I know that there will be people telling me to wait out the cycle and that's not the issue it's more of curiousity about the cycle. My tank won't go below 0.5-1ppm ammonia levels. Nitrites are through the roof and the nitrates are fairly high though not crazy like 40ppm. I am curious more to why I can spike the ammonia to 4ppm then it will drop back down to 0.5-1ppm and stay there. This intrigues me because the nitrites are very high and so are nitrates. Obviously the nitrites being very high and not dropping means the bacteria needs to grow. The main thing that has me intrigued is about why the ammonia will drop 3ppm in a day or two but never get rid of that last 1ppm...ish. I know in time obviously it will. Just curious why it will drop significantly just not that last little bit until the very end of the cycle.
Cycling tank curiousity
- Thread starter Vbwjjeep
- Start date
And to make sure it doesn't get thrown out there this is not in any attempt to put life in the tank just a curiousity behind the nitrogen cycle and the bacterial growth of the tank. Most things I've read just simply say wait it out it will happen. I'm curious more to the why that last little bit of ammonia doesn't get filtered out. Such large amounts will just not that last little bit of ammonia.
strikeratt
New member
Where did you get the water from? Simple tap, RODI, store, etc.
The water is rodi pure water and tested before it's put in the tank for everything to double check. It's not an issue with anything just a thought behind the process. I have seen many others posting about having similar parts of the cycle and it seems natural for the levels to do this. Just curious as to the why. I've cycled tanks before and they will all have the magic no ammonia one day moment. That last little bit falling off. So more of a discussion about why that happens like that. If the tank can filter out ammonia down to 0.5-1ppm why can't it get that last little bit of ammonia til the very end.
strikeratt
New member
Ah. I was in the thought process maybe chloramine may be in the water and, if not mistaken, will show on tests.
As for the cycle itself, I may be totally off base here and hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong. There is always ammonia being produced in a tank. Die off of organisms, including bacteria does this. As you probably already know.
So, I think you're in a moment that yes, the bacteria has greatly reduced the amount in the tank, but it's not at the point it can keep up with the process and remove it all. In other words, you caught it at a good time.
Most of the time you catch it after it is complete. I know I've never caught it in between.
As for the cycle itself, I may be totally off base here and hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong. There is always ammonia being produced in a tank. Die off of organisms, including bacteria does this. As you probably already know.
So, I think you're in a moment that yes, the bacteria has greatly reduced the amount in the tank, but it's not at the point it can keep up with the process and remove it all. In other words, you caught it at a good time.
Most of the time you catch it after it is complete. I know I've never caught it in between.
I thought this as well as maybe the possible source for it. But if I spoke the tank to 4ppm and it can reduce it to 0.5-1ppm shouldn't it be able to handle the rest in the next day or two? My previous tank did this and it eventually all goes away. Can bacteria get rid of ammonia faster if it is in higher concentration? And goes slower when it's in lower concentration maybe? These were my thoughts of why it happens
mcgyvr
New member
4ppm is too high.. Levels that high have been shown to cause a stalling of the cycling process.. It seems to cause some die off or hibernation process in the bacteria.
2ppm is the recommended ammonia dosing level maximum to avoid such a problem..
And I would never dose ammonia more than once or twice max..
Its just causing you to work harder (do more water changes,etc...) to get those nitrates down post cycle
2ppm is the recommended ammonia dosing level maximum to avoid such a problem..
And I would never dose ammonia more than once or twice max..
Its just causing you to work harder (do more water changes,etc...) to get those nitrates down post cycle
I agree I have only dosed it twice and that's just to jump start it a little more. I use the shrimp method at the beggining to get a little ammonia going then remove them and dose twice with ammonia. After that just phantom feeding and waiting. I like dosing to 4ppm myself twice and then letting it settle at no more than 2ppm the rest of the cycle if possible. I don't like starting out the gate dosing that high. I prefer to dose at about day 10. And I do dose one more time at the end to 3ppm to give the tank a test once it's cycled. Like a little test of the tank.
