Need advice: Currently doing a Fishless Cycle

[LoneStarVet]

Hi all... I'm currently doing a fishless cycle for a standard 10 gallon tank. I am using the Ammonia from Ace Hardware. I have the heater cranked up to 87 and I brought over some filter media, a bio bag and some fake plants from my 15 gallon column tank that's already established.

I started on the 25th of June so I know it hasn't been too long...

Last night my readings were:
Ph: 7.6
Ammonia: 5.0 PPM
Nitrites: 5.0 PPM
Nitrates: 40 PPM

Last night I reduced my drops of ammonia from 5 to 3. Was this correct? Everything seems to be going very quickly... I just want to know if what I am doing is correct...

Should I add 3 drops of ammonia until I get readings of 0 for both Ammonia and Nitrites?

I will do another water test tonight after I get my girls in bed.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Scottyhorse]

I would do a water change, a large one in fact. The Ammonia and Nitrite readings could be much higher than the chart reads, so it could be stalling the cycle.

 

[Mebbid]

Agreed with the water change. The ammonia doesn't need to be added until it drops below 4ppm. Even then you should only be dosing it back up to 4ppm.

 

[Coyne]

I found that when people use the term "drops" that they end up having trouble with their cycle. Do you have anything that can give you an accurate measurement? To get a 10 gallon tank from 0ppm to 4ppm ammonia it takes approximately 1.5 ml. I waited until it went back to 0ppm before re-dosing... Mainly to avoid the math.

 

[LoneStarVet]

Hi!

I've went off this formula but haven't really stuck to it...

mL of ammonia = 0.378 X (gal) X (ppm of ammonia/no3 desired) / (% of ammonia in solution)

So if I need to be dosing to 4.0 ppm than I should use... (.378 x 10 x 4) / .1 which should equal 1.512 ml of ammonia...

I'll do the water change

 

[LoneStarVet]

I have also been following the article on this page as well...


http://www.ehow.com/how_12051672_cycle-10-gallon-tank.html

 

[librarygirl]

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

To get ammonia to 4 ppm from 0 in a 10 gal with a concentration of about 10% ammonia solution you would need about 1.5 ml. So obviously it will be less if there is already ammonia in the tank. Have you been adding ammonia daily? Only add ammonia once the level drops below 2 and just add enough to get it up to 4 ppm. If ammonia levels are too high it can stall things too. What test kit are you using?

Nitrites are a good sign. How long have they been that high? Prolonged high nitrites can stall a cycle too, so if they've been 5 for a week or more, try doing a full water change (might take more than one if they are really high) to get them to a readable level on the chart (<2), then redose ammonia and see what happens.

 

[LoneStarVet]

Hi, sorry for the late response!! Its been a busy busy week.
Im using the API FW Master Kit.
Ive been doing as you have said and testing to see my numbers... Then dose with ammonia accordingly. Yesterday i ammonia had dropped from 4/5 down to .25 after 24 hours. So i dosed 1.5 ml of ammonia and got a reading of 4/5.0 ammonia. Ill see in a couple of hours what my readings are.