One more cycle question

[Ronlezah]

I've been doing a fishless cycle using pure ammonia for over three weeks. I check my levels daily sometimes twice a day (my wife thinks I have issues). Anyway, for days I've been making sure to dose my ammonia level to as close to 4ppm as I can get. Within 24 hours, ammonia reads zero. Nitrites & nitrates have been so high I've needed to do 2 pwc just to be able to read them. A few days ago I decided not to add my daily dose of ammonia and within 36 of the last ammonia dose, nitrites went to 0ppm. I then dosed ammonia to 4 and ammonia went to zero within 24 hours but nitrites again took closer to 36 hours to read zero.
Should I continue to dose ammonia to 4ppm until both ammonia and nitrites drop to zero within 24 hours or is 36 hours for nitrites to drop to 0 good enough?
...I don't mind waiting

 

[Mrc8858]

You wanna wait until you always read 0 on trites

 

[Ronlezah]

Just so I'm clear, if I dose ammonia up to 4ppm, regardless of how long I wait to test the water I should show no signs of nitrites?

 

[Mrc8858]

Correct..once your BB is fully established your nitrate producing bacteria will eat the nitrites as fast as they are made

 

[Ronlezah]

Correct..once your BB is fully established your nitrate producing bacteria will eat the nitrites as fast as they are made

Thank you, that's what I needed to know.

 

[cerulean_blue]

You wanna wait until you always read 0 on trites

If you don't mind waiting that is certainly the way to go. If you are anxious, you can wait till nitrates are low and keep up with weekly water changes.

 

[Mrc8858]

If you don't mind waiting that is certainly the way to go. If you are anxious, you can wait till nitrates are low and keep up with weekly water changes.

Nitrates yes but nitrites are very bad for your fish...any time you detect even the slightest amounts in your tank you need to do an immediate water change if your stocked already

 

[Ronlezah]

Nitrates yes but nitrites are very bad for your fish...any time you detect even the slightest amounts in your tank you need to do an immediate water change if your stocked already

I'm taking your advice and just added more ammonia to 4ppm (both levels were at 0ppm when I got home but it had been close to 36 hours since the last time I added ammonia to 4ppm). I'll check it again later this evening and tomorrow morning. I'm sure I'll notice my ammonia reading go down pretty quick and with any luck, nitrites will remain at 0.

 

[Mrc8858]

Good luck and hope your test tube is light blue ; )

 

[NyteGTI]

remember that 4ppm is a BIG mealfor the BB. if the BB is eating 4PPM in 36 hrs it's a pretty strong bacteria colony. Unless you're planning to fully stock your tank in one purchase you're cycled enough to start adding. try dosing to 2 PPM(more realistic for the avg aquarist) & if they eat that in 24 hrs you're definitely good to go.

 

[Mrc8858]

remember that 4ppm is a BIG mealfor the BB. if the BB is eating 4PPM in 36 hrs it's a pretty strong bacteria colony. Unless you're planning to fully stock your tank in one purchase you're cycled enough to start adding. try dosing to 2 PPM(more realistic for the avg aquarist) & if they eat that in 24 hrs you're definitely good to go.

True but always better to be overkill then not enough especially if you add any fish that are delicate to water quality.. last thing you want are small nitrIte readings from a "mini cycle"

 

[Mrc8858]

So how did the test go anyways..if I had to guess I'd say your done today..hope im right

 

[Ronlezah]

So how did the test go anyways..if I had to guess I'd say your done today..hope im right

Thanks for asking. I checked Around 6:00am this morning (about 11 hours after I added the ammonia) and ammonia showed 0 ppm but nitrite was around 1ppm. I'm sure they'll both be at zero when I get home (within 24hours of adding ammonia) I was thinking I'd add ammonia to 4ppm one last time then do my 90% water change tomorrow night and look to add my first fish on Saturday.

 

[spoonman]

Only do a big enough water change to get the nitrAtes down less than 10.