ManicLamb

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to this forum so I thought I'd better post this in the beginners section.

I'm in the process of setting up a new tropical aquarium, a 180 litre Juwel Rio. I'm going through the "add and wait" fish-less nitrogen cycle (started about 24 days ago), using pure ammonia (9%). The Ammonia to nitrite part of the cycle seems pretty sorted, however the nitrite levels are just not coming down! Its been a 2 weeks with the nitrite levels being off the charts, within the test it turns dark red straight away. I am getting nitrate readings, however the nitrite levels just don't seem to be coming down. I know I sound impatient but I'm just very confused why this part is taking so long. The tank temperature is usually at 26 deg C to 27 deg C, depending on the ambient room temperature.

I have got another tank which has matured and has fully cycled. Would taking some of the water out of this one and adding to the new one help speed up the cycle? I just worried that my cycle is in a state of flux! :-S

Any help/tips/advice would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,
Simon

capekate

Waitiing for a cycle to finish is like watching a kettle boil.. it just takes time.
Keep doing what you are doing and it will cycle.
I would not add the water from an established tank, as the beneficial bacteria is not in the water but on things like the filter media, substrate and decorations. Since you do have an established cycled tank, I would take some of the filter media and some gravel from that tank and add it to the new tank. That will help speed up the cycle for you. If you have the type of filter on your other tank that allows for added sponge (media) I would suggest adding another new sponge to that and help fill it up with beneficial bacteria. Then when it is needed for a new tank, or during the time you have to rinse out the media, you will always have one sponge full of bacteria for your tank.

edit: Ohh and welcome to fishlore!

Lucy

Hi Simon WElcome to Fish Lore.

Good advice, Kate.

jdhef

Welcome aboard Simon. When I cycled my tank, the nitrite phase took about two weeks longer than the ammonia phase, so it sounds like you are right on track. And cycling time is kinda like dog years. One day feels like 7 days.

Alessa

Also, when you allow the nitrite (or ammonia) levels to get off chart, the bacteria become overwhelmed by the chemical and they stop reproducing. They best thing you can do now, is, like adviced by the others, add some gravel/filter floss/decorations from your established tank and do a water change until the level of nitrite in the tank is at a readable level. Keep adding ammonia and whenever it goes off the charts again, do a water change until it is readable... I was stuck for two weeks in the nitrite phase, I did that for two days and the nitrite began to go down on its own and it was cycled.

ManicLamb

Many thanks for the welcome and all your helpful comments.

I will do as suggested and add some decorations from my cycled tank and see if that improves matters. Really looking forward to getting some fish in it! That'll be the next saga though, deciding what fish to go for. lol

Thanks again,
Simon

ManicLamb

Wow! I've just tested the tank, the nitrite levels were finally down! I'm guessing this means I'm getting closer. All I need now is to go from 5 PPM ammonia down to 0 and 0 nitrites in 12 hrs. Hopefully this part might happen quickly (well 12 hrs hopefully ;-))!

Another quick question,

When I do my big water change. Do I have to treat the water for chlorine and the other one before putting it in the tank? Ie put the water treatment stuff in the bucket, pre-pouring it into the tank? I don't want the chlorine in my tap water killing all my friendly bacteria!!

Cheers again,
Simon

Dozey

Since you are using buckets I certainly suggest that you add the conditioner to the buckets.

capekate

I agree with Dozey, I use buckets also, and always add the Prime to the bucket while it is filling up. Congrats.. your cycle is on its way! Any readings of nitrate yet?

hkirchen

My nitrite cycle lasted almost 3 weeks. I had 2 weeks of 0 amonia, and very high nitrites with 5 nitrates. I finally did a small water change, and two days later, I had fully cycled.