# Just started cycling my tanks.



## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

I am just going to post my diary of cycling my tanks and I probably will ask for opinions of this and how it is going. So feel free to comment and post answers as I ramble.
First day 7-6-13
dosed 5.5g- 1/2 teaspoon checked two hours later It is between 4-8ppm 
dosed 35g-4 teaspoons checked two hours later, It is BLUE WAY TO MUCH.

2nd day 7-7-13
checked 5.5g this morning, still between 4-8ppm
checked 35g this morning, STILL BLUE
that is all so far...


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Too much ammonia can "stall " a cycle.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Oh god I already took out 10 gallons of the 35 I guess some more can not hurt. Thank you


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## Jenniferinfl (May 3, 2013)

Are you cycling with ammonia rather than seeding because of an issue with the previous tank? I was just curious as many people with an established tank will do a seeded tank for the next one with plenty of plants to basically do a silent cycle.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

FWIW, I dosed ammonia everyday up until I saw nitrites. I only tested for ammonia once I saw the nitrites spike.

I have used this method 3 times and the last two I perfected the procedure (so to speak - for me anyway) and they both took only 10days.

I edited the fishless cycle thread in the very first post a while back. If you go to it and read it and just do what it says, stop all the testing, and let nature takeover your stress level will be much lower. I have seen MANY people get on here with the dose and wait method and nearly all come back with "why isn't my tank cycling?" The purpose of the fishless is to drive your ammonia very high and force things to occur at an accelerated rate and not worry about changing water or killing fish.


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

jrman83 said:


> FWIW, I dosed ammonia everyday up until I saw nitrites. I only tested for ammonia once I saw the nitrites spike.
> 
> I have used this method 3 times and the last two I perfected the procedure (so to speak - for me anyway) and they both took only 10days.
> 
> I edited the fishless cycle thread in the very first post a while back. If you go to it and read it and just do what it says, stop all the testing, and let nature takeover your stress level will be much lower. I have seen MANY people get on here with the dose and wait method and nearly all come back with "why isn't my tank cycling?" The purpose of the fishless is to drive your ammonia very high and force things to occur at an accelerated rate and not worry about changing water or killing fish.


Interesting did you also allow your nitrites to go very high?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

dalfed said:


> Interesting did you also allow your nitrites to go very high?


Yes. Dosing the ammonia will cause this also. Helps speed the appearance of nitrates.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

So I should add ammonia everyday? I really wAnt this to be done ASAP. I keep a journal of it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yes. Did you go and read the first post on the fishless cycling thread?


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Yes I did read the post, I skimmed through it before I started, but now I read more thoroughly. I am now going to tell you everything I have done cycling wise. When I first started I added 1 teaspoon per 10g. So I divided this and added half a teaspoon to my 5.5g. I also thought that this ammonia can not be that strong and added 4 teaspoons to the 35g. Then I started this post.

3rd day 7-8-13
5.5g- level is 8 I changed 20%
35g- Level is 8 I changed 50%

4th day 7-9-13
5.5g- level is 8 or higher
35g- level is 3

Should I add ammonia to the 35g? How much?


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Jenniferinfl said:


> Are you cycling with ammonia rather than seeding because of an issue with the previous tank? I was just curious as many people with an established tank will do a seeded tank for the next one with plenty of plants to basically do a silent cycle.


Well I have no live plants and well I have not really thought about this, but I have a cycled top fin 10 gallon filter. Could I put all the fish in the 35g (like I am planning) and use all my filters with the top fin and have no problems? This would help alot.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I can't speak to how much you added initially. You add and add more until you reach 4ppm the first day. From there, that is the amount you add everyday. The bad part about having a specificed amount per gallon is your ammonia and mine is unlikely to be the same strength and so it is inconsistent. You let the test result guide you in the amount you add.

If you are going to use the method I spoke of, then don't worry about the results of your ammonia test....just dose. You can even stop the testing if you like. Test for nitrites around day 7-8.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

4th day 7-10-13
5.5g- 8ppm added 1/4 teaspoon
35g-4 added a teaspoon

5th day 7-11-13
5.5g- dark blue ammonia, WE HAVE NITRITES .50ppm
35g- dark green ammonia, WE HAVE NITRITES TOO .50ppm
I am happy.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Jaybird5 said:


> 4th day 7-10-13
> 5.5g- 8ppm added 1/4 teaspoon
> 35g-4 added a teaspoon
> 
> ...


Awesome!

So now cut your doses in half and only dose every 3 days. Your ammonia should drop to near 0 in the next couple of days, but keep dosing until the nitrites drop. you can start testing for nitrates in a few days if you like. Once they start to climb you will know your nitrites are dropping although your nitrite test may be pegging.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Okay I am just not going to add anything today or tomorrow. But I still will test everyday. If it drops I will just add more. Thank you!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Do not add anything based on any result. Just keep with the schedule.


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## snowghost45 (May 13, 2013)

I believe it KISS, Keep it simple.... I just cycle my tanks with no fish for three weeks, maybe two. Never had any problems. Has worked for 20 years.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

snowghost45 said:


> I believe it KISS, Keep it simple.... I just cycle my tanks with no fish for three weeks, maybe two. Never had any problems. Has worked for 20 years.


