Fishless Cycle And Copepods

Hi
I am doing a fishless cycle with fish flakes in a 55L planted tank. I have used fluval conditioner and bio enhancer.2 weeks in Am 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates 5. I’ve seen a flourish of copepods ( cyclops) in last 24 hours. Could this be indicator of water quality? Could innoculating with bioenhancer forward cycle direct to nitrates as have not had positive for ammonia or nitrites yet.
Thanks
Pete

 

Fish flakes take a while to break down and rot and then start producing Ammonia. It's easier and more precise to add pure Ammonia directly (no fragrances or suffectants) to the tank as you can measure and dose precisely so the Ammonia is available consistently and as needed through all stages of the cycle.

 

Thanks seems impossible to get pure ammonia here in Dublin

 

Thanks seems impossible to get pure ammonia here in Dublin

Wait for Ammonia to appear before you add any enhancers for sure. Most need the Ammonia and nitrIte to consume and start cycling.

 

Thanks seems impossible to get pure ammonia here in Dublin

Your hardware stores don't carry it?

 

Can't seem to source pure ammonia only cleaner products which I'm guessing may contain surfactant and scents.

 

Can't seem to source pure ammonia only cleaner products which I'm guessing may contain surfactant and scents.

Do they have ingredients on the bottles there? It should say whether its pure ammonia or not.
Have you asked at a hardware store? Or maybea lfs can give you a bag of their gooey stuff to help cycle your tank.

 

Local hardware contains perfume and some form of disinfectant. LFS won't provide substrate although did get a number of plants with substrate attached , might help? The fact that I am now getting some nitrates albeit 5 ppm with no ammonia or nitrites I wondered if the bio enhancer is good enough to progress cycle to nitrate phase ( I don't believe manufacture claims that can add fish immediately to tank). Copepods are multiplying fast I don't know if they are any indicator that cycle is progressing.
Thanks for the helpful comments I know cycling seems like a repetitive theme and something of a black art!!

 

Local hardware contains perfume and some form of disinfectant. LFS won't provide substrate although did get a number of plants with substrate attached , might help? The fact that I am now getting some nitrates albeit 5 ppm with no ammonia or nitrites I wondered if the bio enhancer is good enough to progress cycle to nitrate phase ( I don't believe manufacture claims that can add fish immediately to tank). Copepods are multiplying fast I don't know if they are any indicator that cycle is progressing.
Thanks for the helpful comments I know cycling seems like a repetitive theme and something of a black art!!

I'm a bit late to this thread but I can shed some light on your copepod situation
a "flourish of copepods does this indicate water quality?" YES your water is doing great copepods thrive in clean water especially with temperatures between 78-82 degrees and since its fishless their are no predators so they will continue to multiply they feed off of plant and waste materials similar to shrimp in order for copepods to survive or multiply there has to be some form of a cycle that has happened or enough nutrients in the water for them to survive
another thing some tap water contains nitrates if you do a water tap check should be able to see what your levels are

 

I didn't use ammonia but I found a trick.

Use seeweed. Like the stuff used to roll sushi.

It rots fast and kicks up ammonia real fast.

Also, after a week or two, a hardy snail or shrimp can tolerate the new aquarium and will help a bit.

 

I couldn't get Ammonia in Malaysia so used a raw Tiger Prawn (minus head and tail) in a media bag.

As long as you ensure the bag stays on the substrate it works well.

Stinks like high heaven when you eventually remove the bag.

I might try that seaweed trick in the future.