Lucy

Your welcome, I hope it works for you.
Keep us informed!

nitz

ok so i did a 5 gallon water change to bring the ammonia concentration down (which is still over the test kit's highest level of 7ppm) and will move the ceramic rings that have been soaking in the 12 gal for over 2 weeks into the new filter tomorrow.

i've heard that you should swish around the media with the beneficial bacteria around in the tank before putting it into the filter to let the bacteria to get into the tank and settle on other surfaces. should i do this or just stick it straight into the filter?

Alessa

just pour it into the filter. Not all the bacteria will remain there, some will be dregged by the filter current and will deposit in the other surfaces.

Lucy

This might interest you and alessa:

To those who cycling with ammonia and have seeded their tank.

nitz

Thanks Lucy

nitz

ok i transferred the ceramic rings into the 29 gal filter today. i'll test the ammonia level (it's at 7ppm or over right now) over the next few days and post the results.

Alessa

another question?

does the tank have enough aeration? i would recommend leaving the lid open because bacteria need oxygen to reproduce.

also raise the temp to 84 ish. That should speed up the proccess.

nitz

well i have an airstone going in there and the temp is around 84. i have the lid closed but can obviously open it. reason i closed it was because the water was evaporating really fast. should i top up the tank or just let it evaporate? (the level was going below the suggested water level on my heater so that's why i was topping up)

also, i don't have the aeration on high because i thought that would raise my pH. should i just put it as high as it can go?

Alessa

yes, increase aeration it will accelerate the proccess.

nitz

ok i put it up to the max!!
crossing my fingers that i'll see some nitrites soon

Alessa

the other thing that I believe I already mentioned was the conditioner.

I would switch to aqua+ by hagen. I have no exp with the big al one... and maybe it is blocking the ammonia somehow?

nitz

ya i'm almost done the bottle and was thinking about switching to prime. i acatually started a thread about using prime during a fishless cycle.

which do you suggest between aqua+ and prime?

nitz

in an interesting turn of events...i just tested for nitrates and i'm getting a reading of between 10 and 20. could this mean anything?

Alessa

well, I think that prime will be ok, as it leaves the ammonia "available for the tanks biofilter" meaning the bacteria....
Nevertheless, I would save the prime for when you have fish. I would get a tiny bottle of aqua+ to be on the safe side.

nitz

tested the water today...ammonia is between 3 and 4 ppm and nitrites are still 0

Alessa

what about the nitrates? are you still getting a reading?

nitz

nitrates still at 10
this is getting frustrating but i know it'll be worth it in the end

Alessa

like lucy pointed out, you the nitrite eating bacteria reproduces more rapidly... that is the reason.

Just give it a couple of days (has the ammonia dropped at all?) im also struggling with mi fishless cycle....