Hello there...

[pradeepcec]

Hello Guys, this is Pradeep from Nashua, NH in US. I have been a fish keeper since my childhood, although I wouldn't say I am expert but I have mostly kept fishes like Guppies, mollies, gold fishes, Koi, Pleco etc

I recently got a 20 gallon topfin tank, currently under fishless cycling, a week now since I started the cycle. Have few live plants already and I am using the tetra safe start method to do the cycle.

I also have a small NG 5 gallon waterfall tank, which had a betta in it, which died recently, so that tank too is now empty and I have started a new fishless cycle in that too. Planning to get some invertebrates in that.

Thank you.

 

[The camaro show]

welcome man you need a big tank have some fun!

 

[pradeepcec]

welcome man you need a big tank have some fun!

I would love to have one but since I stay in an apartment home, I am scared the floors are not strong enough to bear the weight But hopefully one day, when I move into my own house I will get a big one

Thanks anyway for the warm welcome

 

[pradeepcec]

Got this finally..

 

[Barliman]

Glad you could join us.

 

[pradeepcec]

Glad you could join us.

Thank you

 

[pradeepcec]

So this is todays Ammonia and Nitrite reading. If I read it correctly Ammonia is 4ppm and nitrite is 2ppm. Ammonia has not fallen much since I added it but I see increase in Nitrite level.

Is this correct? I did not check Nitrates yet.

 

[toolman]

That's about right, those color charts are so hard to read sometimes. Really doesn't matter the exact reading, just want to get to ammonia 0 & nitrite 0. Lol[emoji6] ...about 4weeks to go maybe?

Don't stress about it, but you'll be glad when it's over and you did it right.

 

[pradeepcec]

That's about right, those color charts are so hard to read sometimes. Really doesn't matter the exact reading, just want to get to ammonia 0 & nitrite 0. Lol[emoji6] ...about 4weeks to go maybe?

Don't stress about it, but you'll be glad when it's over and you did it right.

Hmm.. ok got it thank you

 

[pradeepcec]

So here is todays results.. I must say this is fun
I am sorry if this is boring for you guys but I am really enjoying this wait..
So I can see no change in the results but I can see nitrates as well.. not sure if I am reading it correctly but as per me this is what it is
Anmonia: 4ppm
Nitrite: 2-3ppm
Nitrate: 10-20ppm

 

[pradeepcec]

Also I forgot to say that I am actually running two tanks cycling parallely . One of them with TSS and one without.. so the above results is with TSS whereas in the tank without TSS nitrites are still 0.5ppm or less after same period..

 

[Barliman]

When fishless cycling, I generally aim for 1-2PPM ammonia, then wait until it hits zero to add more ammonia. You have a while to go, but patience is an aquarist's best friend. The fact you have nitrites shows the cycle is working.

 

[pradeepcec]

When fishless cycling, I generally aim for 1-2PPM ammonia, then wait until it hits zero to add more ammonia. You have a while to go, but patience is an aquarist's best friend. The fact you have nitrites shows the cycle is working.

Yes just waiting for that moment

 

[jfhrtn]

Welcome to the community. Looking like you got some nice progress so far. I am going through a fishless cycle myself in a 29 gallon. Did you use any starter bacteria? If you what kind did you go with?

 

[pradeepcec]

Welcome to the community. Looking like you got some nice progress so far. I am going through a fishless cycle myself in a 29 gallon. Did you use any starter bacteria? If you what kind did you go with?

Yes I used Tetra safe start in one of my tank and it is doing well compared to the other one which I have not used. Like I mentioned I added Ammonia of 4ppm and then after few hours I added about 10ml of Tetra Safe start liquid.

 

[jfhrtn]

Appreciate the info. Brain went blank last night and didn't put tss and safe start together haha. I have tried Stability and after 11 days I haven't seen any nitrites but a slow increase in nitrates. Thought about trying Dr. Tim's one and only or Safe Start if I don't see anything by day 20

 

[pradeepcec]

Appreciate the info. Brain went blank last night and didn't put tss and safe start together haha. I have tried Stability and after 11 days I haven't seen any nitrites but a slow increase in nitrates. Thought about trying Dr. Tim's one and only or Safe Start if I don't see anything by day 20

Yes it happens atleast for me this was the first time I am cycling a tank in my life. Previously when I was a child I used to have tanks but I was not aware of all this concepts and always ended up having dead fishes for first few months

But even this time, the first day after I setup my new tank I added TSS but did not add any ammonia and guess the bacteria were starved to death I only later realized that when I am adding TSS I need to add pure ammonia or some hardy fishes and I did not do both and hence ended up wasting a weeks time beforeI added ammonia and the process kicked in.

 

[jfhrtn]

I have an Ammonium Chloride solution from Dr. Tim and have been keeping the ammonia at 4ppm was up to 5ppm but it's back to 4ppm now finally. When I was young I also didn't realize that cycling process and ran into the same situation as you did. Now that I am aware of it I will always do it.

 

[pradeepcec]

I have an Ammonium Chloride solution from Dr. Tim and have been keeping the ammonia at 4ppm was up to 5ppm but it's back to 4ppm now finally. When I was young I also didn't realize that cycling process and ran into the same situation as you did. Now that I am aware of it I will always do it.

Sure. All the best

 

[jfhrtn]

I'm tuned in for the rest of the cycling process and the upcoming build/stocking process [emoji106]