Half Through Fishless Cycling: A Question

[Leeatl]

Here is an excellent article on fishless cycling. I have used the methods in it a few times with great success.

Fishless Cycling

 

[nerdelish]

Thanks for the thorough explanation Scot. I started putting the tubes against a blank piece of paper and it seems to help. I've had a difficult time with my tank. My filter broke and had to buy a new one..I purchased an aquaclear. I cut up some of the old filters pads and put them in the new filter. I have the biowheel in the tank as well but I recognize I am probably going to be close to back at square one.

Reading today:
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5 ppm
Nitrate somewhere between 0 and 5ppm. I'm guessing 3.
pH 7.4
KH 53.7
GH 89.5

The KH is pretty low which I am guessing is what is contributing to the pH swings.

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[Reefer James]

The pH swings are from the ammonia. Stop putting in ammonia.

Does your tank actually have nitrate?

 

[nerdelish]

Stop ammonia all together or stop for awhile until things are settled out?

The instructions I have been following say to dose up to 4ppm once the ammonia gets down to 1ppm or lower until the cycle is complete.

I do think I am getting *some* nitrate...just not very much. I don't really know. I had zero for awhile and then noticed the nitrate start to rise...that was before my various problem with filter and power though

My API test kit only reads up to 5 ppm of nitrite. Should I get a different test for that?

 

[sinibotia]

Although as far as I know it's never been scientifically verified, it is possible that high nitrite could stall your cycle. Maybe do a water change until your nitrite gets down below 5 since at this point it could be well above that.

 

[nerdelish]

Here is an excellent article on fishless cycling. I have used the methods in it a few times with great success.

Fishless Cycling

I'll check it out. Thanks.

 

[nerdelish]

Although as far as I know it's never been scientifically verified, it is possible that high nitrite could stall your cycle. Maybe do a water change until your nitrite gets down below 5 since at this point it could be well above that.

Will do. Thanks for the tip.

 

[nerdelish]

Here is an excellent article on fishless cycling. I have used the methods in it a few times with great success.

Fishless Cycling

"Testing for nitrate before nitrite has dropped to zero can only complicate and confuse. The determinants for a completed cycle are ammonia and nitrite tests that read zero. Yes, you may have nitrate because there is bacteria present converting nitrite to nitrate, but until they build enough to convert all of the nitrite, your aquarium is not considered cycled. Be patient and test for nitrate only after ammonia and nitrite read zero. The nitrate test is done only to determine the level of water changes needed before adding fish, not to determine if the aquarium is cycled. So, do not try to use it that way. "

Perhaps this is what's going on with my nitrate readings. Thanks for the link. I *think* I understand the process a little better now which always helps.

 

[sinibotia]

"Testing for nitrate before nitrite has dropped to zero can only complicate and confuse. The determinants for a completed cycle are ammonia and nitrite tests that read zero. Yes, you may have nitrate because there is bacteria present converting nitrite to nitrate, but until they build enough to convert all of the nitrite, your aquarium is not considered cycled. Be patient and test for nitrate only after ammonia and nitrite read zero. The nitrate test is done only to determine the level of water changes needed before adding fish, not to determine if the aquarium is cycled. So, do not try to use it that way. "

Perhaps this is what's going on with my nitrate readings. Thanks for the link. I *think* I understand the process a little better now which always helps.

That's a great quote, I would follow that advice. Just try to balance adding ammonia with water changes so that high nitrite doesn't potentially stall your cycle.

 

[nerdelish]

Well my nitrites.must've been through the roof. I ended up doing two 50% changes and one 66% change before I got down to a reading below 5 ppm. Now at .5 ppm. Thanks for the help.

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