Fishless cyling help

[Nightshark]

Fishless cycling help

Hi Everyone!
I've been cycling my 45 gallon for almost a month now and to me it still doesn't look right. I dosed the water up to 4ppm ammonia with the Ace brand stuff. I also added some biomax from my other established tank. Well two weeks in and the ammonia is falling like it should but the nitrite just refuses to fall. Nitrates are about 30. I did a huge water change over the weekend hoping to jump start it again. Does anybody have insight on this? I thought the fishless cycling was supposed to be somewhat faster.

Thanks.

 

[Vlado21]

Nightshark, what's filter? Any plants?

 

[Nightshark]

It's an aquaclear 70 with biomax and a sponge. No plants yet.


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[Vlado21]

Ok then, filter looks fine to me. I'd recommend you to add any fast-growing green "weed" to your aquarium (Vallisneria nana or spiralis, Cryptocoryne affinis, Egeria densa, Sagittaria, Riccia, Limnobium,...). Especially those floating on the water surface (Riccia, Limnobium, Pistia...) are real nitrogen-sucker from the water. After a time (plants will grow and nirogen will go down) you can start to add some small undemanding fish to the tank. You'll decide later on (after cycling period), how much of live greens you'll leave in a tank...

 

[gvsmitty]

Hi Everyone!
I've been cycling my 45 gallon for almost a month now and to me it still doesn't look right. I dosed the water up to 4ppm ammonia with the Ace brand stuff. I also added some biomax from my other established tank. Well two weeks in and the ammonia is falling like it should but the nitrite just refuses to fall. Nitrates are about 30. I did a huge water change over the weekend hoping to jump start it again. Does anybody have insight on this? I thought the fishless cycling was supposed to be somewhat faster.

Thanks.

Hi there I am sure you have seen this thread;

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

I recently did a fishless cycle on my 55g and I am not a patient guy, so it was painful looking at a empty tank of water let me tell you! Time varies, keep an eye on everything mentioned in the thread, including PH it will stall the cycle. The bacteria also need food, minerals as well as the ammonia and nitrItes to feed on. It took me 6 weeks, the bonus is I almost fully stocked with $130 worth of fish right away with only weekly maintenance to worry about and no losses!

So far;
6 Boesemani Ranibows
5 Roseline Barb Sharks
Amazon sword (that spawned 2 additional plants)
Java fern that is multiplying like crazy.

 

[hjsvt]

Once your 4ppm of ammonia is disappearing, i would suggest reducing the dosing to 1 ppm a day to keep your nitites from getting too high. Also water change as soon as they get above 5 ppm. I know it's hard but patience and seriously one day you are good to go, all ammonia and nitites will be gone!

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[Nightshark]

I thought plants were to reduce the nitrAtes?


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[hjsvt]

Yes the plants will use the nitrates but if your NITRITES are too high, IMO it slows down the formation of the second half of the cycle, the growth of the bacteria that use the nitrites. Establishing this half of the cycle is slower than the first part already. This is just my opinion based on my own fishless cycle experience. I was processing 4ppm of ammonia in about 12 hours and had nitrites and nitrates but they were very high for about a week. As soon as I did a 50% water change, decreased the nitrites and nitrates and started only dosing 1 ppm ammonia within a couple of days my nitrites were gone.

 

[Vlado21]

I thought plants were to reduce the nitrAtes?
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That's right: nitrates and ammonia. (Toxic) nitrites are transformed to (almost harmless) nitrates by nitrification bacteria. You must have them enough however in aquarium (filter, substrate, plant roots,...) to have it fully cycled and ready for fish.
I used a muddy old filter's medium from the old tank and a few of Endlers during cycling... and no loss. They did a perfect job (no extra ammonia added)! And of course, lot of plants at the beginning. I presented my progress here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f44/60-gallon-and-questions-332410-3.html#post3186973