bacteria cycling question?
- Thread starter itsstace
- 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.
eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
Welcome to the site 
. The no2 to no3 bacteria will be at a disadvantage because it is waiting for the first type of nitrifying bacteria to produce nitrItes so it can begin to colonize.
It does sound like you have some odd things happening though. What type of ammonia are you using to cycle the tank? How much and how quickly is it dropping the ammonia in a 24 hour period? What type of test kit are you using? Also, do you know your waters pH level?
. The no2 to no3 bacteria will be at a disadvantage because it is waiting for the first type of nitrifying bacteria to produce nitrItes so it can begin to colonize. It does sound like you have some odd things happening though. What type of ammonia are you using to cycle the tank? How much and how quickly is it dropping the ammonia in a 24 hour period? What type of test kit are you using? Also, do you know your waters pH level?
eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
Most likely the cycle has stalled either due to excessive no2, or the bacteria have used up the trace nutrients in the water. I'd do a fairly large (60-75%) pwc to restore those things, add in a small amount of finely ground up fish food and see if it gets things moving for you
eco23 said:Most likely the cycle has stalled either due to excessive no2, or the bacteria have used up the trace nutrients in the water. I'd do a fairly large (60-75%) pwc to restore those things, add in a small amount of finely ground up fish food and see if it gets things moving for you
I've read alot on this forum about this. I have actually done exactly the above 2days ago. I guess I just have to see what happens.
eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
itsstace said:
Are you 100% certain you are testing the nitrAtes correctly? iIt's notoriously common to be done wrong. Make sure you are shaking the #2 solution for a full 30 seconds, shake the entire solution for a solid minute, wait 5 minutes and record your result at that time. If that's not how you've been doing it...you'll be surprised with the actual reading.
eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
itsstace said:
It takes a while for the no2 to bottom out, but when it does...it's almost instant. I would probably recommend getting a second opinion on the nitrAte level though. I've seen API kits where there were bad batches of liquids, or sometime they do things like put two #2 solution bottles in the same kit. If you're dropping ammonia that fast and have high levels of no2, I'd expect to see some nitrAtes by now. If the second test agrees with yours...I'm afraid you'll just have to wait it out.
