eagerinsight

I am cycling my fishless 10 gallon tank. Stage 1 has passed, ammonia is being consumed quickly (10 hours, 4ppm to 0ppm). So my tank had a huge nitrite spike, and the nitrates have also increased to around 60ppm. Heres where I need help.

I was going to wait out the nitrite spike and wait for it to decrease down to 0ppm. It's been about 6 weeks and the nitrites are still off the chart. My dad decided to take it upon himself to do a 75% water change, without asking me!! When I came home and found 0ppm nitrite, I was ecstatic, it was then when my dad told me.

Has the cycle been compromised? Ammonia is still being consumed at the same rate, but I haven't detected any nitrites for the past week. I don't know if the bacteria is taking care of the nitrite or the concentration is still low because the nitrites have only been made for a week now?

sirdarksol

It's very possible that this has slowed the cycle down. It probably didn't undo all of your work (though you never can tell). When he did the water change, did he use conditioner in the water? If not, that could have seriously messed with the cycle, because the chlorine/chloramine in municipal water will do precisely what it's supposed to do, and kill off the bacteria.

FL CommunityFans

If he set you back that far, and didn't treat the water as Sir suggests, then it's time to guilt him in to buying some Bio-Spira to "pay" for damages

susitna-flower

If the ammonia is still being consumed it would turn to nitrite.....thus you would have a nitrite reading......

If your ammonia and nitrite are both reading 0 and nitrate is up, you should be good to go.

Lucy

Or another tank

Good luck with your tank.

sgould

If you have been continuously feeding the tank ammonia for a week since the water change are are still showing 0 for both ammonia and nitrite, I think you are cycled.

eagerinsight

He used treated water, API stress coat thank god. I add ammonia to raise the concentration to about 3ppm ammonia. The tank still consumes the ammonia, so I'm glad the cycle isn't totally destroyed. Should I wait for another nitrite spike?

AggieYen

Your nitrates indicate that your tank is pretty much cycled, but as you have added ammonia, I would wait for the ammonia to get converted into nitrites (so another nitrite) spike, then wait for nitrites to go back down to zero - then stop adding ammonia. Do a large water change, and bring your babies home!

AggieYen

And by babies.. I mean.. fish. *cough*

sgould

If you have been adding the ammonia regularly since the water change, you probably will not see a spike as the bacteria is converting everything to nitrate. In other words...the tank is cycled.

calinb

If you've brought the tank up to 3ppm ammonia since your dad did the water change and it consumes the ammonia AND the nitrites are zero, I agree with the others; it sounds like the tank cycled. It was probably cycled before the water change but perhaps still processing the high concentration of nitrites. After using massive ammonia doses, the nitrites build up because the ammonia gets processes much sooner. It takes awhile for the nitrospira bacteria to "catch up" with the ammonia oxidizing bacteria and clear out the nitrites--my last tank took 36 hours after the last of the ammonia disappeared during fishless cycling because my nitrites were "off the scale."

Your dad probably just got the nitrites down to a reasonable level and the NOBs took care of the rest. Do the water change and add fish now, instead of ammonia.

Peterpiper

Stick to your plan... add ammonia every day, and when the ammonia and nitrites are at 0 within 12hrs you are good to go, your dad tried to help, and that is all. you know what your readings should be once your tank has cycled, may take a little longer than first planned.. but the readings will tell you when you ready. If tap water went in, untreated... then treat it. and start adding ammonia to see where your cycle is at

calinb

12 hours sometimes isn't enough time for the nitrites to go to zero, if you've been very aggressive with ammonia. The nitrites lag the ammonia (obviously) and I've noticed that the NOBs work more slowly than the AOBs.