Who says I haven't been reading scientific papers? On top of that how do you know what my background is? I might just know something about which I am posting, even though I don't have 1000s of posts in this form. It seems I am entitled to post my opinion even when it is wrong (as it appears there is a lot of that going on anyway) and I did very clearly state it was speculation and my opinion.
Fishless Cycling Question
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Who says I haven't been reading scientific papers? On top of that how do you know what my background is? I might just know something about which I am posting, even though I don't have 1000s of posts in this form. It seems I am entitled to post my opinion even when it is wrong (as it appears there is a lot of that going on anyway) and I did very clearly state it was speculation and my opinion.
I'd like to thank everyone for their replies to this post. Based on information here and additional research, I halted the addition of ammonia on Saturday and did a 50% water change. (My water comes out of the tap at appox .5ppm ammonia content). Just to be clear, I have left it alone completely since then.
I tested a few minutes ago and am very happy to report my ammonia at 0, nitrite at 0 and nitrAte at 80ppm. I'm going to do a 90% water change, let the temp level out and the ammonia drop back to 0 and add some fish!
I suspect the prolonged elevated ammonia levels were keeping the nitrite levels off the chart but that's pure speculation and I am off to do more research for next time.
I tested a few minutes ago and am very happy to report my ammonia at 0, nitrite at 0 and nitrAte at 80ppm. I'm going to do a 90% water change, let the temp level out and the ammonia drop back to 0 and add some fish!
I suspect the prolonged elevated ammonia levels were keeping the nitrite levels off the chart but that's pure speculation and I am off to do more research for next time.
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
Congrats, you've pretty much nailed it there. You could actually probably get away with dosing ammonia once at the start and once at the end.
How long did it take in total?
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trennamw
Aquarium Advice Addict
I haven't read the whole thread but it sounds like you were done when your first posted and needed to quit adding so much ammonia.
A tank is generally considered "done" when it processes 2-4ppm ammonia all the way to nitrate in 24 hours. So dosing multiple times in a day is too much. 4 ppm was the standard a year ago but more people do 2 these days.
I'd do a full water change, test 2-3ppm, and if in 24 hours you have nitrate but not nitrite or ammonia, you're done.
Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.
A tank is generally considered "done" when it processes 2-4ppm ammonia all the way to nitrate in 24 hours. So dosing multiple times in a day is too much. 4 ppm was the standard a year ago but more people do 2 these days.
I'd do a full water change, test 2-3ppm, and if in 24 hours you have nitrate but not nitrite or ammonia, you're done.
Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.
