15 Gallon Tank Cycling Advice? Is intervention needed?

Hi all!

Haven't used my tanks in about 3 years due to a move out of country for work and finding my memory is lagging... looking for advice regarding my current cycle status --

-15 gallon fishless cycle
(for a betta and a couple friends once cycled)
- about 3-4 weeks into cycle
- ammonia is 0 (0.25 yesterday )
-nitrite 5 (but max of scale, could be more?) for about a week
- nitrate is at 5 (0 prior to today)

Initially started cycle with added ammonia and bacteria and have not added more of either since.

At current stage, considering nitrates have 'just' arrived- should I just hang tight a bit longer and anticipate a complete cycle soon?

Or do I need to feed with more ammonia since it has just dropped to 0 today? Or not since nitrites remain high? Or water change to decrease nitrites? Or wait to see if nitrates can take over?

Overall - should I intervene in some way or sit tight for now?

Thanks much!
-

 

I would do a water change to decrease the nitrites to a level you can read and add some more ammonia to about 2ppm and see where it goes from there.

What is your pH level?

 

I would do a water change to decrease the nitrites to a level you can read and add some more ammonia to about 2ppm and see where it goes from there.

What is your pH level?

pH is 7.6

 

Ok so thats good then.

 

I agree with StarGirl. When I did my fishless cycle, I just tossed a few plants in and started dosing ammonia to 2 ppm. When both ammonia and nitrites hit 0, re-dose till 2 ppm. Continue this until the bacteria colony is strong enough that 2 ppm ammonia can be processed completely to nitrates within 1-2 days, and you should be set. Your pH level seems fine, just do a water change to read the nitrites and let it process on its own.

 

Hi all!

Haven't used my tanks in about 3 years due to a move out of country for work and finding my memory is lagging... looking for advice regarding my current cycle status --

-15 gallon fishless cycle
(for a betta and a couple friends once cycled)
- about 3-4 weeks into cycle
- ammonia is 0 (0.25 yesterday )
-nitrite 5 (but max of scale, could be more?) for about a week
- nitrate is at 5 (0 prior to today)

Initially started cycle with added ammonia and bacteria and have not added more of either since.

At current stage, considering nitrates have 'just' arrived- should I just hang tight a bit longer and anticipate a complete cycle soon?

Or do I need to feed with more ammonia since it has just dropped to 0 today? Or not since nitrites remain high? Or water change to decrease nitrites? Or wait to see if nitrates can take over?

Overall - should I intervene in some way or sit tight for now?

Thanks much!
-

Just out of curiosity, what level had you been dosing ammonia to?

 

Important question - how much ammonia did you add?

 

Just out of curiosity, what level had you been dosing ammonia to?

I actually only added ammonia once and I don't actually remember how much I added. It must have been too much to send my nitrite so high ?

Important question - how much ammonia did you add?

I actually don't know . It was kind of a cluster and there's no excuse for my behavior, lol. I think it must have been too much since the nitrite went so high?

 

I actually only added ammonia once and I don't actually remember how much I added. It must have been too much to send my nitrite so high ?

I actually don't know . It was kind of a cluster and there's no excuse for my behavior, lol. I think it must have been too much since the nitrite went so high?

No worries. . . We’ve all had clusters!

Yes, given your off the chart nitrite level, I’d guess you probably dosed too much ammonia.

Follow StarGirl advice. . . Do a water change and dose ammonia to 2 ppm.

 

I actually don't know . It was kind of a cluster and there's no excuse for my behavior, lol. I think it must have been too much since the nitrite went so high?

1ppm ammonia converts to 2.7ppm. So it’s actually not clear. You may have dosed 2ppm ammonia or thereabouts, or higher.

So long as you did not dose an uber amount, that’s okay. You can do two things, either a 100% water change and reset the readings and then go from there where you can actually track progress, or just wait until nitrite drops to zero before dosing ammonia again. Either/or works.