Fishless Cycle Tss+ Question

I started fishless cycling my new (first) 10 gallon tank four days ago. I filled the tank and added Prime to prep the water. 24 hours later, I added an entire bottle of TSS+ and a cap of Stability along with enough ammonia to dose the 10 gallons to 2 ppm. On the third day (yesterday) I checked ammonia at 1 ppm in the tank and added only a cap of Stability. Tonight, assuming 0 to .25 ppm ammonia, I'll check for nitrites and dose to 2 ppm on the ammonia and add a cap of Stability.

My plan WAS to change water if nitrites became > 3 ppm or if nitrates were > 40 ppm but I just read somewhere that you shouldn't do a water change for two weeks after using TSS+. My question is, which rule do I follow? Change water if nitrites or nitrates become too high, or wait two weeks? I'm leaning towards doing the water changes since I'm also dosing with Stability daily.

Thoughts?

 

Yes, don't change the water with TSS+. Fishless cycling is tricky with TSS+, as the readings are supposedly inaccurate. If you do a water change, you're negating the use of TSS+. Though you're doing overkill by using both TSS+ and Stability.

 

I have so far cycled 3 tanks with TSS+ but with fish in it. All my tanks were cycled within 7-8 days, but I did not perform a water change until two weeks were over. My nitrates didn't get above 10 ppm after 14 days. I guess since you are doing fishless cycling and most of the bacteria reside in the filter, I think its better to keep the two week time window AND a max ceiling nitrate level (like for e.g. 60-80 ppm). After two weeks, OR if the nitrate levels breach the ceiling, reduce the nitrates by few subsequent partial water changes.

 

So, do I even worry about dosing up ammonia and testing at all for two weeks? Do I top off the tank if there is any loss to evaporation?

 

Yes, you still need to dose ammonia or the bacteria will die out. Fishless cycling with TSS+ is tricky. I would dose 1 ppm ammonia every day or every other day, to mimic having fish in the tank.

You don't need to top off or test though.

 

Yes, you still need to dose ammonia or the bacteria will die out. Fishless cycling with TSS+ is tricky. I would dose 1 ppm ammonia every day or every other day, to mimic having fish in the tank.

You don't need to top off or test though.

Thanks for the assist. I'll stop with the Stability for now and just dose to 1 ppm ammonia each day. I should start testing at the two week mark then? I was hoping to cycle the tank to the point it could handle six or seven silvertip tetra at once (processing 2 or 3 ppm ammonia) but going this route I should probably only add two or three at first right?

 

Yes, you can test and do water changes after the two week mark. 1-2 ppm ammonia should be fine for a 10 gal tank. However, silvertip tetra should be in a 20 gal tank minimum; a 10 gal is too small.

 

Just got home and tested the tank. Ammonia is 2 ppm (weird I thought it would be 0 today). Nitrites are 0. Do I still dose the 1 ppm or let it be?

 

Leave it be and dose tomorrow.

 

Leave it be and dose tomorrow.

Great, that is what I figured also. Thanks.

 

Tonight's test shows 2 ppm ammonia still. I'm assuming leave it alone?

 

Stop testing, and yes, leave it alone. Let TSS+ do its thing