Weird fishless cycle

[ocean]

About two and a half weeks ago started a fishless cycle on a 20 long. didn't get to excited about testing every day, done this before so I know the time frame varies. Sunday my readings were; amm 2, dosed amm back up to 4, nitrites were 5+ and nitrates were 80. Didn't test again untill tonight, readings, amm o, nitrites 1 and nirates o. Redid the nitrates test thinking I made a mistake, results were the same o. I have done fishless cycles before and never once had o for nitrates. I just dosed the amm again, will check in an hour or so to see what the amm reads. Seems weird I have no nirates. Quess I should have tested more often but ya can't hurry up a fishless cycle and I'm not in a hurry.

 

[ocean]

About two and a half weeks ago started a fishless cycle on a 20 long. didn't get to excited about testing every day, done this before so I know the time frame varies. Sunday my readings were; amm 2, dosed amm back up to 4, nitrites were 5+ and nitrates were 80. Didn't test again untill tonight, readings, amm o, nitrites 1 and nirates o. Redid the nitrates test thinking I made a mistake, results were the same o. I have done fishless cycles before and never once had o for nitrates. I just dosed the amm again, will check in an hour or so to see what the amm reads. Seems weird I have no nirates. Quess I should have tested more often but ya can't hurry up a fishless cycle and I'm not in a hurry.

And I use the API test kits.

 

[alex07]

About two and a half weeks ago started a fishless cycle on a 20 long. didn't get to excited about testing every day, done this before so I know the time frame varies. Sunday my readings were; amm 2, dosed amm back up to 4, nitrites were 5+ and nitrates were 80. Didn't test again untill tonight, readings, amm o, nitrites 1 and nirates o. Redid the nitrates test thinking I made a mistake, results were the same o. I have done fishless cycles before and never once had o for nitrates. I just dosed the amm again, will check in an hour or so to see what the amm reads. Seems weird I have no nirates. Quess I should have tested more often but ya can't hurry up a fishless cycle and I'm not in a hurry.

You probably starved the bacteria since who knows how long the ammo has been at 0. Just continue with your cycle

 

[ocean]

I will, quess I better check it at least once a day! I always got so inpatient before, now I got to lax!! lol

 

[alex07]

I will, quess I better check it at least once a day! I always got so inpatient before, now I got to lax!! lol

I feel you lol, you should test the water more often and have patience.

 

[ocean]

Well I will from now on, testing the water that is!!! Lol

 

[librarygirl]

If you had 1 ppm of ammonia in the tank when you tested and it never got to 0 and stayed there for a while I don't think you starved them at all. I'm not sure why nitrates went down on their own though; they usually rise. The only way nitrates leave the aquarium are through water changes and/or live plants using them up (or something called denitrification but that usually isn't noticeable if it happens), so I'm not sure why they are showing less if ammonia is dropping and nitrites are rising. I'd chalk it up to a bad test but you redid it and got the same result. For now, just continue with the cycle. Check at least ammonia every day and if it gets less than .5 make sure you redose.

 

[alex07]

If you had 1 ppm of ammonia in the tank when you tested and it never got to 0 and stayed there for a while I don't think you starved them at all. I'm not sure why nitrates went down on their own though; they usually rise. The only way nitrates leave the aquarium are through water changes and/or live plants using them up (or something called denitrification but that usually isn't noticeable if it happens), so I'm not sure why they are showing less if ammonia is dropping and nitrites are rising. I'd chalk it up to a bad test but you redid it and got the same result. For now, just continue with the cycle. Check at least ammonia every day and if it gets less than .5 make sure you redose.

His ammo went down to 0 during the days he didn't test the water

 

[ocean]

If you had 1 ppm of ammonia in the tank when you tested and it never got to 0 and stayed there for a while I don't think you starved them at all. I'm not sure why nitrates went down on their own though; they usually rise. The only way nitrates leave the aquarium are through water changes and/or live plants using them up (or something called denitrification but that usually isn't noticeable if it happens), so I'm not sure why they are showing less if ammonia is dropping and nitrites are rising. I'd chalk it up to a bad test but you redid it and got the same result. For now, just continue with the cycle. Check at least ammonia every day and if it gets less than .5 make sure you redose.

