Cycling Aquarium

[brandonmoss]

Hi,
Is it normal for ammonia to not decrease from 4ppm at all after 2 weeks?
I am doing a fishless cycle with ammonia chloride and added enough to bring it up to 4ppm, i have been testing everyday and no decrease in ammonia or no nitrites being read yet after 2 weeks. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance

[NeonTetra]

Hi,
Is it normal for ammonia to not decrease from 4ppm at all after 2 weeks?
I am doing a fishless cycle with ammonia chloride and added enough to bring it up to 4ppm, i have been testing everyday and no decrease in ammonia or no nitrites being read yet after 2 weeks. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance

Hello BrandonMoss!

The key word is: ammonia chloride

You only need ammonia, because the chloride will kill the beneficial bacteria :( (did you use dechlorinator after pour ammonia chloride in to the tank?)

Also you did not said how are you seeding your aquarium, are you seeding it at all? (using bacterias from another filter or bacterias in a bottle?

It is not normal that after 2 weeks you dont have any readings of NO2, but it can happend

[brandonmoss]

Hello BrandonMoss!

The key word is: ammonia chloride

You only need ammonia, because the chloride will kill the beneficial bacteria :( (did you use dechlorinator after pour ammonia chloride in to the tank?)

Also you did not said how are you seeding your aquarium, are you seeding it at all? (using bacterias from another filter or bacterias in a bottle?

It is not normal that after 2 weeks you dont have any readings of NO2, but it can happend

I bought the ammonia from a lfs specifically for fishless cycle though which is what it was advertised to do, i dechlorinated a couple days before adding ammonia, and no not seeding with anything just doing the natural process

Thanks for the reply

[NeonTetra]

I bought the ammonia from a lfs specifically for fishless cycle though which is what it was advertised to do, i dechlorinated a couple days before adding ammonia, and no not seeding with anything just doing the natural process

Thanks for the reply

Ok

Your problem is that you need to seed your aquarium with beneficial bacteria... Why?

Ammonia is the food of the bacterias, so you have the food, but not the eater, you can buy bacterias in LFS.

I personally recommend Seachem Stability, it worked for me in a fishless cycle

[brandonmoss]

Ok

Your problem is that you need to seed your aquarium with beneficial bacteria... Why?

Ammonia is the food of the bacterias, so you have the food, but not the eater, you can buy bacterias in LFS.

I personally recommend Seachem Stability, it worked for me in a fishless cycle

I thought seeding the tank will only speed up the process? I wasnt seeding because i wanted to decrease the chance of introducing anything foreign

[MendoMan]

I thought seeding the tank will only speed up the process? I wasnt seeding because i wanted to decrease the chance of introducing anything foreign
Yes that's normal .Nitrite will soon begin to show and when it does the ammonia will start to drop and you will need to add daily to maintain 2ppm to 4ppm. I know i'll get blasted for saying this but don't add anything but ammonia when needed.You can use any number of store bought aids that claim to introduce bacteria but i've done a number of fishless cycles without using it and it's worked every time. The way your doing it takes about six weeks.

[brandonmoss]

Yes that's normal .Nitrite will soon begin to show and when it does the ammonia will start to drop and you will need to add daily to maintain 2ppm to 4ppm. I know i'll get blasted for saying this but don't add anything but ammonia when needed.You can use any number of store bought aids that claim to introduce bacteria but i've done a number of fishless cycles without using it and it's worked every time. The way your doing it takes about six weeks.

Okay no worries, thanks for the re assurance was just worried it wasnt developing. Thanks!

[BmoreBraap]

Yes that's normal .Nitrite will soon begin to show and when it does the ammonia will start to drop and you will need to add daily to maintain 2ppm to 4ppm. I know i'll get blasted for saying this but don't add anything but ammonia when needed.You can use any number of store bought aids that claim to introduce bacteria but i've done a number of fishless cycles without using it and it's worked every time. The way your doing it takes about six weeks.

I had great success with Tetra safestart & Seachem stability (in combo) on 2 tanks now, it cut the cyle down a few weeks for sure. Thats worth the $8 bottle to me! But without certainly does work.

[bluelagoon]

Chloride and chlorine are a bit different.Chloride is a part of table salt (NaCl) and is useful in our diets.Chlorine gains an electron to become chloride.So,ammonia chloride is safe to cycle a tank.

[brandonmoss]

I had great success with Tetra safestart & Seachem stability (in combo) on 2 tanks now, it cut the cyle down a few weeks for sure. Thats worth the $8 bottle to me! But without certainly does work.

Ill definitely look into getting some this week if nothing has started happening

[brandonmoss]

Chloride and chlorine are a bit different.Chloride is a part of table salt (NaCl) and is useful in our diets.Chlorine gains an electron to become chloride.So,ammonia chloride is safe to cycle a tank.

Great! Thanks for the reply

[Fish Tank Travis]

I can tell you from experience that it definitely can take a while if you're not seeding the tank. However, as you mentioned, it is the best way to prevent contamination. You don't have to add anything. Eventually, the bacteria will grow, even without seeding the tank or using a "bacteria in a bottle" product. It can take 6-10 weeks to do it this way, but it is the safest. Just be patient and it will work out just fine.

[Willie]

You don't need to check the water daily. When cycling begins, there will be a major bacterial bloom. Your water will get very cloudy for a day or so. Then it'll clear. After that, the tank is cycled. Don't bother with the other readings. If you have 0 nitrite (NO2), it's cycled. If you have any trace of nitrite, it's not.

Willie

[brandonmoss]

I can tell you from experience that it definitely can take a while if you're not seeding the tank. However, as you mentioned, it is the best way to prevent contamination. You don't have to add anything. Eventually, the bacteria will grow, even without seeding the tank or using a "bacteria in a bottle" product. It can take 6-10 weeks to do it this way, but it is the safest. Just be patient and it will work out just fine.

Thanks for the confirmation, so hard to be patient hahahaaha

[brandonmoss]

You don't need to check the water daily. When cycling begins, there will be a major bacterial bloom. Your water will get very cloudy for a day or so. Then it'll clear. After that, the tank is cycled. Don't bother with the other readings. If you have 0 nitrite (NO2), it's cycled. If you have any trace of nitrite, it's not.

Willie

Thanks for the advice Willie!