What does that mean though? A tank will not even start a nitrogen cycle witout an ammonia source.


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

snowghost45 said:


> I believe it KISS, Keep it simple.... I just cycle my tanks with no fish for three weeks, maybe two. Never had any problems. Has worked for 20 years.


Just read your posts in the "water change" thread and between this comment and the fact that you are only changing 9% of your water on an over stocked (or soon to be as the angels grow) tank I think you may be slanting to big problems if you are not already there. What are your test parameters on tank?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

What is the status today? Curiuos...


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## snowghost45 (May 13, 2013)

dalfed said:


> Just read your posts in the "water change" thread and between this comment and the fact that you are only changing 9% of your water on an over stocked (or soon to be as the angels grow) tank I think you may be slanting to big problems if you are not already there. What are your test parameters on tank?


Thanks for the info, I thought 10% was sufficient water change. One angel is full grown with two juveniles.


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## snowghost45 (May 13, 2013)

I don't claim to be an expert on fish. When I started my first tank some twenty years ago, I had all the testing kits and ended up killing my fish by altering my water with chemicals. I haven't used a test kit in years, just do my water changes and keep my plants healthy.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

snowghost45 said:


> I don't claim to be an expert on fish. When I started my first tank some twenty years ago, I had all the testing kits and ended up killing my fish by altering my water with chemicals. I haven't used a test kit in years, just do my water changes and keep my plants healthy.


We'll assume your tank IS cycled.You should at least invest in a liquid nitrAte test.Once you know where you want your nitrates to be(I'll geuss between 20-40ppm) then you'll know how much water to change.The % of water change is the % nutrient will be lowered.Example;40ppm nitrates with a 10% change will yield aprox36ppm nitrate,while a 50% change with 40 ppm will yield aprox 20ppm nitrate.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I agree, but only if you plan to keep doing the 10%. If you did something like 40-50%, I would say the testing is unnecessary as long as your tank is not super overstocked and you watch how much your feed.

I change about 60-65% weekly and tested just a few times in the last 2yrs.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Well time to get back into things! Sorry I had a brief absence of testing and did not even test a day.
7-12-13 6th day
5.5g- *ammonia*- dark blueish
35g- *ammonia*- dark green

7-13-13 7th day
NOTHING I AM LAZY

7-14-13 8th day
5.5g- *ammonia*- darkish blueish greenish. *Nitrite*-5ppm+
35g- *ammonia *-8ppm. *Nitrite*-5ppm+

Doing todays as we speak.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

7-15-13 9th day
5.5g-*Ammonia*- dark blue 8+, *Nitrites*-5ppm+
35g-*Ammonia*- 5ppm, *Nitrites*-5ppm+

Both tanks were under filled, so I filled them up and to also quiet those nosy filters. Also my 35g now has a eheim 2213 classic on it too to add to the existing Aqueon quiet filter 30. So 5.5g gained about a gallon and 35g gained about half a gallon.

Question: My eheims filter outtake will flow normally, then it speeds up and shoots out the water much faster. I am assuming it is just the filter getting the air out? Or is it my media placement? It just goes normal..FAST..normal......FAST sorta random.


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## lonedove55 (Jan 25, 2012)

Jaybird5 said:


> 7-15-13 9th day
> 5.5g-*Ammonia*- dark blue 8+, *Nitrites*-5ppm+
> 35g-*Ammonia*- 5ppm, *Nitrites*-5ppm+
> 
> ...


I also own 2 of the Eheim 2213 filters..sounds like it may be the magnet on the impeller is slipping. You might need to take the impeller assembly apart and clean the black magnet part off and clean down in the chamber (soft tooth brush works well)..just be careful removing it as the shaft is ceramic (and will have a rubber "bushing" on each end). They are very delicate and can break easily (been there and done that!). To rid the canister of air, just rock it slowly back and forth while running and any air trapped in the media will eventually be expelled out through the spray bar. You will know all the air is out when the filter no longer makes any noise. Mine run dead silent. Good luck on your cycle...sounds like you're well on your way!


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Thank you! Ever since I submerged the spray bar, it really is silent. I love it! And I am sure the flow change has stopped. I moved it around a bit to get the air out.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Alright I missed another day of testing :/
7-16-13 10th day
NOTHING

7-17-13 11th day
5.5g- Ammonia- 8ppm, Nitrites- 5+ppm, (I was bored so I tested nitrates.), Nitrates, between 0 and 5ppm. Can not tell it is higher then 0 though.

35g- Ammonia- 1.5ppm, Nitrites- 5+ppm, Nitrates between 0 and 5ppm. 

So the ammonia on both has dropped a bit and we now have a small amount of Nitrates.


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## lonedove55 (Jan 25, 2012)

Jaybird5 said:


> Thank you! Ever since I submerged the spray bar, it really is silent. I love it! And I am sure the flow change has stopped. I moved it around a bit to get the air out.


You're welcome!! <label for="rb_iconid_10">







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