Sunday amm tested 2 so dosed it back up to 4, and I didn't test again til tonight, amm was 0, ect. Wasn't expecting amm to drop to zero so soon! I haven't done any water changes, just top off the water and I don't have plants. I'll test after I get home from work tomarrow and see what the readings are. All my test kits are new also.

 

[librarygirl]

His ammo went down to 0 during the days he didn't test the water

Oh, you're right sorry, read the numbers wrong, it was 1 nitrite. My bad. You still might not have starved them totally if it was only 3 days they haven't been "fed," but I'd start testing nightly now So yeah just dose ammonia again and keep testing daily and redose ammonia when it gets to <.5 (this might be nightly now); nitrites should start to rise on you which means you're about halfway there! Thanks for catching my error Alex!

 

[alex07]

Oh, you're right sorry, read the numbers wrong, it was 1 nitrite. My bad. You still might not have starved them totally if it was only 3 days they haven't been "fed," but I'd start testing nightly now So yeah just dose ammonia again and keep testing daily and redose ammonia when it gets to <.5 (this might be nightly now); nitrites should start to rise on you which means you're about halfway there! Thanks for catching my error Alex!

It's ok, I've been having a lot of those lately.

 

[eco23]

Hang on....so the ammonia was at 2ppm Sunday...had you added any between the time you first started cycling and Sunday? Are you using the API liquids or strip tests?

Beneficial bacteria will not die off in 3 days. Even of it did (which it won't), nitrAtes don't disappear unless, like Librarygirl said, you're removing them through water changes or plants are absorbing them.

If I'm understanding correctly, this has to be a testing error.

If the ammonia was added 2 weeks ago, it was 2ppm on Sunday (without having added anymore), then it was zero today... the beneficial bacteria is still converting. In fact, it's converting well if it dropped 2ppm in 3 days.

Something is funny with both the no2 and no3 test... The no2 can't spike up to 5+ppm if it's only dropped 2ppm (I'm assuming you started at 4ppm?), and it won't begin dropping until you're further into your cycle and the nitrItes have been present for some time. And again...nitrAtes don't go down except from pwc's or plants. So either they were never there to begin with...or the test is wrong now.

All this is assuming I'm understanding correctly that you hadn't added anymore ammonia since you started...and it still tested positive on Sunday. Even then...the fact it's still dropping ammonia shows the beneficial bacteria is alive and well.

If you're using the API strips...try to pick up a liquid master test kit. If you're using the liquids...make sure you're following the directions in the booklet (doing lots of shaking and having it sit out 5 minutes)...don't just follow the instructions on the bottle.

 

[ocean]

Yes I added amm every time it dropped below 4. I didn't test every day, bad me. I tested every 2-3 days, amm would stay about at 4, if lower I dosed back up to 4. Nitrites and nitrates were climbing. After sundays testing I dosed amm back up to 4, it was at 2, nitrites were 5+ and nitrates were 80. That's way I was surprised when I test today (Wednesday) amm 0, nitrites 1 and nitrates 0. I use the liquid kits, did no water changes, just topped of the tank. I dosed amm up to 4 a few hours ago, I will test my water and see what the test results now.

 

[eco23]

Yes I added amm every time it dropped below 4. I didn't test every day, bad me. I tested every 2-3 days, amm would stay about at 4, if lower I dosed back up to 4. Nitrites and nitrates were climbing. After sundays testing I dosed amm back up to 4, it was at 2, nitrites were 5+ and nitrates were 80. That's way I was surprised when I test today (Wednesday) amm 0, nitrites 1 and nitrates 0. I use the liquid kits, did no water changes, just topped of the tank. I dosed amm up to 4 a few hours ago, I will test my water and see what the test results now.

Cool, before I forget to mention it...make sure you are keeping a close eye on pH and testing it just as often.

So I understand...there would not have been a period of more than 2-3 days (your testing frequency) where the tank potentially had no ammonia, right? If I understand correctly, there's no problems here.

The best experiment you can do right now......measure your pH, ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte right now, then at this time tomorrow test them again and report back what you find.

