Help Me Fishless Cycle

[PBirdsong]

I may just be REAL impatient, but I started fishless cycling last week and even now my test kit barely shows any ammonia. Not even .25ppm. I'm cycling with a piece of shrimp from the store and I have also dropped two small shrimp pellets in the water to dissolve. Is there anything else I should be doing?

 

[greenmaji]

you could try adding inorganic ammonia untill the decoposition takes hold.. (there is a bacteria that has to develop to convert the decomposed material into ammonia and that is what your likely waiting for) HTH

 

[PBirdsong]

Gotcha. Thanks.

I wish it would hurry up!

 

[malkore]

actually the process that creates ammonia shouldn't take long. you either don't have enough dead shrimp, or your test kit is wrong (probably the former though).
I'd add some raw, unscented, non-sudsing ammonia, until you hit 4-5ppm

maybe once you get that up, the shrimp will be decomposing quick enough to maintain the necessary levels.

 

[PBirdsong]

Well, I have a theory. It looks like the shrimp is starting to break down now. The outer skin is getting foggy and is definately decomposing.
When I filled the tank I didn't do anything to the water. So the chlorine was still active for another 24 to 48 hours which would have prevented any bacteria growth. Even the bacteria that helps to break down that annoying piece of shrimp.

Anybody see any holes in my "theory"?

 

[greenmaji]

you might have chlorimide in your water and it wont gass out..

 

[PBirdsong]

Good Point. I'll treat the water right now.

 

[greenmaji]

let us know how it goes.. Im actually intrested in how much ammonia you get out of the shrimp and the couple of pellets once the chlorine or chlorimide is nutrialized (maybe youll start getting a reading on the ammonia here in a day or so..) if you can get 3ppm+ I might try it..

 

[PBirdsong]

Tested the water today and hardly got a reading on the ammonia. I know the test kit is good, so I have resorted to Biozyme. Started it today.

I want to cycle my tank as quickly as possible. The folks come out to visit in a few weeks.

 

[sciencegirl]

Adding store-bought pure ammonia will kick start it - it took me about 2 or 3 weeks to cycle our 10 gal tank using pure stuff.

 

[TygGer]

What do you have the temperature set at? Try setting it at 82F.

Are you aerating the tank? I believe oxygenating the tank will help speed up baterical growth.

Did you peel the shell off of the shrimp? If not, you should do so...

If you're now just adding water conditioner, don't use Amquel as it will neutralize ammonia. A basic dechlorinator should work fine.

The ammonia and nitrite phase should be pretty quick, its the nitrite to nitrate part that will take some time. Good luck!

 

[Zagz]

I also used pure ammonia and with the advice of the people on this site, did a fishless cycle in 15 days. Go for the ammonia.

 

[greenmaji]

the use of a non ammonia neutralizing water conditioner might be wise but you still might have had chlorimides so oding the water conditioner would have not been too wise. for some reason prime is suppose to be safe for the cycle were amqel is not.. and I have no idea why.
I like the idea of using food or shrimp to get the bacteria that convert decaying matter into ammonia in the tank as well as the other bacterias that you wouldnt get with strait ammonia. I would both the pure ammonia and the shrimp/food.. HTH

 

[PBirdsong]

Today's test.
PH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm

I'm curious as to why my PH is so high. Is that a part of cycling? My girlfriend's tank did the same thing during its cycle. If I do go with putting pure ammonia in, how much should I add for a 55?
If this doesn't work I am going back to fish cycling.

 

[TygGer]

I've always used the shrimp method. Just drop and forget, no need to add ammonia everyday. I'm sure if you search online, you can find the recommended dosage.

7.8 does not sound too high. What does your tap measure?

If the one shrimp you added isn't adding enough ammonia, you can drop in another raw shrimp.

 

[greenmaji]

The denitrifing acids bring the PH down after the cycle is over.. have you compared the PH of your tapwater to your g/f's tank?

 

[PBirdsong]

Yeah, it's almost identical. Her tank is at 7.0 and the tap tests at 7.2 (last time I checked).
Well I am using the Biozyme now, but I have NOT removed the shrimp. Maybe I'll add another. It IS a 55 gallon with a ten gallon sump. That's 65 gallons of water . . . if I remember my math correctly

 

[greenmaji]

have you tested your tap water after letting it set out? The Ph will likely be higher then strait out of the tap (tap water has disolved CO2 in it)

 

[mishi8]

I'm curious as to why my PH is so high. Is that a part of cycling? My girlfriend's tank did the same thing during its cycle. If I do go with putting pure ammonia in, how much should I add for a 55?
If this doesn't work I am going back to fish cycling.

I have found, with both fishy cycling and fishless cycling, that the pH does tend to go up during the early stages of the cycle, and then will fall as the KH is consumed. The pH can fall quite a bit over time. Keep an eye on both levels. If you see pH go too low below 7, it can stall the cycling process...KH (and thus pH) can be raised with some sodium bicarbonate (baking soda.) In my current fishless cycle (20 gal), my pH when up to around 8.2, and is now about 7.8...it should settle at about 7.6 once my cycle is complete (hopefully just a matter of days.)

HTH,
Mishi8

 

[greenmaji]

The cycling prosss isnt stalled untill the PH drops down below 5