CanadianSherry
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2016
- Messages
- 6
Hi guys,
I started a fish-less cycle on my 5.5 gallon on March 8. As of right now, it still hasn't completed cycling. My ammonia is 0 and nitrites are off the charts (and have been that way for 2-3 weeks now). They are so high that I am unable to get a nitrate reading. I've done water changes until I have gotten the nitrite levels under control but by the next morning they were sky high again.
I followed the directions on this website for doing a fish-less cycle and, initially, was dosing my tank with 4ppm ammonia every day. However, someone told me that this amount was too much for a small tank and for one fish (I plan to house a single betta only) and recommended that I only dose 1ppm daily, which I have been doing. My ammonia gets eaten up in less than 2 hours now. Is this amount of ammonia too low? Are the bacteria starving? Have I stalled my cycle?
Waiting for this tank to cycle is exhausting...I'm almost ready to give up and commit to frequent water changes.
Tank: 5.5 gallon
Temp: 85 degrees
Filter - Yes, bio-bag, no carbon
Air Stone - Yes
pH - 7.5
I have not treated with a water conditioner during the cycle - I have a drilled well and there is no chlorine in my water. Of course, when I add the fish, I will use Prime.
I started a fish-less cycle on my 5.5 gallon on March 8. As of right now, it still hasn't completed cycling. My ammonia is 0 and nitrites are off the charts (and have been that way for 2-3 weeks now). They are so high that I am unable to get a nitrate reading. I've done water changes until I have gotten the nitrite levels under control but by the next morning they were sky high again.
I followed the directions on this website for doing a fish-less cycle and, initially, was dosing my tank with 4ppm ammonia every day. However, someone told me that this amount was too much for a small tank and for one fish (I plan to house a single betta only) and recommended that I only dose 1ppm daily, which I have been doing. My ammonia gets eaten up in less than 2 hours now. Is this amount of ammonia too low? Are the bacteria starving? Have I stalled my cycle?
Waiting for this tank to cycle is exhausting...I'm almost ready to give up and commit to frequent water changes.
Tank: 5.5 gallon
Temp: 85 degrees
Filter - Yes, bio-bag, no carbon
Air Stone - Yes
pH - 7.5
I have not treated with a water conditioner during the cycle - I have a drilled well and there is no chlorine in my water. Of course, when I add the fish, I will use Prime.