Honestly I don't think anything is wrong. I think a test was screwy somewhere...but I don't see any cause for concern. In my experience, beneficial bacteria doesn't begin to have any significant die-off until around a week with no food source (ammonia, nitrIte).

Just triple check you're doing all the tests right (according to the booklet).

 

[ocean]

I always kept amm dosed at 4 when it dropped. That's why I was surprised it was 0 wesnesday night. Sunday it was 2 but I dosed it back up to 4. Now for the test results...drum roll please......amm 3-4, hard to tell, nitrires 2 and nitrates 0 or 10....depending if I use the new kit, which reads 0, my old kit reads 10!!!! I quess I just grabbed one and didn't pay attention to which one I was using!!! Now what? Go buy another nitrate test I quess. The old has to be at least three years old. And my pH is around 8.3, I know my water is hard. Sorry about making a deal out of my nitrates.......hiding

 

[eco23]

I always kept amm dosed at 4 when it dropped. That's why I was surprised it was 0 wesnesday night. Sunday it was 2 but I dosed it back up to 4. Now for the test results...drum roll please......amm 3-4, hard to tell, nitrires 2 and nitrates 0 or 10....depending if I use the new kit, which reads 0, my old kit reads 10!!!! I quess I just grabbed one and didn't pay attention to which one I was using!!! Now what? Go buy another nitrate test I quess. The old has to be at least three years old. And my pH is around 8.3, I know my water is hard. Sorry about making a deal out of my nitrates.......hiding

No biggie. The fact ammo is dropping to zero after you've been dosing it up is a good sign that everything is on track. You've definitely got conversion, and are probably close to halfway home.

I definitely think you had a false no2 result as well. I cant see it spike to 5+ only to be dropping at this point of your cycle. That'd be nice...but I don't think you're there yet. But regardless, just keep doing what you're doing. I think Librarygirl had it nailed on her first post.

Make sure for the nitrAte test you're shaking the #2 bottle for a full 30 seconds, the entire solution for a full minute, let it sit for 5 minutes and record results then. If it's not done like that exactly, you get results all over the board.

So, now that you've got current results...check them around 24 hours from now and let us know what the levels are.

If you haven't seen it, check out the guide in my signature . Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ocean]

Sorry I have posted test results I've been sick. Here's my test results:

Friday morning;
Amm 0
Nitrites 2
Nitrates 10

Dosed amm back up to 4, Friday evening;
Amm 0
Nitrites 2
Nitrates 10

Saturday morning:
Amm 0 ( dosed amm to 4)
Nitrites 2
Nirates 10

Saturday afternoon and evening ( dosed Amm to 4 each time I got a 0 reading)
Amm 0
Nitrites 2
Nitrates 10

What's going on.....! I've done quite a few fishless cycles and never had readings like this! Seems like I stuck in the middle of the cycle. Thinking about doing a 50% or larger water change in the morning. Not sure what else to do at this point. This is nuts!

 

[librarygirl]

Hm...Nitrite should be getting higher and nitrate should be rising as well. The fact that ammonia is dropping to 0 is very good though. (only dose once in 24 hours; even if you test twice per day and ammonia is 0 after 12 hours, just dose at the 24 hour mark). You could do a pwc, it won't hurt anything. I'm still not sure anything is very wrong, but maybe Eco can elaborate more.

 

[ocean]

Tested gain this morning and the same results, Amm 0, Nitrites 2 and Nitrates 10. I will hold off on dosing Amm. for 12 hours and see what happens, will hold off on the water change also. I'm starting to get very lmpatience!!! I know I'm doing all the test right but will take a sample of water to my LFS today. Hope they don't use the strips! Lol

Should have said will dose Amm again in 24 hours.

 

[ocean]

Finally I have amm 0 (has been reading 0 for quite a while), nitrites 0 and nitrates 20! Seemed like my aquarium was at a stand still for a while, or I was in a hurry to get the fishless cycle done! The nitrites spiked so high I couldn't read them on the chart, ended up doing two large water changes back to back last weekend to bring it down. Since then I cut the amm back for a reading of 2-3, and tonight no nitrites! Going to keep dosing amm and keep testing for a few days before I add any live stock. I've waited this long a few more days won't hurt! Want to thank everyone who helped me out! Thank you!!!