shobxrs

I'm setting up a new 65 gal bow front freshwater tank and have decided to try the fishless cycling method. Everything I've read says to add 5 drops of pure ammonia per 10 gals. or until the ammonia level reaches 5. I've added the first dose and retested 2 hrs later. It was only at .5, I added 15 more drops, retested 2 hours later, only at 1.0. I added 30 more drops and retested and it's only at 1.5. My question is how much more of ammonia do I need to be adding!? Has anyone had experience using this method? I need help please.

Thanks

Tony G.

lol its great you're doing fishless!!

i would stop adding the ammonia for now
thats MO. I would add the drops maybe every day, but just one dosis, so it would be 5 drops a day. That way you wont have an impact on the ammonia. Do you have a cycled tank? if so you could use some of the beneficial bacteria stored in the sponges of your filter to transfer to the new tank and get an instant cycle. Thats what im doing atm. :0
hope i helped
tony

Lucy

I have to respectfully disagree with Tony.
Bring the ammonia up to 5ppm. Are you doing the add daily method or add and wait method?

Tony G.

ok hehe sorry i gave wrong info

shobxrs

I'm doing the add daily method, but I'm on day 2 and have yet to get the ammonia level to 5ppm. So should I just keep adding and testing every few hours until it reaches 5ppm? Or should I wait a day and test again? I do have another tank set up that's been running for over a year. At what point would I want to add filter material to the new tank to help the cycle?

Thanks for your input!!

Lucy

It's not a matter of right or wrong.
I just disagree. It happens. lol

I prefer the add and wait method. That way there's little chance that you'll OD the tank with ammonia.

Bring it up to 5, when it starts to drop add enough ammonia to bring it back up. Keep track of how much you have to add.
Once you have a nitrite reading, cut the amount of ammonia you're adding in 1/2.
When the bacteria can process the ammonia and nitrite within 12-24 hours(I've heard both, but to be safe I waited 24 hrs) with readings of 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite with some nitrate, do a good water change and your done

shobxrs

Thanks Lucy. I know it sounds easy and I'm sure it will be, it's just a matter of getting the level to 5ppm. I added another 30 drops of ammonia about an hour ago. So I'll retest again and see where I'm at. I also tested nitrites just to make sure there was no reading, which there wasn't. I've never used this method, so it's the fear of the unknown. LOL

Lucy

LOL, yeah, it's easy to type it but aggravating to actual cycle!
Good luck and have patience, it can take up to a month to cycle a tank.

Oh, and please forgive my rudeness....Welcome to Fish Lore

aquarist48

To Fish Lore Sho.
Lucy has you covered. Best of luck with your cycle and congrats on going fishless. Enjoy the site.
Ken