Cycling - am I on the right track?

Skudo09

Skudo09

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Hi Everyone

I have been cycling my tank for three weeks now. I have been using bloodworm as my ammonia source. Sadly I don't have any media I can use from another already cycled tank.

The current water parameters are:

Ammonia: 0.5ppm
PH: 8.2
Nitrite and Nitrate are both: 0ppm
Temp: annoyingly high at 23.9C :( I am trying to cool it with fans and ice bottles but if I can't get and keep it down I will be investing in a chiller before I bring my axolotls home.

I currently have sand as my substrate and a few live plants (would like to get more), a canister filter with spray bar, a ship ornament.

Am I on the right track?
 
Skudo09 said:
Hi Everyone

I have been cycling my tank for three weeks now. I have been using bloodworm as my ammonia source. Sadly I don't have any media I can use from another already cycled tank.

The current water parameters are:

Ammonia: 0.5ppm
PH: 8.2
Nitrite and Nitrate are both: 0ppm
Temp: annoyingly high at 23.9C :( I am trying to cool it with fans and ice bottles but if I can't get and keep it down I will be investing in a chiller before I bring my axolotls home.

I currently have sand as my substrate and a few live plants (would like to get more), a canister filter with spray bar, a ship ornament.

Am I on the right track?
Click to expand...

If nitrite and nitrate are both at 0ppm, you haven't started the cycle at all I'm afraid :(

Here's a good article on cycling, that includes the method for 'fish food' cycling: Scales Tails Wings and Things, What is Aquarium Cycling? How to Cycle your Tank
 
Thanks Kaini :)

I have little patience with these things :-/.

From the link, it seems that I am on the right track in terms of how to but it just hasn't started yet and that it can take anywhere from six weeks to happen - I have only been cycling for three weeks so I will be patient and keep going and see what happens :)
 
Skudo09 said:
Thanks Kaini :)

I have little patience with these things :-/.

From the link, it seems that I am on the right track in terms of how to but it just hasn't started yet and that it can take anywhere from six weeks to happen - I have only been cycling for three weeks so I will be patient and keep going and see what happens :)
Click to expand...

Well SOMETHING should have happened in 3 weeks if you were executing properly; it doesn't happen instantanesly and if those levels have been at 0 the whole time nothing has gotten done. (I can certainly cycle a tank in 3 weeks - 3 weeks is the average but yes, it can take longer)

You should see spikes of nitrite as the bacteria 'eats' the ammonia. then when the ammonia goes down to 0ppm you add more to keep it all going until you get nitrAtes of around 20-40ppm.

What is the ammonia level when you add the bloodworms? It should be around 4ppm to start. then when that goes down, (and nitrites go up) you add more ammonia (in this case in the form of decaying bloodworms) until it's back to 4ppm.

Again, doing that and keeping the ammonia up until you see nitrates. When you have nitrates and everything else is at 0 (ammonia and nitrites) your tank is cycled.

I hope that made sense?
 
I think that makes sense. I guess I am a little confused though as I have not seen any nitrite at all. :-/

It all pretty much start at 0ppm and during the three weeks the ammonia has slowly risen until now where it is sitting at 0.5ppm.
 
Skudo09 said:
I think that makes sense. I guess I am a little confused though as I have not seen any nitrite at all. :-/

It all pretty much start at 0ppm and during the three weeks the ammonia has slowly risen until now where it is sitting at 0.5ppm.
Click to expand...

Yea that's really... nothing, sorry to say. You weren't cycling.

I would go find some ammonia to start your cycle with. Just pure ammonia. (You can get it at hardware stores, I believe- make sure it's JUST ammonia - no additives or other chemicals)To start the cycle you have to START it at 4ppm (for the bacteria to begin to feed on).

My water actually has .25 ppm of ammonia in it just out of the tap, so .5 is really nothing and won't start your cycle I'm sorry to say.
 
Thanks for your help Kaini, I really appreciate it.

I will see if I can find somewhere that sells pure ammonia.
 
So no luck finding pure ammonia so far :( it seems hard to come by here. The closest thing I have found is cloudy ammonia but from my understanding although it doesn't state that it contains soaps, it does contain soap or some other additive.

I will keep my eye out though.
 
You could try adding axie poop. I started my babies' tank with adult poop, worked very well. And it's contorversial, but you could try some 'quick start' stuff - usually a bottle or jelly pearls to kick start the cycle (I believe it's bacterial spores in nutient suspension)
 
Thanks Auntiejude, I will try those options :) although I will try the quick start stuff first as my axies have not yet arrived :)
 
Black & Gold cloudy ammonia is a safe option here in Aus. It's what I have used to fishless-cycle my tank.
If you live in Vic maybe I could help you with media :happy:
 
Thanks Nexsocius I think I know a place here that might sell that brand. I will go and see if they have it tomorrow.

I live in the ACT but thanks for the offer :)
 
So I have managed to find a bottle of Black & Gold cloudy ammonia :)

I will see how this goes.

Thanks again for your advice everyone :) I received my licence to keep axolotls in the mail yesterday so once my tank cycles, I can go and pick up my two axolotls :D
 
Thanks Layna, that is a good read :)

One question though, is it necessary to heat the water like it says in the link?
 
No. Heating the water just allows the bacteria to grow faster.

If you're going to keep the tank cool for your axolotls, then just grow your bacteria at that temperature.
 
I am just about to start cycling my new tank, never done fish less before bit am going to this time, I just read that link up there very very helpful but just wondering if some can tell me how much ammonia to add at a time?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
MandyT84 said:
I am just about to start cycling my new tank, never done fish less before bit am going to this time, I just read that link up there very very helpful but just wondering if some can tell me how much ammonia to add at a time?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

When the ammonia goes down keep bringing the concentration back up to 4ppm until the tank is cycled ( when the ammonia disappears within 24 hours and there is a reading of <40ppm nitrate the tank is cycled).
 
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