Cycling fresh water tank

[Mamabear1280]

Hello! I have a tank everything is good but ammonia won't go down to turn in nitrate how can I help with that?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Hi mama bear. A few questions.

- How are you dosing ammonia? Do you have any idea the ppm you have added?
- How long have you been cycling? A couple of weeks to see ammonia turning to nitrite, and a further 2 to 4 weeks to see nitrites turning to nitrates is typical.

With regards speeding up the process.

- Putting some biological media or sponges from a cycled tank is the best way if you know someone who could give you some. Some gravel from a cycled tank will also help to a lesser extent.
- You can get beneficial bacteria in a bottle as well. Fluval Cycle or Dr Toms One and Only for example.

 

[Mamabear1280]

Hi mama bear. A few questions.

- How are you dosing ammonia? Do you have any idea the ppm you have added?
- How long have you been cycling? A couple of weeks to see ammonia turning to nitrite, and a further 2 to 4 weeks to see nitrites turning to nitrates is typical.

With regards speeding up the process.

- Putting some biological media or sponges from a cycled tank is the best way if you know someone who could give you some. Some gravel from a cycled tank will also help to a lesser extent.
- You can get beneficial bacteria in a bottle as well. Fluval Cycle or Dr Toms One and Only for example.

It's only been a week and a half and I haven't added anything but water conditioner when I first sat it up letting do its thing

 

[ZxC]

You'll have to wait it out, no way around it unless you have access to cycled media. Research fishless cycling.

 

[Mamabear1280]

Okay thank you. C:

 

[Aiken Drum]

You need a source of ammonia to get the cycle started to replicate fish waste and fuel the nitrogen cycle


The link describes the process for what is called a fishless cycle. I would recommend Dr Tims Ammonium Chloride rather than ammonia or fish food or shrimp.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/tips-and-tricks-for-your-fastest-fishless-cycle/

 

[gilpi]

Water conditioner alone is no going to do anything. A lot of folks here are into the fishless cycle, I’m sort of old school and just put in a fish or two, lightly feed it, do some partial water changes and let the filter do it’s thing. Takes about a couple of months for your filter to get “established” and never change the filter media, just slightly rinse it.

 

[fishwonder]

Just wait it out. Cycling a tank takes 3-8 weeks to complete.

 

[gilpi]

Can you tell us the type of filtering used?