Fishless Cycle, High Ammonia

hey everybody I’m currently cycling a 60 gallon freshwater tank and I’m using the fishless cycling method with dr Tim’s one and only and also his ammonium chloride solution to dose the instructions on the ammonium chloride bottle said 4 drops per 1 gallon but the website said 1 drop per gallon. So I did 1 drop per gallon and waited 24 hr to find my ammonia at 0.5ppm so I assumed I just dosed the wrong amount so I went ahead and did the amount that was on the bottle (4 drops per gallon) minus what I had already put in. I tested later that day and got an ammonia reading of 4.00-8.00ppm dark green color. I’m using an API master test kit. My question is what should I do at this point I’m pretty sure 8.00ppm is too high of a content. Should I just ride it out or should I try for a 50% water change. Also could ammonia of this level kill my Beneficial bacteria that I’ve added?

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

You should be testing the ammonia right after you add it, rather than 24 hours later, to figure out your dosage.

I would go ahead and do a 50% water change. 2-4 ppm ammonia is a good level to dose to; higher and you risk stalling your cycle.

 

Okay thank you I’ll do a 50% water change when I get home. Should I test before and after changing the water to see where I’m at. The instructions I’m following says to add some more drops on the third day after adding everything. Also would doing a 50% water change take out some of the beneficial bacteria

 

I don't think you need to test before if you don't want to - it's rather early on in your cycle for the ammonia to drop significantly. A test after should be all that you need. Dose ammonia up to 2 or so ppm.

Does the bottle of bacteria say not to do water changes? I've never used Dr. Tim's specifically, but if it doesn't say not to do water changes, then it shouldn't be an issue.

 

I don't think you need to test before if you don't want to - it's rather early on in your cycle for the ammonia to drop significantly. A test after should be all that you need. Dose ammonia up to 2 or so ppm.

Does the bottle of bacteria say not to do water changes? I've never used Dr. Tim's specifically, but if it doesn't say not to do water changes, then it shouldn't be an issue.

I didn’t see anything on the bottle for no water changes but I’ll make sure when I get home. If I do a water change and the ammonia is around 2.00ppm should I just not dose it anymore until it goes down

 

Yes, you can skip dosing until it gets 0-0.25 ppm. Don't let it stay at zero for more than 24 hours.

 

Yes, you can skip dosing until it gets 0-0.25 ppm. Don't let it stay at zero for more than 24 hours.

Okay awesome. Thank you.

Okay awesome. Thank you.

So I tested my ammonia before doing a water change and it came out between 2.00ppm-4.00ppm and my nitrite is 0.25ppm so does that mean the bacteria is working? And should I avoid a water change and just see if it converts it

Yes, you can skip dosing until it gets 0-0.25 ppm. Don't let it stay at zero for more than 24 hours.

Hey so I tested my ammonia and t came out around 2.00-4.00ppm and my nitrite got to 0.25ppm which is he most I’ve ever seen it so should I skip the water change and just let the bacteria do it’s job

 

That's what I did, then got a spike in nitrites and, not long after, a spike in nitrates. I currently have high nitrates with .25 nitrite and 2ppm ammonia. I'm going to let ammonia get to zero.