Did my fishless cycle finish?

[hutucong]

I set up a new 10g tank with an external power filter. I added clear ammonia and two weeks late, ammonia starts to be zero after 24 hours. Then I started to test nitrite. My testing kit will show red if nitire is 5ppm, if zero it is light blue. At first the testing result is always red. After two weeks, at the begining of the testing when I drop the test soutions into water, it turns to red immediately. After I shake the tub and waite 5 minutes, it turns to be a light green althought not very match with light blue (0ppm) shown at the testing color card. Anyway I thought cycle is done. I waited two days, everything is OK. So I changed 80% of the water and went to local PetMart with water samples.

What makes me frustrate is the guy at PetMart tested my water and said that both nitrite and nitrate are very high. PH is 8.2, although ammonia is perfect. Then he suggested some water additives. I told him I did fishless cycle already. (it seems he never heard about that. When he heard that I added ammonia to tank, he said no no you can not do that!) He just said I need some water additive.

I knew my well water is high pH, I decide to bring tap waters from my company's rest room when I need wate changing. PH is not my concern. However nitrite/nitrate is a problem.

Because he only spent less than one minute to tell me the result. I wonder if it is too short and he did not see the final color developing result for nitrite test? I mentioned it to him too. He said nitrite testing will finally turn to light blue no matter how much nitrite in the water. If it shows red at fitst second, it menas it is high?

I wonder if this guy is right? And if he is right, what kind of suggestion your guys can give? More patient and more time?

Thanks!

 

[Lotus]

If you still have nitrites, then your cycle isn't finished yet. You should keep adding ammonia, and testing every few days until your nitrites are at zero.

I don't know the particular testing kit you're using, so I don't really know what the red/blue/green indicate.

 

[FroggyFox]

I would agree. My nitrite test kit has kind of done the same thing you're describing...try shaking the bottle with the reagent in it and see if that helps. Do a test on tap water (that should have 0ppm nitrites) and see if you can get the test to come out bright blue. On my kit even when the colors are going funky and the red fades away into green after awhile...it will still give me an accurate bright blue 0ppm nitrite test.

I think you didn't wait long enough for your fishless cycle to finish...continue adding ammonia every day until your nitrites drop to 0. As far as the nitrates go...you should expect to have a high level of them as your cycle finishes up, this is why you do that huge water change right before adding fish, because the only way to get nitrates out of the system is through water changes (or some plants absorb them). If your nitrates are still high after the big water change...test your tap water to see if your tap water contains nitrates. If not, I'd do another water change.

Obviously your petsmart person hasn't ever heard of a fishless cycle. I would not agree to adding any "additives" to your tank...employees are only telling you this to sell you something and it wont really fix the problem. Your pH of 8.2 is not bad...I have hard water with a high pH and my fish are fine...your fish will adjust to whatever pH you put them in, as long as its a stable pH. (something else that the petstore will disagree with and try to sell you magical products to put it at the 'right' pH)

 

[Iggy]

Froggy and Lotus know their stuff. Ditto to what they said.

Just a note on Nitrite/Nitrate test kits. I used a Seachem (Saltwater) nitrite/nitrate test kit. I find it MUCH more accurate than the test strips. Its a liquid test, changes from clear (no Nitrite) to purple. Then you add a nitrAte reagent powder, and it shows the Nitrate reading as well.

Also, my pH is about 7.9, and all my fish varieties are fine. Just slowly introduce the fish (mixing water/ect) when you add them the first time. Some pet stores mess around with additives a lot, so there stock fish might be used to an artificially low Ph.

 

[shimmercat]

As an employee at Petsmart, I can say that the testing method used will not give a false positive. It CAN give a false negative, but not a false postive. Plus, the store waters are tested twice daily (if they are doing their job!) and so they will easily recognize what normal looks like. Sorry, you're not done quite yet. :c I don't think I would have the patience for a fishless cycle! I need to see SOMETHING swimming around in there!

Oh, and even if you are finished cycling, you will have a high nitrAte reading. Actually, ESPECIALLY if you are finished cycling, you will have a high nitrAte reading.

 

[discus4everGrl]

Your cycle is not finished. IMO, adding stuff to the water while doing a fishless cycle defeats the purpose. Those additives are supposedly to make the water safe for fish while cycling which isn't an issue if your doing a fishless cycle. IMO as well - I do think that when people start trying to add a bunch of fix alls to their tanks, it messes up the natural processes and may even make cycling take longer.

 

[hutucong]

Thanks guys!

I knew what happened. Actually my nitrie is so high out of measure range. If I diluted the water 4 times, my nititrie test result is around 5ppm. OKie, I am going on my cycle. The luck thing is that I did not buy fish at that day.

 

[TLH]

I never heard of a fishless cycle before.I always just left the tank to settle for a couple of days and then started with one or two small fish and go from there.If I encountered any nitrite problems I just did a water change or used an Ammonia Eater.

I'm with Shimmercat,you need something to look at other than an empty tank.

 

[FroggyFox]

Well we learn something new every day dont we TLH. Some people dont mind waiting two weeks to cycle a tank with nothing in it because they know that their tank will be ready to fully stock when its finished and they didn't need to spend any money on cycling fish or magical ammonia eating products.

 

[discus4everGrl]

Good job on not buying fish. So many people will buy the fish even if they are not sure if the tank is safe. Glad to see that you are staying on the side of safety. TWO THUMBS UP!!!!

I know that sounded corny, but I get excited when people are responsible with their aquatic pets, hehe

 

[discus4everGrl]

Oh yeah, TLH - just if your interested, heck I'm interested, but anyways this months issue of marine hobbyist magizine is going to have an article on fishless cycling