Fishless Cycling Process Questions and Advices

I have a question regarding nitrogen cycle as I'm currently going through one right now. It's my fifth days doing the fishless cycling with fish foods.

I got 0 ammonia, 1.0 ppm nitrites, and 10 ppm nitrates. Should I stop ghost feeding? And am I on the right tracks of completing the fishless cycle?

I also tested for 0 ammonia on yesterday and the day before, it feels way too quick for there to be no ammonia gone that quick. I've only been feeding a small pinch of food each day.

Thank you for your help in advance.

 

The fish food may not have had a chance to decompose yet. No you will not be cycled yet. Does your tap water have nitrates or nitrites?

 

The fish food may not have had a chance to decompose yet. No you will not be cycled yet. Does your tap water have nitrates or nitrites?

I'm not sure. Should I do a separate water test with the tap water alone?

 

Yes that would be helpful.

 

Yes that would be helpful.

Thanks, I will try that.

 

Tank won’t cycle unless you get a 2-4 reading on ammonia, best thing is to use pure ammonia or a product like Dr Tim’s ammonia will do it. Trying to cycle with fish food is really hard because its next to impossible to get consistent readings day after day. The cycle could take 20-30 days of adding the right amount every day.

 

Yes that would be helpful.

So I test it and it was 0ppm for nitrites and 0ppm for nitrates with regular tap water.

Tank won’t cycle unless you get a 2-4 reading on ammonia, best thing is to use pure ammonia or a product like Dr Tim’s ammonia will do it. Trying to cycle with fish food is really hard because its next to impossible to get consistent readings day after day. The cycle could take 20-30 days of adding the right amount every day.

I did get ammonia reading on the first and second day and nothing after that. I forgot to mentioned that in the post. I was surprised it was gone that quick so that's why I asked if this is normal. I've done cycling before and its normally take 1-3 weeks, this time was super fast.

 

It takes longer than that for the food to decompose. You would not see ammonia from the food on the first couple days. I usually don't see ammonia from fish food until near the end of the first week. Cycling in 1-3 weeks is definitely not the norm.

10ppm nitrate is produced from about 3ppm ammonia. Is that what your tests told you?

Something seem off here. I would continue feeding. I don't think you are anywhere near being cycled. Did you test the tap water for ammonia? Test it before and after adding your dechlorinator. Is your water treated with chloramines? If it is treated with chloamines and you use a dechlorinater that only removes chlorine you will be left with ammonia in your water after adding the dechlorinater.

If you use a dechlorinater that also neutralizes chloramine, you should not seen the ammonia.

 

It takes longer than that for the food to decompose. You would not see ammonia from the food on the first couple days. I usually don't see ammonia from fish food until near the end of the first week. Cycling in 1-3 weeks is definitely not the norm.

10ppm nitrate is produced from about 3ppm ammonia. Is that what your tests told you?

Something seem off here. I would continue feeding. I don't think you are anywhere near being cycled. Did you test the tap water for ammonia? Test it before and after adding your dechlorinator. Is your water treated with chloramines? If it is treated with chloamines and you use a dechlorinater that only removes chlorine you will be left with ammonia in your water after adding the dechlorinater.

If you use a dechlorinater that also neutralizes chloramine, you should not seen the ammonia.

Yes, the test was 10ppm nitrate and 1ppm nitrites. I did test the tap water on its own and it was 0 for both nitrites and nitrates, PH was about 7.4. No ammonia on regular tap water too.

 

But did you see 3ppm ammonia in your tank? Which type of conditioner are you using? Does it remove both or just chlorine? Did you test the tap water after using the conditioner as well?

 

But did you see 3ppm ammonia in your tank? Which type of conditioner are you using? Does it remove both or just chlorine? Did you test the tap water after using the conditioner as well?

Yes, I did have 1ppm ammonia and then it went away. I'm using prime conditioner. I did test it before with tap water and conditioner and there was 0ppm for ammonia.

 

What size is you tank?

 

What size is you tank?

it is a 10 gallon