Fishless cycling using API quick start

Hi All,

I have set up a planted aquarium with filter, heater, light and co2 system. I am going to start my fishless cycling tomorrow. I already have API quick start and api freshwater test kit with me. After going through many blogs regarding fishless cycle, I am confused as I read many different suggestions in different blogs. I concluded below the steps I am going to do as per my understanding.

Friends, could you please review and let me know if my understanding is correct? I have few questions also which I mentioned below. It's my first time doing a nitrogen cycling

Tomorrow I will add recommend dosage of API quick start for my tank size. I am using a 50 gallon tank.

I will wait for three days and will test the ammonia. If it is less than 3ppm, I will add more API quick start. I will continue this process till ammonia level reaches up to 3-4ppm

Once ammonia level reaches 3-4ppm, I will wait for three days and will test for ammonia and nitrite. As per my understanding, ideally ammonia level should decline at this stage and nitrate should start showing up.

I will add more API quick start to keep steady the ammonia level between 3-4 ppm till nitrite level also reaches 3-4ppm

Once nitrite level started showing decline, I will start testing ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. As per my understanding ideally in this stage nitrate should show up.

I will continue to add a little of API quick start till the ammonia and nitrite marked to 0ppm.
If nitrate level reaches above 20 ppm, I will do 20-25% water change to limit the nitrate level within 20 ppm.

Below are my questions,

1. Do I need to keep adding API quick start once the nitrate presence showing in the test?

2. Do I need to perform water change if Ammonia level go beyond 5 ppm in the first stage before nitrite started showing up?.

3. Do I need to perform water change if nitrite level go beyond 5 ppm in the second stage before nitrate started showing up?.

 

I might have missed it, but what is you ammonia source?

 

I might have missed it, but what is you ammonia source?

API Quick Start

 

API quick start is a bottle of nitrifying bacteria, but does not actually contain ammonia. You’ll need to add ammonia first either using bottled ammonia (what I recommend) or by adding fish food and letting it decay.

Once you have ammonia then you can add the quick start. I usually don’t use products like quick start, but some people have had success. The idea with quick start is it will shorten the cycling time.

 

Sadly a lot of folks think all they have to do is add bottled bacteria and it alone will cycle a tank. The folks that make this stuff assume there will be fish in the tank supplying ammonia so they fail to mention the fact that you must have an ammonia source to even begin the process.

As RockinRy said either ghost feeding the tank or bottled ammonia will supply the necessary ammonia.