Am I Fishless Cycling Right?

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Fishperson said:
Of course I would dechlorinate the water first if there were fish in there! :lol:
Ok, thats good that I didn't mess anything up. I was told to add the water, then dechlorinate when cycling. Apparently it keeps the tank sterile or something.
:confused:
Click to expand...

Some reccomend running the tank with chlorinated with to sterilize it for an hr or so. Then add your dechlorinator to the water...
 
Ok, I tested at 3PM and i got ~2.5 for ammonia. I may have misread it last time. I told you that the temperature has stayed between 82 and 86, but I had the heater on 82 and the strip thermometer i have says it was 86! So I put the heater on 76 and when i got home today, it was above 88! Is my heater messed up, or my thermometer? and if it is my thermometer, can I use any mercury thermometer (washed, without soap)?
And my heater is by the company called "All Glass Aquarium" and it is their 100 watt heater.
 
the same thermometer i have had now says the temp is 90. I am scared, that doesnt seem right!
 
Ok, I added a mercury thermometer last night, and the temperature was above 90! I unplugged the heater this morning and at 330 it is at 80. My ammonia results are still just below 3. I think I messed up one of the tests.
 
Honestly, that could of killed you're fish. You should never let the temperature drop 10 degrees over night. It can kill you're fish. Also, the higher the temperature, the more it is toxic. But i wouldn't think it would ruin any of the testing:?
 
Nitrifying bacteria will die around 120 farenheit. You should be ok. Keep in mind that this process usually takes between 3-5 weeks with no seeded media. You shouldn't see much going on for a while. Just keep dosing with ammonia testing daily. In about 5 days you can start testing nitrite and see if they have shown up. I have done 6 fishless cycles so far. When your nitrites start getting high do a ph test. If it is a lot lower than normal do a water change to replenish some of the minerals
 
Thanx wolfsblood. FISHANATIC, I AM DOING A FISHLESS CYCLE!!!!!!!
If I had fish in there I wouldnt let it go to 90, it would stay at 78, and I wouldnt let it drop 10 degrees overnight either. But there are NO FISH IN THERE!
 
Fishperson said:
Thanx wolfsblood. FISHANATIC, I AM DOING A FISHLESS CYCLE!!!!!!!
If I had fish in there I wouldnt let it go to 90, it would stay at 78, and I wouldnt let it drop 10 degrees overnight either. But there are NO FISH IN THERE!
Click to expand...
Oh okay, then that's fine.
 
when i got home today I tested for ammonia at about 4PM. it was around three again. I put in a new heater. it is made by topfin and it is 50watt
 
My thermometer won't stick to the wall of my tank, every few hours it falls off. I am going to get a new one today.
 
Ok, got my new thermometer. the water is at 76 even though my heater is on as high as it will go! I think this heater is screwy too. Or maybe its not powerful enough. should i get a new one?
my ammonia is around 3, again. I think the temperature fluctuation killed all of the bb. What do you think? If so, should I get the ammonia back up to 5?
 
How long had the water heater been running? It may take a hrs/a day to reach the temp you set it up for.
 
The heater has been running on "high" since last night, or even longer ago. It is still on 75ish
 
yeah, probably.
Any recommendations for better heaters for a 20 gallon?
And do you think that the temperature changes have killed the bb?
 
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