Has my cycle stalled ?

[reaper7534]

This is my second fishless cycle I have done, everything went perfectly on the 75g. I'm now setting up a 55g and it's been a little weird.

First off, I'm using Ace's janitorial strength ammonia which is 10% ( wow, this stuff is strong ). It takes 4ml to bring the tank to 4.0 ppm

Within 24 hrs the ammonia is processed to 0 ppm
Nitrites are processed to 1 ppm
Nitrates are at 80 ppm
pH 6.6
86 f

Question is, if my Nitrates are so high, why so long to process the nitrites ? I will test again today at 10 PM which will be 36 hours I it will most
likely be 0 ppm. I will have 2.5 " juveniles and doing daily water changes.

Thanks

[DJW]

If you check the math, 4ml of 10% ammonia solution in 55g is more like 2ppm. It doesn't matter, 2ppm is fine for cycling.

Because of the way our test kits measure nitrate, which is by the weight of the whole ion ... 1 ppm of ammonium (NH4) ends up, at the end of the cycle, becoming 3.44 ppm of nitrate (NO3).

This means that if you fed the cycle so far with a total of 23 ppm of ammonia, the end result would be 80 ppm of nitrate. I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about.

The nitrogen cycle is a two step process involving two different bacteria. The bacteria that do the second step, converting nitrite->nitrate, build a population later in the process and reproduce more slowly. That second colony hasn't built up enough capacity yet.

You are getting close to a complete cycle. The 2 ppm of ammonia that you added converts to 5 ppm of nitrite, and the filter has processed 4 ppm, leaving the 1 ppm that you measured.

[DJW]

Oh, I should mention that your pH might be falling. I don't know what the pH of your water is normally at the start of the fishless cycle, but if it is higher than 6.6 you should do a 50% water change. The cycle will begin to stall if the pH gets too low.

[reaper7534]

If you check the math, 4ml of 10% ammonia solution in 55g is more like 2ppm. It doesn't matter, 2ppm is fine for cycling.

Because of the way our test kits measure nitrate, which is by the weight of the whole ion ... 1 ppm of ammonium (NH4) ends up, at the end of the cycle, becoming 3.44 ppm of nitrate (NO3).

This means that if you fed the cycle so far with a total of 23 ppm of ammonia, the end result would be 80 ppm of nitrate. I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about.

The nitrogen cycle is a two step process involving two different bacteria. The bacteria that do the second step, converting nitrite->nitrate, build a population later in the process and reproduce more slowly. That second colony hasn't built up enough capacity yet.

You are getting close to a complete cycle. The 2 ppm of ammonia that you added converts to 5 ppm of nitrite, and the filter has processed 4 ppm, leaving the 1 ppm that you measured.

Thanks, DJW.

I know how the cycle works, but this is only my second fishless cycle tank I have done. I was just surprised with the nitrate population being so high why it was taking a extra 12 hours to convert the nitrites. I originally used the the ammonia calculators and they called for around 8 ml to raise the ammonia levels to 4 ppm. Unless I got some seriously concentrated ammonia, when I added that much it put my levels through the roof. Darkest green you ever seen on a API test kit. I experimented with dosage amount until I matched it on the card to 4.0 ppm, although I did read 2 ppm is fine also. I can confirm it does convert 2 ppm ammonia and nitrite to 0 ppm in 24 hours.

My pH is naturally a little lower from the tap since I am on well water.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m68/vader86_2006/20160704_122454%20Medium_zpsskte2j2i.jpg (http://s101.photobucket.com/user/vader86_2006/media/20160704_122454%20Medium_zpsskte2j2i.jpg.html)

[DJW]

I have noticed the same thing, when you put a calculated amount of ammonia in, the API test doesn't read the same as the amount you just added. Mine was the opposite, reading less... it makes me wonder which is wrong, the hardware store ammonia concentration or the test?

I suggest doing a water change. It won't hurt at this point, and it will protect the pH from getting lower. Sorry about all the technical stuff if it missed the point of your question. The occupational hazard of a geek.

[reaper7534]

I have noticed the same thing, when you put a calculated amount of ammonia in, the API test doesn't read the same as the amount you just added. Mine was the opposite, reading less... it makes me wonder which is wrong, the hardware store ammonia concentration or the test?

I suggest doing a water change. It won't hurt at this point, and it will protect the pH from getting lower. Sorry about all the technical stuff if it missed the point of your question. The occupational hazard of a geek.

I can tell you this.... compared to the old dollar store ammonia I used which I believe is 2-2.5%, this ammonia from Ace sure the the hell smells more the 4x stronger. Stuff almost gave me a instant headache. I can literally be 5 ft away and still smell this stuff.

[reaper7534]

for no other reason than to waste test fluid.... 4 hours later, it shows .25 . I will test again at 6 pm and I'm sure it will be 0. At that point, I'll take it to 2 ppm and test in 24 hours. Should be 0 at that point minus nitrates hopefully.