Fishless Cycling

[probe1957]

Donna, I am far from an expert but will try to help you as much as I can. I recently fishless cycled my 75 gallon tank and that is the limit of my experience.

I bought an Amonia, a PH, and a Nitrite test kit tonight,

Did you buy the liquid test kit or the strips? Most people seem to think the test strips border on useless. The API Master Test Kit has earned a lot of acclaim and is what I use.

There is a small amount of amonia in the tank, the PH reading is at 7.8, and the Nitrites aren't measuring.

Your ph is fine, but please be more specific with your ammonia reading. I started my cycle with an ammonia reading of 4 ppm. It is normal not to be measuring nitrites at this point. It took my tank 14 days before ammonia dropped to nearly 0 and nitrites spiked off the chart.

done two 10% water changes in 6 days. Good, or bad advice?

IMHO, bad advice. You shouldn't be doing water changes as this point in your cycle. In fact, many advocates of fishless cycling say not to do any water changes at all until the tank is cycled and you're ready to add fish.

My question is, since there is amonia in the water, does that mean the tank IS doing it's cycle?

No. It means you have a food source to START the cycle process. When ammonia drops and nitrites spike, that is when you have an indication that your filter is working properly and the cycle has started.

The fact that there appear to be NO nitrites in the tank, brings me to another question of, is this normal for this stage?

Yes, very normal.

 

[bodega style]

Awsome info and detail thank u for taking to time to explain.
Greatly appreciated.

 

[zennzzo]

Hi,
Yes I would have to say your post was the easiest one on fishless cycling, to understand, I have read online.
I have a couple, or mabye a few questions. We are very new to the aquarium hobby, and need help understanding a few things:

1. We set our 84 gallon aquarium up, and filled it with water 6 days ago. We don't want to use poor defensless fish to cycle it, so we're doing the fishless cycle route.
I bought an Amonia, a PH, and a Nitrite test kit tonight, and just for the fun of it, I tested my water, to get an idea of where it is. There is a small amount of amonia in the tank, the PH reading is at 7.8, and the Nitrites aren't measuring. Apparently there aren't any nitrites in the tank yet. We bought some stuff called Nutrifin Cycle, that's suppose to start the cycling process, but that's all we've used.
My question is, since there is amonia in the water, does that mean the tank IS doing it's cycle? Remember, it's only been 6 days since we added the water.
The fact that there appear to be NO nitrites in the tank, brings me to another question of, is this normal for this stage?
I should also add that on the advice of a local aquarium shop, we've done two 10% water changes in 6 days. Good, or bad advice?

As per the WRONG LFS advise, no water changes until the beneficial bacteria has been established...
If you are dosing the tank with Ammonia daily, do so until the NitrItes are readable...at that time continue the ammonia at half dose until, you have a reading of ZERO Ammonia, ZERO NitrItes and <40ppm NitrAtes...Then do a 33% W/C and load with fish...How Long will it take?
depending on all the variables of chemistry and such, this could be in as little as 10 days probably longer...,
I promise if you follow the formula to the "T".

 

[MKD]

Ok , i am so stupid listen to LFS advise. I wish i found this before add fish in my tank. Now i have no place for those fish and tested my water this morning and it said 1.0 amonnia, and .6 Nitrites. can anyone me know what i should do?

thank you in advance,
MKD

 

[soulpatch]

Seed with stability.....

 

[MKD]

I'll try it tonight when i get out of work. Any band or they're all the same to low my amonnia and nitrites?

Thank you for your quick respond

 

[soulpatch]

I use Seachem stability

 

[MKD]

I went to petco there isn't that brand. I found Nutrafim Cycle, will it work?

Thanks

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

I use Seachem stability

It works quick, but dont forget to shake it or it doesnt work.

 

[MKD]

it was to late yesterday when i got out of work. i went to 3 different stores, couldn't fine Seachem Stability. Petco clerk told me to use Nutrafim Cycle and other 2 stores said use Prime. 2 better 1 so will it work on my 100 gallon with Discus in it?