. I know it may not seem like it. It's infuriating even for the most experience of aquarist! Don worry about Nitrite level until they go over 5ppm but you are looking at needing to do a water change to get the nitrates down. I would personally get them down to at least 40ppm. I have heard that super high nitrates can slow a cycle just like the nitrite. So do around a 75% water change. It sounds like you are toward the end of you cycle.

I think my nitrites may be greater than 5ppm... they're not reading on my scale. So I think I'll be doing a BIG water change this evening. It's time consuming but I want to make sure it all goes well....

Thanks for all the help and the advice... I really appreciate it

 

[Masha]

Be ready to do more than one big water change
Not unusual for nitrites to spike so high that one huge change is not enough. Just test 20 minutes after the change to see if nitrites are back in the readable range and if not, get out the bucket again

 

[meegosh]

Any chance you can get a LFS or someone else to test your water? Just to rule out the possibility that you are getting weird readings. I've personally never heard anything about the Nutrafin test kit so I can't comment on the reliability of the readings. I know the API kit is kind of the "standard" - or has been.

Have you tested tap water, just for a sanity check? You should have 0 ammonia and nitrites and may have some detectable nitrates. My tap is 10ppm nitrates straight from the tap.

Something just doesn't sound right to me. Especially after the large water change and you said the nitrites went UP.

 

[carlosk]

Hey all... thanks again.... here's the latest update.

I've just done a complete water change... without disrupting the sand or driftwood in the tank. I re-added the fresh "treated" water (by this I obviously mean that I used the additive to clear chlorine and chloramines). I'm waiting 20mins now before checking again. I have a local fish store that I can go to, though I'll have to wait until the weekend.

Regarding the nitrites and nitrates being so high, they were high before I completed the 1st big water change, in fact this was the reason I completed the big water change, but my nitrite and nitrate levels remained unreadable - I should have made this clearer earlier on.

Regarding the Nutrafin test kit, I also have a test kit by API for pH and Nitrites, the Nitrite readings were also off the chart on the API kit, so I thought I could rule out a suspect Nutrafin test kit because of this.

With the sand and all in the tank, I'm guessing that the water volume is now approx 160L... It'll break my heart to have to perform another change of this volume this evening. It may have to wait until the weekend. A new bottle of Prime is needed and I don't want to get caught out half ways through a water change....

So here's hoping - fingers crossed I'll be able to take a reading this evening, for my own sanity if nothing else.

Thanks again, I appreciate the help and advice. What a place !!!!!

 

[carlosk]

Ok, update time.... 20 mins has passed. I've completed a test. Here are the results:

pH = 7.5
Temp = 30 deg C
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrite = 0.3 ppm
Nitrate = 5 ppm

So I've just spiked the ammonia again to try bring it back up to 4 ppm. Hopefully my Nitrite and Nitrate levels will be readable tomorrow and not sky rocketing again. I won't hold my breath though !!!

Here's hoping.

 

[flitabout]

Sounds good!!!!

 

[carlosk]

Today's update....

After dosing up to about 4.9 ppm ammonia before bed last night and after a total water change, i came home to these readings:

pH = 7.5
Temp = 29 deg C
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 10 ppm

So another couple of days testing I'm guessing just to be sure.... but thankfully I can see the end nearing

Next thread.... what to stock

 

[meegosh]

Those last two updates seem much more believable and realistic. Glad things are winding down for you! I'd post another thread about stocking your tank. Seems people like those threads better than cycling questions!

 

[carlosk]

Those last two updates seem much more believable and realistic. Glad things are winding down for you! I'd post another thread about stocking your tank. Seems people like those threads better than cycling questions!

I can imagine.... I was enthusiastic about the cycling at the beginning, but it wasn't long before it started wearing me down... I was adamant that I'd stick to the task though and I'm glad I didn't resort to any drastic measures. Patience is definitely key.

A "What to Stock" thread will be starting very soon....

Thanks again everyone for the support and the help.