Fishless cycling

[cbjfan75]

When doing a fishless cycle, when exactly do you do a water change?

 

[drm315]

When doing a fishless cycle, when exactly do you do a water change?

When the nitrites and nitrates are off the charts when testing - then a 50-60% water change.

 

[cbjfan75]

This constitutes a water change and dosing ammonia afterwards?

 

[drm315]

That gives a wonderful visual! Thanks you!

 

[cbjfan75]

Performed a 75% pwc on Tuesday. Dosed ammonia back to 4ppm. This is results today. Is this just a factor of pwc every/every other day until the Nitrites disappear?

 

[toolman]

Yes, once they and the ammonia are zero do a large water change and you should be good to go.

Sounds simple doesn't it, but maddeningly slow. Be patient could take 2 weeks or more.

 

[cbjfan75]

Now, I also have a smaller aquarium we are doing a fishless cycle on that the ammonia is taking forever to drop, however the Nitrites are 0 and the Nitrates are 40...

 

[cbjfan75]

Still quickly turning over the ammonia and showing high Nitrites. Today the Nitrates were through the roof. Hopefully that's a good sign that things are about to turn.

Now I'm starting to look for stocking ideas for this 29g. I've got a pretty good idea that I want some tetra of some sort (leaning towards lemons), several cories(looking at panda or sand's), and a show fish of some sort. Anyone have any good recommendations?

 

[cbjfan75]

Having worked a 24 hour shift yesterday I was unable to test. Today's results have me very excited!! Another week of dosing and getting these results I will feel super comfortable calling the tank cycled for a full stocking of fish.

 

[cbjfan75]

Yesterday after 48 hours had a test of 0, 0, 80.... Today, less than 24 hours after dosing ammonia back to 4ppm and no water change it was again 0,0,80. I do belive this one is ready for fish! Whenever I figure out what to put in it that is. [emoji3]

 

[cbjfan75]

No test yesterday but the aquarium was dosed with ammonia at about 7:00pm. A nitrite test at 11:00am this morning shows 0 nitrites.
Is dosing back to 4ppm just once a day sufficient until I'm able to go buy a full stock of fish?

 

[toolman]

Yes, I wouldn't buy a full tank of fish right away though. IMHO maybe 1/2 this week than add more each week (testing water in between) till full. Why subject them to ammonia or nitrites is your biological bacteria can't take it. You would probably be OK with all one shot but I'm overly cautious.

 

[cbjfan75]

Yes, I wouldn't buy a full tank of fish right away though. IMHO maybe 1/2 this week than add more each week (testing water in between) till full. Why subject them to ammonia or nitrites is your biological bacteria can't take it. You would probably be OK with all one shot but I'm overly cautious.

Thank you. I added back to 4ppm earlier today. I think I'm going shopping tomorrow. Never having done a fishless I've never known exactly how many or when to add fish.

 

[pradeepcec]

No test yesterday but the aquarium was dosed with ammonia at about 7:00pm. A nitrite test at 11:00am this morning shows 0 nitrites.
Is dosing back to 4ppm just once a day sufficient until I'm able to go buy a full stock of fish?

I am almost in the same stage as you. But I am seeing a pH drop to almost 6, 24 hours after topping up ammonia to 4ppm. Also I do see 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite with high nitrate. Whats your pH?

 

[cbjfan75]

I am almost in the same stage as you. But I am seeing a pH drop to almost 6, 24 hours after topping up ammonia to 4ppm. Also I do see 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite with high nitrate. Whats your pH?

My pH out of the tap is 8.2-8.4. I just tested all 4 parameters at 10am this morning after dosing back to 4ppm at 6pm last evening.
Results are:

pH - 8.0 steady from the last time I checked it on May 29th
ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate -80

Planning on a 50-75% water change this afternoon and adding fish.

Stocking plan is:

Pair of dwarf gourami
7 cherry barb
7 glow light or lemon tetra
6 sand's, bandit, or panda cory

 

[pradeepcec]

My pH out of the tap is 8.2-8.4. I just tested all 4 parameters at 10am this morning after dosing back to 4ppm at 6pm last evening.
Results are:

pH - 8.0 steady from the last time I checked it on May 29th
ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate -80

Planning on a 50-75% water change this afternoon and adding fish.

Stocking plan is:

Pair of dwarf gourami
7 cherry barb
7 glow light or lemon tetra
6 sand's, bandit, or panda cory

Thats great. All the best

 

[cbjfan75]

For the visual effect

 

[pradeepcec]

View attachment 300199

For the visual effect

Looks great I have to figure out a way to increase my pH. And since my pH is dropping to 6, I am seeing that the last traces of ammonia are staying and the ppm is not going to 0, probably because the bacteria is getting dormant at that acidic pH.

What substrate are you using?

 

[cbjfan75]

Looks great I have to figure out a way to increase my pH. And since my pH is dropping to 6, I am seeing that the last traces of ammonia are staying and the ppm is not going to 0, probably because the bacteria is getting dormant at that acidic pH.



What substrate are you using?

It is a blend of old(read used) flourite black sand and red rock and a bag or two of new Nat Geo black and white sand.

 

[cbjfan75]

My pH out of the tap is 8.2-8.4. I just tested all 4 parameters at 10am this morning after dosing back to 4ppm at 6pm last evening.
Results are:

pH - 8.0 steady from the last time I checked it on May 29th
ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate -80

Planning on a 50-75% water change this afternoon and adding fish.

Stocking plan is:

Pair of dwarf gourami
7 cherry barb
7 glow light or lemon tetra
6 sand's, bandit, or panda cory

Went with 7 cherry barb, 7 glow light, & 4 Skunk cory.
Nobody of the 4 LFS I went to in 2 cities had the other cories or a breeding pair of gourami.