# Help With Cycle!



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

Ok so ive been cycling my 75g with liquid ammonia, I started with roughly 4-5ppm of ammonia.

my params now are

ammonia - 0.15ppm

nitrite - 2ppm

nitrate - 35ppm

Ive been experiencing odd results, 2 days ago i tested my nitrates and they were over 80ppm and now they have lowered? (mayb i accidentally tested wrong?)

My question is, do i keep adding ammonia? or do i wait until the cycle is complete and i am only left with nitrates?

My fish is being shipped in the next few days possibly a week, i want to keep the BB alive? once my cycle is done do i continue to add ammonia?


----------



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

I dont understand whats going on! ive just tested my water, now my params have all dropped to 0 and i havent added ammonia or done a water change. how can all the levels have dropped to 0 when your supposed to be left with nitrates at the end of the cycle.


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Sounds like your readings are all over the place... are you sure your test kit is accurate?


----------



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

hey joe, i just realized reading the instructions would definitely have helped lol!

I followed the instructions for the nitrate testing, and my nitrates are roughly between 80-100ppm, which is what i wanted to see..

my params are

ammonia - .10ppm

nitrite - 0ppm

nitrate - 80-100ppm

Why am i still registering ammonia? and my fish is gonna be put in, in about 2 weeks.. what should my next step be, in maintaining my BB and keeping my tank cycled? Ive heard i should do a massive water change at this point?


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

How long have you been cycling?


----------



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

well i had 6 platys and 3 zebra danios in my tank for 3 weeks, the ammonia wasnt high enough so i removed them and started using liquid ammonia exactly a week ago, and now my cycle is done. So in total roughly 4 weeks

could it be that my filter floss is dirty and holding ammonia?

Im thinking, do a 20%-30% WC to bring down the nitrates and dose the tank with small amounts of ammonia every other day (around .50ppm) to keep it cycled, then do a big WC before my fish comes in?


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

It looks like you are pretty much cycled... I would just leave things alone til tomorrow and see if the ammonia goes away -- if it does, perform a water change and then try to add some fish in there or add a tiny bit of ammonia to keep things going until you get your new fish.


----------



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

alright, thanks for the feedback! so im assuming having high nitrates shouldn't be a problem? if i were to add more ammonia, the nitrates will also go up?

--

I just tested my tap water, ammonia is roughly between 0.25-0.30ppm, when performing a water change, should i add the water to the tank and condition it with Prime while im adding water back into the tank? I know pre treating the water is better, but i don't have a pump to pump it back into the tank.


----------



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

anyone?


----------



## superbite (Mar 9, 2009)

i added ammonia 3 days ago, test kit read .40ppm.. its now been three days and i still have a slight reading of .05-.10ppm. I cant get it to drop to 0, what could be wrong?


----------



## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

superbite said:


> i added ammonia 3 days ago, test kit read .40ppm.. its now been three days and i still have a slight reading of .05-.10ppm. I cant get it to drop to 0, what could be wrong?


Perhaps not enough BB yet to break it down to 0. The amonia is still out doing your BB, obviously. You've been going about a month so I would think it should be there or damn close and at those readings your are close. What kind of media do you have in your filters for BB to spawn/grow on? Granted it grows where ever it can but having a good amount of media in your filters for it to do so in that area is step 1. Keep in mind there isn't an exact time line to cycling you are at the average time, some go long and some like myself have damn near about the same readings you do in 11 days. All depends. I used a couple pieces of filter media from a friend though and my amonia source has been a fillet of fish (raw) thrown in the tank and replaced every 3 days. More than 1 way to skin a cat. Give it time; I understand I'd be getting frusterated at a month as well. Try adding more filter media, rings/stars/pads-sponges.

*just realized this thread is old........damn attention to detail- not enough







this morning.
so hows the tank going a month later?


----------

