fishless cycle question

[phin]

I'm cycling a 29 gallon tank right now. I'm using janatorial strength ammonia (Ace Brand) which is diluted to 10% ammonia. Online instructions I read said anything from 2-3 drops per gallon of pure ammonia or 1 tsp per 10 gallons. So I put in 3 tsp of the 10% ammonia. I checked the ammonia levels the next morning and they were off the chart (over 8ppm).

I've used some filter sponge and bio pellets I had stored in one of the hob's on another tank to help get the cycle started. Its been about 10 days now. Ammonia levels appear to be coming down some but still in the 7-8 ppm range. Nitrite started showing up about 3-4 days ago. So I know the cycle is beginning and moving along quite quickly with the addition of the colonized media.

I have a couple questions.

A) What is the correct amount of 10% ammonia to put in a 29 gallon tank to get the level to 4.0 ppm?

2) While I'm cycling the tank, when the ammonia has all been converted to nitrite, but before the cycle is compete, how much ammonia should I be adding daily to continue the cycle, I don't want to add too much again.

d) When the cycle is complete and I'm waiting for my fish to arrive how much ammonia should I be adding to the tank daily?

I'm going to do a large water change (maybe more than one) before the new arrivals come to ensure nitrates are <10ppm.

*bonus question) How many days after I do a 50% water change can I go without adding ammonia before I need to either add ammonia again or get the fish in there?

 

[bassbonediva]

I have a question for you first...this is surfactant-free ammonia, yes? If it isn't surfactant-free, you're going to have to strip down your tank, scrub it, and start all over again with pure ammonia that is surfactant-free. Surfactants are the stuff that make it create suds.

Okay, so on to your questions! lol
1 & 2) With your ammonia so high right now, I wouldn't be adding any more ammonia until your ammonia level falls below 4ppm. After that I would cut the amount you're adding by about half, especially since you're seeing nitrites already. You want to add just enough ammonia to keep the first stage bacteria turning it into nitrites that will feed the second stage bacteria. Once your ammonia starts disappearing rapidly and your nitrites start falling as well, cut your ammonia in half again, until you see no ammonia and no nitrites.

3) I would just add a few drops of ammonia (maybe a teaspoon, if that?) every day to keep your cycle going.

Here's an AWESOME site about the nitrogen cycle: Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle and cycling. Methods for ammonia, nitrite removal.

 

[phin]

surficant free fo' sho'.

One the first day after I added the 3tsp of ammonia the tank smelled like a new mop bucket. For the next week it smelled like a toilet.

 

[achase]

I followed this fish-less cycle article and I added drops of ammonia until I reached a ammonia reading of 5ppm.