LFS and the cycle conflicting advice

Frostyfishman

Frostyfishman

New member
I am 20 days into cycling. I have been adding ammonia but stopped on monday. LFS advised me to stop adding ammonia for a week. Nitrites are off the charts. Did a 20 percent WC and. they are still off the charts. Im dosing stability. LFS said no more ammonia but im concearned my ammonia processing bacteria that is already established and converting ammonia to nitrite will die. I also have nitrates off the chart but i'm not sure if this is a false reading from the nitrites. Thanks:uhoh3:
 
not sure who or what you got your info from... dose ammonia once to get it to spike then let it do its thing... should never keep adding it after the first shot and you dont want to do water changes until its done... just my opinion you should do a 50% wc and start over.... just get ammonia to 2ppm or more then check the tank to see how it responds. once nitrite and ammonia are zero, do a big water change to get nitrates down...
 
You don't need to do a water change to reduce nitrites. Just let the cycle do it's thing and convert them to nitrates. I don't think I'd start over either. The water change didn't hurt you that much, if at all, since the bacteria is still present in the sand/LR. And also no need for more ammonia.
 
I still don't understand why people after spending so much money in their aquarium would want to wait over a month for a cycle if there are other ways of doing it in just a couple of days with the same result.
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Caurimare said:
I still don't understand why people after spending so much money in their aquarium would want to wait over a month for a cycle if there are other ways of doing it in just a couple of days with the same result.
Click to expand...

Because it is only a month. I will never understand why people, after investing so much money, would want to rush any part of this. I could see if it took a year for the bacteria to establish. That one month( which even then I would consider rushing) allows time to fine tune equipment and let things settle. Even after that, what is the point in just dumping in all the livestock all at once? There is no fun in that....why not enjoy establishing the tank?

I am planning a large tank for the spring, and I have no plans to add bacteria with the intention of speeding up a relatively short process. I have been keeping aquariums for about 16 years, reef tanks about 13 years. Nothing good comes from rushing.
 
I actually would consider making a large 50% water change during the cycle if the ammonia was over 8 ppm or the nitrites were over 10 ppm. Either of those two will slow down the cycle considerably. Yes the tank would eventually cycle, but it could add weeks to the process.
 
Wow I can't even measure that high. Only to 5ppm. It could be way over for all I know. Now I'm back to not knowing weather to leave it alone or water change or what.
 
I agree that a 50% WC will help you out. The bottom line is either way the tank will cycle. Doing nothing will just take longer.
 
My nitrites were stuck off the charts for weeks. I too got all the conflicting advice.

How long have u been showing the high nitrites?
 
Thats was pretty much my story. Nitrites stayed up for 37+ days. Then I did a water change and a week later nitrites went from off the charts to zero over night.

My cycle took 44 days. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just be patience. You don't need to start over or add any magic bottles.
 
seamonster124 said:
Thats was pretty much my story. Nitrites stayed up for 37+ days. Then I did a water change and a week later nitrites went from off the charts to zero over night.

This was on day 44 though. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just be patience. You don't need to start over or add any magic bottles.
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Sweet good to hear
 
when I cycled my tanks (freshwater back int he day and marine now) I found that the nitrite > nitrate bacterias took the longest time. But like some one said previously, one day, the nitrites will be gone. Once they grow, they go ham on the multiplying.
 
James77 said:
Because it is only a month. I will never understand why people, after investing so much money, would want to rush any part of this. I could see if it took a year for the bacteria to establish. That one month( which even then I would consider rushing) allows time to fine tune equipment and let things settle. Even after that, what is the point in just dumping in all the livestock all at once? There is no fun in that....why not enjoy establishing the tank?

I am planning a large tank for the spring, and I have no plans to add bacteria with the intention of speeding up a relatively short process. I have been keeping aquariums for about 16 years, reef tanks about 13 years. Nothing good comes from rushing.
Click to expand...

I agree (and I have been doing it much longer than that)
 
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