is my cycle over?

thebuddha · 10-08-2012, 06:13 AM

its been about a month since i started fishless cycling, lately i have been adding about 1/3 to 1/2 cap of ammonia a day to keep it between 1ppm and 4ppm.
my tank has shown high nitrites, and nitrates at ~5ppm over the past two weeks or so. i just tested my nitrates again tonight and they were >150ppm.
so i have ammonia=1 nitrites>5 and nitrates>150

should i let my tank sit and wait until i have no ammonia or nitrites and low nitrates, or should i do a large water change and go from there?

thanks

JunJunJenn · 10-08-2012, 07:46 AM

You want 0 nitrites. Do a 90% water change and wait a couple more days.

proaudio55 · 10-08-2012, 05:50 PM

#1. Make sure you've seeded the tank with a good colony of bacteria from an old filter from an established tank.
#2. I'd do a few water changes to get the nitrites / nitrates down a little bit
#3. I would add a heater (if you don't have one already) and warm the tank up to 80 deg F or so. That will really speed up the bacteria metabolism / growth rate

wendyjo · 10-08-2012, 07:18 PM

The tank is cycled when you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and readable nitrates. Until then it's not safe for inhabitants.

discuspaul · 10-08-2012, 08:45 PM

Wendyjo is right on - and it could very likely take another week to 2 weeks for the cycle to get to that '0' for both ammonia & nitrites, and a reasonable level of nitrates.
Do a large wc now, and give the cycle more time.

**pejerrey** · 10-08-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by proaudio55

#1. Make sure you've seeded the tank with a good colony of bacteria from an old filter from an established tank.
#2. I'd do a few water changes to get the nitrites / nitrates down a little bit
#3. I would add a heater (if you don't have one already) and warm the tank up to 80 deg F or so. That will really speed up the bacteria metabolism / growth rate

Is inoculating with bacteria from another tank really necessary? I though that they are just all over, like in the air too. No?

**pejerrey** · 10-08-2012, 09:00 PM

Oh, and yes OP, wait.

I wait 2 months from my last 2 set ups, and I will always do from now. Better safe than sorry.

thebuddha · 10-08-2012, 09:59 PM

sorry for the confusion, i wasnt expecting to put any fish in this week, i knew i still had some time left.

i just did a very large WC but do not have time to test the params. i will when i get home from work.

so am i correct in thinking that i should NOT add any more ammonia?
(just dont want my bacteria to starve after a month of work! lol)

yes, i have a heater in there

MSG · 10-08-2012, 10:11 PM

PJ, adding established filter media will cut the cycling time to a fraction of what it would normally take.

Bud, do you have an air stone in that tank? If not, add one.

discuspaul · 10-08-2012, 11:59 PM

In order to maintain the development of the cycle, you need to keep adding ammonia as & when it drops down to 1 ppm, until your cycle is fully complete and you're ready to add fish.

wendyjo · 10-09-2012, 12:49 AM

If your nitrates are really 150 I'd probably do a partial water change and then continue as usual. I'm not sure but nitrates that high may slow down the cycle. Someone jump in if that's not accurate.

Diana · 10-09-2012, 01:50 AM

Nitrifying bacteria do not like ammonia or nitrite over 5 ppm, but do not seem to care about nitrate.

They require carbonates, they use that as a source of carbon. If the KH can be held stable as low as 3 degrees is fine, but a lot higher works, too. If it keeps dropping (for example, I have substrate that keeps removing the carbonates) keep adding carbonates.

Once a day (not more often) add enough ammonia to read 3 ppm.

When the bacteria can remove the ammonia within 24 hours and nitrites also read 0 ppm the cycle is done.

If you are still not ready for fish keep on feeding the bacteria.

Water changes are optional, but when you are ready for fish you will need to do a really large water change to get the nitrates way down.

thebuddha · 10-09-2012, 01:56 AM

ok, got in the WC right before i left for work,
(roughly 90%)

just tested the water and got ammonia=0 nitrite=0 nitrate>150 still

im guessing i should do another large wc?
then dose ammonia back up to ~4ppm

MSG · 10-09-2012, 02:22 AM

WOW, your Nitrates must have been over 300ppm if that's even possible.

Do you have any plants in quarantine you could feed that nitrate filled tank water to?

What kind of substrate are you using?
What size tank?
What filter are you using?

thebuddha · 10-09-2012, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSG

WOW, your Nitrates must have been over 300ppm if that's even possible.

Do you have any plants in quarantine you could feed that nitrate filled tank water to?

