Fishless Cycling - advice appreciated

[qpegasus]

Yep...another cycling thread. Hopefully you arent sick of us all by now.

Anyway, I've just set up a fairly well planted 120 litre aquarium and over the past few weeks I've been fishless cycling with household ammonia. After a fairly slow start ammonia is now being quickly dealt with and nitrites are starting to build up. However, nitrates have gone a bit crazy - if my test kit is to be believed they're over 100mg/l, closer to 250mg/l infact.

Here's my log since I started cycling -

Day 1 - After working out that around 25 drops from my small dropper equates to around 1ppm ammonia, I added 130 drops. Reading from the tank is now 5-6ppm as expected.

Day 8 - 7 days after adding the first dose the reading is now down to 1ppm Ammonia. Added another 25 drops, making it 2ppm.

Day 9 - Ammonia 1.2ppm

Day 10 Ammonia under 1ppm. First detected nitrites which are over 1mg/l. Added 43 drops Ammonia making it 3-4ppm.

Day 11 - Amm 1.5ppm, added another 37 drops.

Day 12 Amm <1ppm. Nitrites at least 5mg/l. Nitrates now over 50mg/l. Added 25 drops.

Day 13 (today) - Amm barely readable, <0.5ppm. Ni still over 5ppm. Nitrates are now between the 100 and 250mg/l mark on the test strips.


I'm using TetraTest 5 in 1 strips for the nitrate/nitrite reading, and hagen ammonia test kit.

Think looks to be progressing well having reached the nitrite spike stage, but those Nitrate readings seem a little high. What do you guys think?

 

[Jchillin]

Welcome to AA!

First, are you using the detergent type household ammonia? This is not recommended as it will leave behind soap.

Yes, the NO3 reading is extraordinarily high. The strip tests are not the most reliable indicators. Recommend using the AP (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) test kits.

I assume you've not done any PWC's as yet. Nevertheless, you will need to do some major PWC's to get both your NO3 levels down and to remove any soap.

 

[qpegasus]

Thanks.

No, its non-sudsing and unscented. I'll certainly be doing a water change to get nitrates down before the fish are added.

 

[TomK2]

I'm using TetraTest 5 in 1 strips for the nitrate/nitrite reading

Like JC said, the test strips are part of the problem. They are not too reliable. And they really aren't cheaper to use either. I suggest a liquid test kit. The Aquarium Pharmaceutical FW master test kit with ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, high and low range pH is VERY popular. About $15 online. Often thirty bucks at the LFS.

I have no experience with the fishless ammonia cycle, but a little chemistry education. I suspect that your nitrates aren't really that high, but the test strip is deceiving you. If it is that high with another test, PWC. I would think that you can cut back on the ammonia you add, and your bacteria will be fine. This way, you will not have a huge pile of nitrite for the bacteria to catch up with, so you will see ammonia ad nitrite go to zero quicker while still having a good bacteria colony. Just off the cuff, if 25 drops gets you 1 ppm, I bet you need only half of that or perhaps a quarter of that daily to have a good biofilter. While it was nice to have a lot at the beginning to stimulate rapid growth, now you just need what it takes to keep them alive and growing at a nominal pace.

HTH

 

[Jchillin]

No, its non-sudsing and unscented. I'll certainly be doing a water change to get nitrates down before the fish are added.

You get two thumbs up!!! I must be honest and mention that your cycle has been letter perfect (other than the nitrate readings). Keep updates coming.

Have made any stocking choices?

 

[qpegasus]

No, its non-sudsing and unscented. I'll certainly be doing a water change to get nitrates down before the fish are added.

You get two thumbs up!!! I must be honest and mention that your cycle has been letter perfect (other than the nitrate readings). Keep updates coming.

Have made any stocking choices?

Thats nice to know.

Will keep to a lower ammonia dose as Tom suggests, maybe 8 drops twice a day. Hopefully that helps the bacteria that handle the nitrites as I've read ammonia can slow them down.

Havent made any firm decisions on stocking yet. There's a lot of different gourami species I like, aswell as gold barbs, neon tetras, dwarf rainbowfish, platies, mollies etc. Not going to fit them all in obviously, but thats the fish I've considered so far. Basically community fish no larger than say 3 or 4". I'd like a pleco too, one of the smaller types since its a 40x12x18" tank. A clown pleco maybe?

I'm open to suggestions. 8)

Like I said its 40"x12"x18", 120 litres, dark gravel, black blackground, well planted with artificial driftwood. Ph is around 7.2, Gh 10d, Kh 3-6d.


Anyway, thanks for the help guys. Will keep you updated.

 

[Jchillin]

Sorry qpegasus...had to convert the litres to gallons. So, we're talking about a tank similar to my 30gal.

If you can get a clown, dwarf or bristlenose, you've got an excellent community tank.

 

[RoK]

A rubbernose pleco would also be fine.

 

[Jchillin]

You wouldn't be advocating that a new member emulate you and your buddy Woody...would you Rok?