Side note I have also heard of bb dying and producing more ammonia therefore throwing the cycle into a crazy spin. I was told that if having problems throw some feeder fish in and see what the readings are in 3 days without adding ammonia but feeding the fish flakes. Im sure I will get corrected if this is off base.
Need some advice/help with my fishless cycling please
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Caliban07
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I heard this recently and it does seem very plausible. If you grow a colony of bacteria large enough to sustain a 4ppm dosing of ammonia then cut off or drastically reduce the food source to 0.5ppm some of the bacteria will die off to compensate which in turn would produce more ammonia, this would then result in more nitrites even though you haven't even dosed as much if any ammonia.
My other worry about dosing 4ppm ammonia from the start is that the heterotrophic and nitrosomonas bacteria are out competing the nitrobacter another reason why nitrites could stay high for some time until and equilibrium is achieved.
This is why IMO it is better to start from a low source and build up to 4ppm. This way it seems easier for the bacteria to reduce/increase it's numbers accordingly. I would be tempted to even use raw shrimp in a mesh bag to fish less cycle.
My other worry about dosing 4ppm ammonia from the start is that the heterotrophic and nitrosomonas bacteria are out competing the nitrobacter another reason why nitrites could stay high for some time until and equilibrium is achieved.
This is why IMO it is better to start from a low source and build up to 4ppm. This way it seems easier for the bacteria to reduce/increase it's numbers accordingly. I would be tempted to even use raw shrimp in a mesh bag to fish less cycle.
Ammo was at 0 after 24 hours, nitrates about 40, nitrites 5ppm+
did a 70, perhaps close to 80% change
Nitrites still high, its not as dark as before, and when i dropped the droplets in, it was blue at first then turned purple..before it would instantly turn purple. I think this is a good sign.
Dosing ammo to .5 and doing another 70-80% WC tomorrow.
did a 70, perhaps close to 80% change
Nitrites still high, its not as dark as before, and when i dropped the droplets in, it was blue at first then turned purple..before it would instantly turn purple. I think this is a good sign.
Dosing ammo to .5 and doing another 70-80% WC tomorrow.
1998golfer
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Sounds like the bacteria to convert nitrite to nitrate has not been founded yet. It is slower forming than the ammo->nitrite bacteria
if thats the case, i am wondering why my nitrates went from 10ppm(tap baseline) to 40ppm
1998golfer
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Just what it looks like to me...maybe just not as developed enough to keep up with the other
true.
I guess its back to the waiting game...if my nitrites spike again im just going to let it be this time and wait it out while dosing to 1ppm ammo.
1998golfer
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Yeah I'd just put in enough ammonia to keep that bacteria going until the nitrates spike and the nitrite bacteria is formed more
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
Keep changing water until nitrite is 0ppm light blue. Then dose 0.5ppm ammonia. Take it from the building up slowly
Just checked after 12 hrs
Ammo was at 1ppm last night and now virtually 0, has a hint of green
Nitirites off the charts again...
Not sure now where i should gonwith this..some ppl tell me to leave it and dose ammo until nitirite come down natrally..while others say keep doing water changes...
Decisions, decisions...as i posted before, i did a 90% wc yesterday and my nitritie was at 2ppm.
This is day 10
Ammo was at 1ppm last night and now virtually 0, has a hint of green
Nitirites off the charts again...
Not sure now where i should gonwith this..some ppl tell me to leave it and dose ammo until nitirite come down natrally..while others say keep doing water changes...
Decisions, decisions...as i posted before, i did a 90% wc yesterday and my nitritie was at 2ppm.
This is day 10
quick question, is it imporant for me to temperture match when i do a WC even thought i dont have fish?
Ive been just doing WC from tap without temp match (i would if i could, turns out my basement bathroom faucet is too small and need a adapter to fit onto phyton, so im using my hose in my garage)
I have been conditioning it with Prime as soon as i start refilling in tank
Ive been just doing WC from tap without temp match (i would if i could, turns out my basement bathroom faucet is too small and need a adapter to fit onto phyton, so im using my hose in my garage)
I have been conditioning it with Prime as soon as i start refilling in tank
Masha
Aquarium Advice FINatic
BB reproduces more slowly in cold water, but I think it has to be pretty darn cold for a water change to make a dent.
I temperature-match out of sheer habit, whether there are fish or not.
I temperature-match out of sheer habit, whether there are fish or not.
o ok
my tap is prob low to mid 70s, i crank up the heater once water is in right away.
time to wait...
quick update, ammo at 2ppm gets converted to 0 in 24 hours consistently over last few days.
Nitrite still showing 5ppm
BUT...now when i add the nitirite drops, they do not turn purple right away. they stay blue, i shake it, turns clear blue and after a minute it turns to the 5ppm color. Before as soon as the drops hit the bottom they turn purple. I guess this is a sign of progress?
Should I just not dose any ammo today? Skip a dose to let the nitrite eating bacteria play a ltitle catch up?
Nitrite still showing 5ppm
BUT...now when i add the nitirite drops, they do not turn purple right away. they stay blue, i shake it, turns clear blue and after a minute it turns to the 5ppm color. Before as soon as the drops hit the bottom they turn purple. I guess this is a sign of progress?
Should I just not dose any ammo today? Skip a dose to let the nitrite eating bacteria play a ltitle catch up?
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would do exactly that 
then when nitrites come down even after 2 days I would dose 2.5ppm.
then when nitrites come down even after 2 days I would dose 2.5ppm.It took me 18 days to fishless cycle my 10g tank using pure household ammonia. Once the nitrites were skyhigh I just left it until my nitrAtes were over 80 on the API test kit before doing any water changes. I only had to do 2 water changes... nitrites were still unreadable (high) but the nitrAtes were down to 20ish.
I then kept feeding 3 drops of ammonia (using an eyedropper) per day until both my ammonina and nitrites were reading 0 for 3 days in a row. My nitrAtes never went higher than 20 again, but I have live plants....
I then kept feeding 3 drops of ammonia (using an eyedropper) per day until both my ammonina and nitrites were reading 0 for 3 days in a row. My nitrAtes never went higher than 20 again, but I have live plants....
I would do exactly that
I am envious of your 18 day cycle. I am naturally a bit imaptient but I want my fish to have a safe home so im putting up with the waiting. Ive been having dreams everynight of a fully stocked tank, dreaming of myself feeding and watching my cichlids swim happliy around.
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