Fishless Cycle Question/Problem

J

jts112278

Medium Fish
#1
Oct 22, 2002
79
0
0
#1
Howdy All!

A little backround information for you. Started a fishless cycle (my first) last Wednesday or Thursday.

Now the probem/question. I have been watching my ammonia decreased over the last five or six days to zero this morning.(yeah!!!) I attributed the rapid decrease in using some established media from another tank. When i checked my Nitrites they also came up with zero?

Question: Is there supposed to be a lapse between the decrease in ammonia and the increase in nitrites? The articles don't really touch on this. Thanks for your help! ??? ??? ???
 

N

Neon

Small Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
38
0
0
#2
Hey JT
Well i couldn't tell you for sure but i think there is a slight delay in the nitrite/nitrate peak and for just a few days it would seem that this is the delay.. maybe.. don't quote me on it tho.. just give it a week and see what happens.. if nothing and it stays the same then add a fish or two..
but wait untill someone else has had a chance to say something.. cause i could be wrong
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#3
#3

As ammonia increases and the bacteria start growing and feeding, nitrites will also slowly increase. As the bacteria keeps growing, it will eat up more and more ammonia, hence the levels of ammonia decreasing. This bacteria produces nitrites therefore as ammonia decreases, nitrites increase at the same time. The same holds true for nitrites and nitrates.

One test to do if you have not already, is do a 20% water change and then add some more ammonia. Test it the next day for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. This will tell you if your first two cycles are working. You should also see a nitrate level. It is possible, because you seeded you tank, that the bacteria in the media was able to handle the ammonia/nitrite load. Your nitrate first will tell you if it is working.

I know I have seen a chart somewhere showing the cycles. I'll try and find it.
 

J

jts112278

Medium Fish
#4
Oct 22, 2002
79
0
0
#4
ALright, im going crazy i think. Tested ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates and got nothing. I have to have something! I think i got a bum test kit or im not doing the test correctly
 

luvfishies

luvfishies

Large Fish
#7
Oct 22, 2002
615
0
0
60
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
www.skwij.ca
#7
If you're not still adding ammonia to the tank, whatever bacteria you had will die off.

What I think happened is that the ammonia WAS converted, but you hadn't kept the bacteria fed, so no nitrites have shown up. Nitrites take a while, even with ammonia being converted daily.

Add more ammonia (to get 5ppm). If in a couple of days it's dropped, add enough to get it to 5ppm again. Keep doing this and I bet you get nitrite within 2 weeks.
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#9
#9

No, no, no! When the ammonia gets converted, it turns into nitrites. This is the second stage of the cycle and the lengthist. Therefore, when you get an ammonia spike and it starts decreasing, you will get nitrites. Now the "nitrite" bacteria have to start growing and consuming the nitrites. Once this bacteria is growing and thriving, you will get nitrates. Once the ammonia level and nitrites level hit 0 and you get quite a bit nitrates, your cycle is done.

Keep adding ammonia daily until the cycle is complete. When the cycle is complete, do a 60% water change and add ammonia again but only once. Test the levels the next day and if ammonia and nitrites are 0 and you get a nitrate reading, the cycle is working.

Thats all there is to it. Pretty simple.  *thumbsupsmiley*
 

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