New aquarium ammonia

[cjhorn85]

Hey all,

Just received my first aquarium, and looking for a little advice on some issues.

So, the tank has been up and running now for nearly 2 weeks. I was given a donated sponge from a friend who has an established aquarium (2+ years) and used it on about a third of my sponge filter. The idea is that this would naturally provide some of the bacteria to start off the nitrogen cycle.

In the last few days I have added plants and such as well. No fish yet, but this is where I need some help. I understand the donated sponge should speed up the fishless cycle, but I want to know how much. I've been doing regular testing of the water using the API test kit, and I've been constantly getting zero nitrites, around 0 - 5ppm (maximum) nitrates, and 0.25ppm ammonia. My tap water naturally has this amount of ammonia in it, as I've tested it as well.

So, I guess my query is this - Is getting the ammonia down just a case of waiting? If I added some of the "bacteria in a bottle" would that damage the bacteria on the donated sponge? If I leave the sample for a couple of hours, the ammonia comes down to zero, just not in the 5mins stated. Should I consider adding fish at this point?

I've got an emotional 5 year old that's already attached to this aquarium, so I really want to avoid killing fish where possible!!

Thanks for the advice all!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Hi.

Are you dosing any ammonia?

Your beneficial bacteria need an ammonia source as a food source to grow.

In a fishless cycle this comes from either pure ammonia (bleach), ammonium chloride, fishfood, or cocktail shrimps. The idea is to dose to keep dosing to 2ppm ammonia and once that can cycle out to 0ppm ammonia and nitrite in 24 hours you are cycled. This typically takes 4 to 6 weeks. Advantage is your tank is cycled fully before you put in fish. Disadvantage, you are staring at an empty tank for a few weeks.

In a fish in cycle the ammonia comes from fish waste. You stock lightly and maintain safe water parameters with regular water changes. Once your system can maintain safe water parameters with out water changes you are cycled for your current stock and can increase a little. Rinse and repeat until fully stocked. Each stage and increase in stocking typically takes 1 or 2 weeks, and you can be several months between starting and having a fully stocked tank. Advantage is you get some fish right away. Didadvantage, fish are living in small amounts of ammonia until you are cycled.

So yes, its a waiting game. Either way you need ammonia in the system.

The filter you added should be full of good bacteria, and as long as the sponge doesnt dry out it will live several weeks with no food source. Adding bottled bacteria wont harm what you already have, but it might not actually do anything good either. Those products are a bit hit and miss.

A strong cycle will bring down small amounts of ammonia quite quickly, but unless you have a high pH small amounts of ammonia is reasonably harmless.

I would make a decision on how you want to proceed, fishless or fish in, and then we can advise further. Either way the established sponge filter should speed things up assuming the bacteria was kept alive.

 

[fishwonder]

Along with the good info above, click here for information on cycling your filter/tank for your new aquarium.