zizziz

ok I read the instructions on the fishless cycle and I have never done one of these before, new th fish and all. I set up a 125g tank, added the ammonia to about 5, waited a week, it came down to almost 2ish, i added ammonia to bring it back up to about 4-6. then I started to get small ammounts of nitrites, only .25, I waited and waited and waited, its been over a week and some and its still only about .25 nitrites and 4-6 ammonia. when do the nitrites "go off the chart"? should I feed the tank more ammonia ? shouldn't he nitrites have gone up by now?

thanks

Alessa

It happened to me too, what did was the following:

Very large ammounts of ammonia or nitrite will stop the cycle (for some reason). I did a huge water change to bring the ammonia to .50-2ppm and I waited, adding enough each day to keep it at that ammount.

when Nitrites went off chart, I also did a huge water change to bring them down .50-2ppm, and three days after that I was cycled.

When my cycle had stopped, was when my readings were off charts. If you keep the levels fairly low on a constant basis, you'll be cycled faster.

Shawnie

IMO this fishless cycle with ammonia is frustrating people to no end ...not that its wrong by any means, but its scaring alot of ppl off as well as making them loose patience and buying fish before its cycled...125 gal is huge and im wondering if you have a friend or anyone with some established media you can have? or maybe even see if your LFS might be able to give you some media as a benefit for you buying such a huge tank ? either way, fish food, ammonia, is going to take awile so you have lots of yawning to do unless you can buy some instant cycle or find some established media...dont give up tho!!! because going fishless is so much more humane, and wowsers when that tank is cycled, I cant wait to see it!!!!!

Alessa

Shawnie's idea is great. You can wait until the ammonia starts going down on its own and the nitrites go off chart, to do the water change. Then keep the ammonia at 0.25-2

geez.. it was frustrating to me with a 5 gallon...

Lucy

I don't know that I believe that. Impatience or lack or knowledge makes people buy their fish before cycling


Isn't this akin to not quarantining your fish? You don't know what you'll be bringing into your tank.

pepetj

zizziz, it looks like you are using the add-and-wait method. It will work, just take more time (but less work) than the add "X" amount daily.

In the X-amount daily version of fishless-cycle with ammonia solution, you determine the first day which volume of ammonia solution brings your readings to the range of 4-6ppm.

Since your tank is 125gal, determine X in mililitres (cubic centimeters) or teaspoon measures, since counting drops will be overwhelming, make multiple measures erring on the lower side (overdosing will slow things down). This is the only day you work hard. Once you find your X amount. Just keep adding that daily until your Nitrites spike (off-charts).

To give you an idea, for my 145gal tank I needed 25ml of ammonia solution.

Once you confirm a Nitrite spike you cut down the amount to half of what you were adding, and keep adding this daily, until Nitrites fade down to zero. At that point, you are cycled, Nitrates will be present, do the water change (the bacteria is in the filter media, substrate, and decor) to lower Nitrates and add your fish right away.

To speed up the process (without using seeded media):
Turn your heater to 29C, run lights 24/7, increase dissolved oxygen -airpump/airstone and filter output full blown. Don't do any water change even if the water gets nasty (transient algae/bacterial bloom can occur).

Hope this helps, I have cycled five tanks with the X-amount method in 12-13 days (without seeded media), and 9-12 days with seeded media.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

zizziz

it seems to me that the add daily method (50ml of ammonia) will bring the ammonia level so amazingly high, but eventually the nitirites will "go off the chart" huh? sounds like the exact opposite of what alessa says. hopefully it will be soon. i just want to see the nitrites start to spike. I have only added ammonia twice, the first day, and about 1 week later. i have a 29g that is cycled with fish in it. i have a HOB filter with 2 pieces of marieland blue pads cut to fit in it. could i take the back one out, not the one the water hits first, and maybe toss it into the 125? will this do anything?

Alessa

It just happened to me, that when I followed the method pepe used, I got stuck. As soon I changed my water and lowered the levels until they were at the 0.50- 2 I was cycled within 2 days.

Here is the explanation of the guy who came up with it in the first place, DR Chris Cow, he says that the cycle can come to a halt with too much of a chemical present.

http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm

Shawnie

impatience is what I said and the knowledge is there or they wouldnt be attempting the ammonia method to cycle they would be asking why their fish arent doing well after throwing them in without doing anything

and yes if you are a stickler into QT your fish, I guess taking media from them wouldnt be good..but whats the difference from your LFS or a friend ?

Shawnie

that would help out alot!!!

Lucy

I'd hope your friend would be more honest than the LFS

zizziz

10 Aug - First test: Am 0ppm. 60 Am drops added
10 Aug - 6 hours later: Am 1.5ppm

11 Aug - 55 drops added.

12 Aug - Am 2.0ppm.
12 Aug - Ni 0.25ppm
12 Aug - 50 drops added

13 Aug - 6 KH - 7.5pH - CO2/plants added.
13 Aug - Am 2.0ppm; Ni 0.25ppm.
13 Aug - 50 drops added.

14 Aug - Ni 0.5ppm; Am 3.0ppm.
14 Aug - Added 30 drops.

15 Aug - 7.3pH (all day)
15 Aug - Am 3.0ppm; Ni 1.0ppm
15 Aug - Added 25 drops.

16 Aug - Am 2.0ppm; Ni 3.0ppm.
16 Aug - Added 20 drops.

17 Aug - Am 1.oppm; Ni 4.0ppm; Na 20ppm.
17 Aug - Added 15 drops.

18 Aug - Am 0.0ppm; Ni 4.0ppm.
18 Aug - Added 15 drops.

19 Aug - Ni 2.0ppm; Na 20ppm.
19 Aug - Added 15 drops.

20 Aug - Am 0.0ppm; Ni 0.0ppm; Na 20ppm

i see this is a bit different then the instructions on this site. he only brings up the ammonia to 1.5/2 and it 2 days he has nits already, it took me 1 week to see .25 nits. in 4 days his ammonia dropped to nothing and his nits went way up. it seems like the feeding of ammonia everyday is better then the "add and wait"...