need help on fishless cycle

[4discusdude]

I had start fishless cycle almost a week. I add ace hardware ammonia on the first day about two teaspoon on each tank, 20 gl, and 40 gl breeder with the divide into 20 each.and never add anymore sent then. Today ammonia is still at 8ppm, like every other day I been check and the nitrite today is at 5.0ppm. It just started today with nitrite. Is this normal? And I just add fritzzyme 700 yesterday. Should I expect the tank will cycle anytime soon in 2 week? Pls help me with this cycle thing. All has a sponge filter and HOB filter on each.

[DonMD]

It always takes me 8 weeks to cycle a tank using ammonia. I don't know where the nitrites came from, you should just have very high ammonia readings after just one week. I don't think you'll get nitrite readings for at least 4 weeks, then another 4 weeks for the cycle to complete. That's just my experience.

[DiscusDrew]

Unless your adding bacteria like he is, which will speed up the cycle, just be careful, it sounds like your ammonia is getting converted and Don is right that is very early but sounds like things are going correctly, keep testing, when ammonia goes down be sure to add more (or at least I always do) to make sure the original bacteria that converts the ammonia continues to be fed, and continues to repopulate.

[4discusdude]

Thanks for the response. Yesterday after I add the fritzzyem 700, i tested the ammonia it still at 8ppm and nitrite is 0. Came home from work, ammonia is the same and got the nitrie going up. So, should I change the water to keep ammonia down or just leave it alone for another week?

[4discusdude]

Just out of nowhere. I test nitrate, and is at 5ppm. I read all the post for fishless cycle before I start on mine and mine didn't goes like the other. Is there anything I did wrong?

[jimg]

I cycle the tanks at 1ppm. no reason for 8ppm imo, I'll do 4ppm if I have more fish to be added than normal. when the ammonia is too high it can stall the cycle by killing off bacteria. If you add a bacterial supplement you can get it cycled in a week depending on the additive. sometimes nitrites will come in a few days but stay for a couple more weeks with additives too. let it sit for a few day without wc,s and see. If you clean the tank or change water you will lower the bio count.

[DonMD]

Thanks for the response. Yesterday after I add the fritzzyem 700, i tested the ammonia it still at 8ppm and nitrite is 0. Came home from work, ammonia is the same and got the nitrie going up. So, should I change the water to keep ammonia down or just leave it alone for another week?

Because your ammonia is so high, I would change about 50% or more of the water and re-check. I think many people try to get a 2-4 ppm ammonia level and then when it starts dropping, you'll need to add small amounts until you get consistent zero ammonia and nitrite readings. Good luck.