What kind of substrate are you using?
What size tank?
What filter are you using?

ya i shoulda been testing my nitrates over the past week, i was so tired of seeing ~5ppm that i stopped testing for em, then boom maxed out..

anyways:

eco-complete
10g
tetra 10i

just finnished the WC, ill check params again in a few.....

10-08-2012, 09:00 PM	#7
pejerrey ShrimpOscapeR (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oakland, California Posts: 1,901	Oh, and yes OP, wait. I wait 2 months from my last 2 set ups, and I will always do from now. Better safe than sorry. __________________ *A heavily planted shrimp tank is possible!*

10-08-2012, 10:11 PM	#9
MSG Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: East Coast Posts: 269	What size is your tank & what brand & model number is your filter? PJ, adding established filter media will cut the cycling time to a fraction of what it would normally take. Bud, do you have an air stone in that tank? If not, add one.

10-09-2012, 01:56 AM	#13
thebuddha Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 284	ok, got in the WC right before i left for work, (roughly 90%) just tested the water and got ammonia=0 nitrite=0 nitrate>150 still im guessing i should do another large wc? then dose ammonia back up to ~4ppm Last edited by thebuddha; 10-09-2012 at 02:10 AM.. Reason: .

10-09-2012, 02:22 AM	#14
MSG Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: East Coast Posts: 269	WOW, your Nitrates must have been over 300ppm if that's even possible. Do you have any plants in quarantine you could feed that nitrate filled tank water to? What kind of substrate are you using? What size tank? What filter are you using?

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10-08-2012, 06:13 AM	#1
thebuddha Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 284	is my cycle over? its been about a month since i started fishless cycling, lately i have been adding about 1/3 to 1/2 cap of ammonia a day to keep it between 1ppm and 4ppm. my tank has shown high nitrites, and nitrates at ~5ppm over the past two weeks or so. i just tested my nitrates again tonight and they were >150ppm. so i have ammonia=1 nitrites>5 and nitrates>150 should i let my tank sit and wait until i have no ammonia or nitrites and low nitrates, or should i do a large water change and go from there? thanks Last edited by thebuddha; 10-09-2012 at 02:07 AM.. Reason: seagreen

10-08-2012, 07:46 AM	#2
JunJunJenn Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: orlando Posts: 82	You want 0 nitrites. Do a 90% water change and wait a couple more days.

10-08-2012, 05:50 PM	#3
proaudio55 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Blaine, Minnesota Posts: 620	#1. Make sure you've seeded the tank with a good colony of bacteria from an old filter from an established tank. #2. I'd do a few water changes to get the nitrites / nitrates down a little bit #3. I would add a heater (if you don't have one already) and warm the tank up to 80 deg F or so. That will really speed up the bacteria metabolism / growth rate

10-08-2012, 07:18 PM	#4
wendyjo Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: DC area Posts: 2,811	The tank is cycled when you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and readable nitrates. Until then it's not safe for inhabitants.

10-08-2012, 08:45 PM	#5
discuspaul Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 1,588	Wendyjo is right on - and it could very likely take another week to 2 weeks for the cycle to get to that '0' for both ammonia & nitrites, and a reasonable level of nitrates. Do a large wc now, and give the cycle more time.

10-08-2012, 09:59 PM	#8
thebuddha Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 284	sorry for the confusion, i wasnt expecting to put any fish in this week, i knew i still had some time left. i just did a very large WC but do not have time to test the params. i will when i get home from work. so am i correct in thinking that i should NOT add any more ammonia? (just dont want my bacteria to starve after a month of work! lol) yes, i have a heater in there

10-08-2012, 11:59 PM	#10
discuspaul Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 1,588	In order to maintain the development of the cycle, you need to keep adding ammonia as & when it drops down to 1 ppm, until your cycle is fully complete and you're ready to add fish.

10-09-2012, 12:49 AM	#11
wendyjo Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: DC area Posts: 2,811	If your nitrates are really 150 I'd probably do a partial water change and then continue as usual. I'm not sure but nitrates that high may slow down the cycle. Someone jump in if that's not accurate.

10-09-2012, 01:50 AM	#12
Diana Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Contra Costa CA Posts: 5,012	Nitrifying bacteria do not like ammonia or nitrite over 5 ppm, but do not seem to care about nitrate. They require carbonates, they use that as a source of carbon. If the KH can be held stable as low as 3 degrees is fine, but a lot higher works, too. If it keeps dropping (for example, I have substrate that keeps removing the carbonates) keep adding carbonates. Once a day (not more often) add enough ammonia to read 3 ppm. When the bacteria can remove the ammonia within 24 hours and nitrites also read 0 ppm the cycle is done. If you are still not ready for fish keep on feeding the bacteria. Water changes are optional, but when you are ready for fish you will need to do a really large water change to get the nitrates way down.