Cycling with bottled ammonia

[MikeTR]

180g setup on Sept 2nd. Used dry rock and about 200lbs that cooked in a brute for 6 months in the garage. After 4 weeks with no sign of a cycle I turned to the bottled ammonia route. Dosed ace hardware brand initially to get it going and then kept the ammonia at about 4ppm. I'm now at the point where I can dose 1/8th cup every 12 hrs and return to 0ppm.. Nitrites have fallen a bit but still between 2 and 5ppm. Do I need to continue to dose the ammonia or just let it ride at this point?

 

[MinnFish]

What's your nitrate reading? Get a second opinion on the nitrite reading. Could be a false reading.

 

[MikeTR]

Nitrates were at 20ppm last I checked a few days ago, but I've read that the presence of nitrites could falsly increase that reading. I've wondered about this nitrite kit recently, even though it's a brand new kit with expiration in 2017. Using API kit. While it may not be that accurate, it does detect nitrites. If it's not the light blue, then the cycle isn't over. I do plan on taking a sample to the LFS once the API kits hit 0 for a comparison reading. With the exception of today, for the last 5 days, the color immediately is a darker purple (5ppm) and then has lightened to .50. Today the color developed to 2ppm and pretty much stayed that way.

I'll get a new reading on my nitrates and post. Question remains, if I need to keep feeding the nitrifying bacteria at this point. I believe I began the inital ammonia dose on Oct 2nd.

 

[MikeTR]

Looks like 10 on the trates.. still somewhere between 2 and 5 on trites

 

[kv2wr1]

I am noticing the same problem. I an re-cycling my quarantine tank with ammonium chloride. I am fully stocked, but I figured I should have it up and running for emergencies. I think what happens is the cycle tends to get stuck more with this method for some reason. I would not dose anymore ammonia and let it ride out. Maybe do a water change? Your nitrites aren't really high, but still there. Maybe try a different test kit?

 

[bertoni]

I'd definitely stop adding the ammonia now, and give the tank some time to process the nitrite and nitrate.

 

[MuffsAbby]

I too would stop adding ammonia for now. My tank was down for over 4 months due to a total overhaul, which was finished earlier this month. I am also cycling with pure ammonia. When my ammonia dropped to nil (but I still had nitrite), I stopped adding ammonia. About 4 days later, nitrite dropped to nil. That was a few days ago. I then started adding a bit of ammonia each day, and a few hours later ammonia and nitrite are nil again. So, things seem good to go. I'm about to do a WC and start adding my fish back to the tank slowly.

 

[MikeTR]

Sounds good. Diatom bloom is in full force and hair algae is starting to pop up all over. Hoping mine follows suit so I can get a cuc in there.

 

[MikeTR]

0's across the board today. 3 weeks from initial dosing and 7 weeks from start up. I'd say we're good to go!