Fishless Cycle Question

[mikeb]

I think we are getting close. I have been adding ammonia to the tank the past 20 days or so. I think one thing that has been killing me is that I have been traveling and not been able to add the ammonia regularly as it gets depleted.

I have been on top of it the past few days now. My ammonia is going from 4 ppm to almost 0 in a 24 hour period. Now I have approx. 1.0 ppm on Nitrites and my Nitrate level is around 40 ppm.

While I read the https://www.aquariumadvice.com/the-almost-complete-guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling/
It is saying to just keep juicing the tank up to 4 ppm of ammonia until the nitrites and nitrates go off the chart. IF that is the case I am not there yet.

Just looking for more clarity on if I am doing everything right. Trying to stay on the ammonia better to keep it juiced up. Thank you everyone!!

 

[Andy Sager]

Let me hopefully clarify some things for you.
The formation of the Biological filter ( the end product of the cycling process) is complete when you have the microbes that convert the ammonia into nitrites and the microbes that convert nitrite into nitrate. If you were to graph this process, it would look a Bactrian Camal ( the one with the 2 humps. ) When you start with no microbes you should have a test result of 0 for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Once you have an ammonia producer ( live fish, dead fish or an ammonia product) you will start to see the ammonia level rise ( the start of the first hump). Once you start producing enough microbes that convert ammonia into nitrite faster than the ammonia is being produced, this will be the apex ( top) of the first hump then you will see the ammonia level fall ( creating the other side of the hump) while the second hump ( the nitrite hump) will start to rise. This will continue to rise until the microbes that convert the nitrite into nitrates are abundant enough to convert the nitrites faster than they are being created by the first microbes and at that point, the Apex of the second hump, the nitrite level will start to fall creating the other side of the second hump and the nitrate level will start to rise. When you are completely cycled, it means there are enough microbes to convert all the ammonia and nitrites being produced into nitrate. So in a completed process on a graph, as the nitrate level rises, it will look like the neck of the camel with no head in front of the 2 humps.
Now, with all that said, the biological filter is a living breathing thing that grows and shrinks based on the level of ammonia present. You are correct that the absence of the continual ammonia has hampered your cycling.

So when you have a nitrate level as high as you do with a nitrite level as high as you do, you have to question the source of that nitrate. Nitrates that high should mean nitrites should be 0. Check your source water to confirm that there are no nitrates in it. If there are no nitrates in your source water, see if you can get a second nitrite test at a local shop to confirm your reading. IF your nitrite level is actually 0 and your ammonia level is 0 and your nitrate level is that high without it coming from your source water, your tank would be considered cycled but you would need to add a continual ammonia source to keep the tank cycled. Do a water change to lower those nitrates then add in your stock. If your nitrite reading is accurate, you will need to continue adding ammonia until your nitrite level reaches 0 before your tank will be cycled.

Hopefully this helps.

 

[Aiken Drum]

You dont need to be cycling out 4ppm of ammonia in 24 hours. Just dose to 2ppm and if that cycles out to zero ammonia and nitrite in 24 hours consider yourself cycled.

 

[mikeb]

Thank you for your in depth answer. I think we are close. I just do not want to kill any fish. I understand we might have some lose along the way, but just want to try and do it right on our first try.

 

[mikeb]

What about the Nitrates? Don't we need to eliminate those as well?

 

[Andy Sager]

What about the Nitrates? Don't we need to eliminate those as well?

Most fish can handle some nitrate in their water so you want to keep the nitrate level below 40 ppm is the general rule. You can do water changes to reduce the nitrates or use live plants to absorb the nitrates or use a product like a Poly Filter pad or nitrate reducing pads to remove the nitrates. Once you know for sure you are cycled, I'd do a good sized water change to bring your nitrate level you said was at 40 ppm now, to close to 0 so your new fish can have nice clean water to dirty up themselves.

 

[mikeb]

10/4, I have live plants. The ammonia drops from 4 ppm in 24 hours for sure, most of the time faster than that. I will try to find some time to do a water change this evening. Then get some readings on everything.

I do indeed have some live plants. That should help with the Nitrates?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Depends on the plants. There are nutrient hungry plants that will take up nitrate at a fast rate and there are low demand plants that wont make any noticable dent.

Floating plants that have ready access to CO2 and good light will grow fast and take up nitrate. Terrestrial plants sat on top of the tank with ready access to CO2 and light and their roots hanging down in the tank water will take up nitrate. High demand plants that require specialist lighting and injected CO2 will take up nitrate.

Typically the common aquarium plants that people keep are low demand plants and you wont notice much in the way of nitrate absorption.

 

[Andy Sager]

10/4, I have live plants. The ammonia drops from 4 ppm in 24 hours for sure, most of the time faster than that. I will try to find some time to do a water change this evening. Then get some readings on everything.

I do indeed have some live plants. That should help with the Nitrates?

What Aiken said. It depends on the plant.