I am in the process of fishless cycling a 10 gallon tank. I set the tank up about 9 weeks ago. I added ammonia carefully and just when I was about to give up, the ammonia levels went down and the nitrite levels started to go up. Yes!! Well now I have no ammonia when tested but the nitrite levels don't seem to be coming down. It's been about 3 weeks since I got a reading on the nitrite test. When I add ammonia the level goes down, but the nitrite levels seem to stay the same. Am I doing something wrong? What should I do? I'm getting very frustrated looking at a fishless fish tank! Please help.
Help!! Nitrite!!
- Thread starter mandm
- Start date
If your still adding ammonia, the nitrite will keep staying up to a point. Nitrite is the end result of ammonia. Start running a nitrate test. If its high, then the tank is cycled, stop adding ammonia! By adding the ammonia, your just feeding the bacteria, which is going to produce nitrite, which afterwards will turn to nitrate from the second bacterial culture of the bio-filter. If this is the case, you should have one hell of bio-filter! Should be capable of handling a large overstock! *crazysmiley*
Now I'm confused. According to eseow, once the nitrate level starts to rise you should stop adding ammonia. Don't you need to keep adding to keep the bacteria fed until you have fish planted to do this for you. If not how long will the bacteria live with no ammonia.
This is simular to a question I posted earlier. How long can a tank be without fish before it has to be re-cycled.
This is simular to a question I posted earlier. How long can a tank be without fish before it has to be re-cycled.
...so keep adding the ammonia like you are.
Right now the ammonia to--> NitrIte bacteria are good. No ammonia..instant nitrItes.
When the nitrIte bacteria are where they should be, to handle the dose of ammonia you put in...they will instantly turn the nitrIte to nitrAte.
So don't worry about the nitrAtes yet. Keep testing nitrItes, and when they hit 0, test ammonia and nitrAtes. If ammonia and NitrItes are 0, and nitrAtes have a reading(they will) , then you are good to go.
You could have 200 ppms of nitrAte by the end, but it doesn't matter if it is 30 ppms, you are still going to do a water change.
Any plans on fish to keep when you are through?
Right now the ammonia to--> NitrIte bacteria are good. No ammonia..instant nitrItes.
When the nitrIte bacteria are where they should be, to handle the dose of ammonia you put in...they will instantly turn the nitrIte to nitrAte.
So don't worry about the nitrAtes yet. Keep testing nitrItes, and when they hit 0, test ammonia and nitrAtes. If ammonia and NitrItes are 0, and nitrAtes have a reading(they will) , then you are good to go.
You could have 200 ppms of nitrAte by the end, but it doesn't matter if it is 30 ppms, you are still going to do a water change.
Any plans on fish to keep when you are through?
I read "mandm" post wrong. Still add ammonia to the tank. When the ammonia reads zero for amount your adding, then the ammonia consuming bacteria have cultured fully. After which nitrites appear, then goes to zero, with nitrates going up at this point. This is when you change the water. What level to keep nitrates at will be determined if your going to use live plants, since they consume it as fertilizer. As for instantly turning nitrite to nitrate I have to disagree. ??? Nitrite consuming bacteria are the slowest bacteria to culture. Ammonia bacteria can culture with 7-10 days. Nitrite consuming bacteria take 14-30+ days to culture from start of nitrite readings. What filtration system are you using? Nine weeks sounds pretty long to cycle a tank with such high nitite readings. *twirlysmiley*
[quote author=eseow link=board=beginner&num=1019443653&start=0#6 date=04/23/02 at 16:59:53]
...As for instantly turning nitrite to nitrate I have to disagree...
[/quote]
By saying that the nitrite oxidizing bacteria could handle the nitrite as fast as it's produced, I was implying that when your nitrite oxidizing bacteria are fully established, you'll see 0 nitrites. Never once said ammonia and nitrite bacteria develop concurrently, that would make no sense.
Mandm-Keep adding ammonia until buth ammonia and nitrites read 0. Add some seed material if you can to speed the cycle. There is an article on fishless cycle in the articles section of this site that will better explain my views on the process of fishless cycling.
Josh
...As for instantly turning nitrite to nitrate I have to disagree...
[/quote]
By saying that the nitrite oxidizing bacteria could handle the nitrite as fast as it's produced, I was implying that when your nitrite oxidizing bacteria are fully established, you'll see 0 nitrites. Never once said ammonia and nitrite bacteria develop concurrently, that would make no sense.
Mandm-Keep adding ammonia until buth ammonia and nitrites read 0. Add some seed material if you can to speed the cycle. There is an article on fishless cycle in the articles section of this site that will better explain my views on the process of fishless cycling.
Josh
As per JWRIGHT, keeping adding ammonia till ammonia & nitrite are reading 0. When this occurs, this is when you should read a high nitrate. You will start to read it now probably, but will be much higher when all the nitrites have been converted. This is when tank has completed the nitrogen cycle.