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?.

 

1. No, but you can.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.

Quick start is not ammonia, it’s bacteria. It can be used to jump start the Nitrogen cycle or add bacteria that will consume ammonia until you have the bacteria colonies naturally doing it (usually when you already have fish, not recommended).

I’d recommend adding ammonia to speed the process up quite a bit.

 

1. No, but you can.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.

Quick start is not ammonia, it’s bacteria. It can be used to jump start the Nitrogen cycle or add bacteria that will consume ammonia until you have the bacteria colonies naturally doing it (usually when you already have fish, not recommended).

I’d recommend adding ammonia to speed the process up quite a bit.

Thank you friend for the quick advice. I check several store for ammonia. But not available here and also due to this covid situation most of the stores are closed here. That's why i decided to start cycling using api quick start...

I have one more clarification, do i need to add fish in the tank to get ammonia from their waste?.. or add fishfood or anything after adding quick start? or quick start itself will start produce ammonia later on?

 

Thank you friend for the quick advice. I check several store for ammonia. But not available here and also due to this covid situation most of the stores are closed here. That's why i decided to start cycling using api quick start...

I have one more clarification, do i need to add fish in the tank to get ammonia from their waste?.. or add fishfood or anything after adding quick start? or quick start itself will start produce ammonia later on?

No you do not need to add fish to get ammonia in your water. While not ideal, you can add fish food or raw shrimp. It'll take a few days to decompose and produce ammonia though. Quick start will never produce ammonia because it's bottled BB. Think of ammonia as food for the bacteria.

 

Thank you friend for the quick advice. I check several store for ammonia. But not available here and also due to this covid situation most of the stores are closed here. That's why i decided to start cycling using api quick start...

I have one more clarification, do i need to add fish in the tank to get ammonia from their waste?.. or add fishfood or anything after adding quick start? or quick start itself will start produce ammonia later on?

As a answered above, I’d recommend not adding fish, as your most parameters are Most likely fluctuating even with bottled bacteria and isn’t entirely safe yet. Also as mentioned you can use fish food, it just takes a little longer.