what does BB stand for? Ive never done fishless cycling. Ive always added fish a few at a time. Each time you add fish it increases the bio load and the system has to re-adjust back to equilibrium.
Gotcha. What are you using for the byproduct of organic material of decomposition?
The general guideline is to dose once in 24 hours even if you test sooner and the ammonia has dropped. You have some nitrites and nitrates too so it looks like you're doing well.
Cool. Just make sure you do water changes before adding fish. Extremely high concentrations of nitrates can be lethal to fish as well
Let me know how things go...id like to know, ive never tried that method. Ive always done the traditional cycling
So if it drops to 0ppm before the 24 hours is up, it is okay? I don't want to starve the beneficial bacteria.
I guess I'll wait to 8:34 tomorrow morning.
Are you sure the bacteria doesn't store off id I wait that long? I don't want to mess up.
Hello PATTYCAKES, I've just recently compleated my fishless cycle and I checked out books from the library and for a fishless cycle they all agree on 3 fish a week for the first four Weeks, then up to 5 at a time after the bb has built up even more from the first rounds of fish.
Actually you'll lose bacteria after the cycle. Dosing to 4 ppms of ammonia is way more than any fish could produce unless you massively overstocked the tank. The bacteria will adjust down to the fish in the tank, so right after the cycle your biofilter will be the strongest it'll ever be. I'd add the CPDs or corys first, test for a week, if levels are good then add the other (CPD or cory), then if levels continue to be ok add the gourami last and the shrimp and snails.