Overdosed with ammonia--help!

[harpreno]

I am fishless cycling a 10 gallon tank, and was feeding the little ammonia critters about 100 ml of dollar store ammonia to get 4 ppm. I ran out, bought some from a different store, and with 100 ml shot my ammonia through the roof.

I immediately did a 90% water change and then some, and it's down to 8 ppm now, so I'm changing water again. Question is, even though I got to it right away, did I kill all my beneficial bacteria?

Sigh. Thanks.

 

[coralbandit]

With no fish stop changing water!
You didn't kill anything IMO.
What is your install plan?
My fishless cycle says dose enough ammonia to get 4ppm , everyday until nitrites show?
This could in some cases be 7 days (easy) which yields 28ppm?

 

[harpreno]

Thank you!

 

[coralbandit]

The method I learned was ammonia to 4 ppm everyday till nitrites showed.
Never even bother testing ammonia after you know how much for 4ppm.
After 5 days start testing for nitrites.
When nitrites show only dose 1/2 the amount of ammonia to get 4ppm every fourth day.
Testing on day four for both ammonia and nitrite.
If one is still registered then dose 2ppm ammonia again and start the 4 day clock over.
When both are zero then you hit the tank with 2-4 ppm dose of ammonia and start the clock!
If you are zero after 24 hours for both then HUGE water change to get nitrAtes to safe(less then 20ppm) and stock fully!!!!

 

[harpreno]

Before the ammonia overdose

I was almost cycled! Ammonia was disappearing every day, nitrites were down to about .25, and then we left town for a couple of days. The fish sitter gave a dose of ammonia to my (fishless) tank just to keep things going. I was running out of ammonia, and brought another brand home from my trip. It was obviously not as diluted as the dollar store brand, and so when I gave the usual daily maintenance dose today, it was way, way too much.

Thanks for the reassurance that I didn't kill all my bacteria. We'll see tomorrow what shape they are in!

 

[harpreno]

Whew! The critters are still there.

The gods are smiling! The ammonia is disappearing again, and the other nitrite-eating bugs are producing nitrates, although all that excitement must have slowed them down, because instead of nearly zero nitrites, they're up to about 5 ppm again. But they're there.