I am doing a fishless cycle in a 20g tall, current readings are amm 0, Nitrite 2.0 (ish hard to tell purples), and Nitrate 10. I am adding ~4 drops of ammonia every night and I am still testing at zero. My Nitrites do not seem to be budging, is my cycle stuck? Am I not adding ammonia often enough? Cycle has been going for about 3 weeks now. I do have two plants in the tank and a large piece of driftwood if that makes any difference. When I do add the ammonia nightly I can get it up to about 1.
Cycling Question - adding ammonia
- Thread starter akkitten
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
ejaramillo01
Aquarium Advice Addict
Based on your reading, the cycle is going in the right directions, looks like your colony of bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrites is going well.
Maybe 4 drops of ammonia are not enough for your 20G tank. If the Ammonia that you are using is ACE 10% concentration you will need aprox 3mililitres of ACE ammonia (10%) to reach 4ppm of ammonia in your tank....
Lets us know what kind of ammonia are you using...
Maybe 4 drops of ammonia are not enough for your 20G tank. If the Ammonia that you are using is ACE 10% concentration you will need aprox 3mililitres of ACE ammonia (10%) to reach 4ppm of ammonia in your tank....
Lets us know what kind of ammonia are you using...
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
You may have a nitrite stall going on. There are two things you can do:
1. Do a big PWC and redose with ammonia. If you google something like "fishless cycle ammonia calculator", you can find a calculator to help with the dosing amount.
2. I have a theory that seeding the tank with filter media from an established tank can break the nitrite stall. My thoughts are that even if you seeded the tank at the start, the nitrite-nitrate bacteria die from starvation while the ammonia-nitrite bacteria colonies get established. Adding some more established media would provide a new nitrite-nitrate bacteria colony.
At this point, it's just a theory. I haven't had the opportunity to test it yet.
Either way, I'm doubting that 4 drops of ammonia is enough. I think I was using 2 tbsp of ammonia to dose my 40B up to 2-3ppm.
1. Do a big PWC and redose with ammonia. If you google something like "fishless cycle ammonia calculator", you can find a calculator to help with the dosing amount.
2. I have a theory that seeding the tank with filter media from an established tank can break the nitrite stall. My thoughts are that even if you seeded the tank at the start, the nitrite-nitrate bacteria die from starvation while the ammonia-nitrite bacteria colonies get established. Adding some more established media would provide a new nitrite-nitrate bacteria colony.
At this point, it's just a theory. I haven't had the opportunity to test it yet.
Either way, I'm doubting that 4 drops of ammonia is enough. I think I was using 2 tbsp of ammonia to dose my 40B up to 2-3ppm.
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
What's wrong with dosing ammonia up to 1? You're converting all the ammonia overnight to 0, so I am unaware of an issue here...Then again, I'm one to add only a little ammo daily so it's slightly above 0 as opposed to dosing it up to 4ppm.
BigJim, as for your #2, I'd say your theory is most likely correct. 4 years ago when I did my first ever fishless cycle, my rItes were stalled for weeks. I went and bought BioSpira, which is "bacteria in a bag". The next day after I added, my rItes were 0. You can compare that bag to seed material. It works.
BigJim, as for your #2, I'd say your theory is most likely correct. 4 years ago when I did my first ever fishless cycle, my rItes were stalled for weeks. I went and bought BioSpira, which is "bacteria in a bag". The next day after I added, my rItes were 0. You can compare that bag to seed material. It works.
Yes, I am using the ammonia from ACE per all the recommendations on this site. When I first set it up my ammonia was off the chart so I did a pwc to bring the ammonia down to about 4. Tested it a minute ago and ammonia is at .25. I have been using the cap for the bottle for measuring and adding just enough to barely cover the bottom of the cap. I will increase it to 1/2 capful and see how that goes. I did google it like you said bigjim and it reads 1.59ml to bring it to 2.0, I thought thats where I wanted it was about 2.0. Now to figure out what I have that can measure in ml.
itsgracia
Aquarium Advice Addict
I wen to a local pharmacy and they gave me a free medicine dropper. Just a thought.
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
1.59ml is about a third of a teaspoon.
Durvish
Aquarium Advice Activist
Just about any local pharmacy will have little dropers that measure mL. That's where I got mine.
Durvish
Aquarium Advice Activist
Lol
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
The more ammonia you dose daily (no more than 4ppm), the more you can initially stock. That's why I recommend doing 4ppm.
I think BigJim has a good theory... it makes sense IMO.
I think BigJim has a good theory... it makes sense IMO.
Really? I thought by dosing heavier it would just take longer to cycle. I'm in no rush to stock it only because I can't figure out WHAT I am going to stock in it. So far it will be 7 glofish and some 4 skunk cory, still looking for a 'centerpiece' fish. Was thinking about gourami or american flagfish but the more research I do I'm not sure.
Durvish
Aquarium Advice Activist
Remember your growing bacteria. They reproduce faster than rabbits!
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Nitrifying bacteria, especially. They make the world go 'round.
Thanks for your help you guys! It worked...I upped the ammonia to bring it to about 4.0 for two days. The ammonia is still being consumed overnight! I added 1.59ml ammonia yesterday, tested this morning: ammonia 0, NO2 0, NO3 ~ 10. How long should I continue this before I consider the tank cycled?
Durvish
Aquarium Advice Activist
I wish the 4ppm on my new 35 gal. was getting eaten overnight! Patience sucks!
ejaramillo01
Aquarium Advice Addict
Akkitten you need to wait, the nitrites will spike soon, after that the Nitrates will start to build up.
Keep adding your 1.5 ml of ammonia daily, once you spike of nitrites start and then every 24 hours your readings are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and high nitrates then you will be cycled
Keep adding your 1.5 ml of ammonia daily, once you spike of nitrites start and then every 24 hours your readings are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and high nitrates then you will be cycled
Similar threads
