# Fishless cycle help



## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Hello there these are my test Results
Ph 7.6
High ph 8.0 
Ammonia 0.25 
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 5.0

Is there any Products I can buy to speed up this process and do a cycle in a week many thanks Brian


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

With the presence of nitrite you're almost there. It might be less than a week as it is. What are you doing now?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Tetra SafeStart, Dr. Tim's One & Only, ATM Colony, BioSpira, etc. all help speed up the process, as does dirty filter media from the pet store or a friend's tank, if you can get it. Make sure you have a source of ammonia before you add any of it though, or your bacteria will starve and die.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Brew86uk said:


> Hello there these are my test Results
> Ph 7.6
> High ph 8.0
> Ammonia 0.25
> ...


How are you doing the fishless cycle?
Are you adding ammonia(pure) or "what"?
Acording to our fishless process you should be adding 1/2 the amount of original dose of ammonia every 4 days now.
That would be enough pure ammonia to give the tank a reading of 2ppm ammonia.Then you wait 4 days.If they 0 out(0 ammonia/0nitrite) then you are done and change massive volume of water to get nitrates to safe level(often 75%+).
If you still have either ammonia or nitrite after day 4 then you dose the amount needed to get 2ppm ammonia again.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.25 
Nitrate 5.00 
3 days later is my tank cycling ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Looks like you are justing letting this happen without adding anything?
It looks like it is cycling but be warned that the bio load available will be low if you have not been adding ammonia.
When you are 0/0/? you will be "cycled" but stand a very good chance of getting mini cycles(ammonia or nitrite spikes)when you add stock.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

I am not adding anything u think I should add ammonia and Bacteria to help the cycle ?? Or let it carry on the way things are ??


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I would add more ammonia, get it to 2ppm, every 4 days until nitrite zeros out. Then add again and if ammonia and nitrite zero out in 24 hours or less, you're done. At that point the nitrates should be sky high, and a massive water change will bring it down to acceptable levels. The fishless cycle I did recently too an excessive amount of time but it worked perfectly.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Getting hold of
Ammonia is the problem in uk and I've been told u have to add bractica with it to work or it's pointless


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I did a fishless cycle recently with nothing but pure ammonia, no bacteria additives whatsoever, so I know it works. If you can't get ahold of pure ammonia, maybe you could add some fish food to the empty tank, or a shrimp in a mesh bag.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Just got some from homebase ammonia bloody hell it's so Strong smell it's have me a nose bleed lol says on back contains ammonium hydroxide 9.5% w/w will that be ok to cycle tank ?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

We have 10% in the US,you'll be fine.
Next slowly add enough(take a couple hours to get this right and MEASURE VERY ACCURATELY)to get your tank to 2ppm.
You speed things up this way.
After dosing wait 4 days and test(you already have nitrites so you are in last half of cycling) and are going to keep up with 2 ppm every 4 days until both ammonia and nitrite are 0 within(preferably under{24 hour test})this time.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

It's foams a little bit but soon goes down should it
Be ok ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Read lable closely for surfactants.Anything added to ammonia means no don't use.If all you see is ammonia then have at it.
As for foaming in general that means no as their is a surfactant added ,but I can't see any "foamy bubbles" from NY so ????If they go away in seconds(1,2,3) then maybe you're ok if they hang for 10 seconds or so I wouldn't risk it.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Right added ammonia but I think I have added abit too much reading of 8ppm maybe abit over will I be ok still nitrite 0 at the moment ?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The tank and cycle should be fine at 8ppm.If you did this process from beginning you would be way higher then 8ppm.
Now it may take more than 4 days(which should be when you test ammonia and nitrite),to 0 out completely,but we'll let the test dictate if adding any thing more is needed then(in 4 more days).Now we just wait.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Almost 4 days have gone ammonia is around 4-8ppm and nitrite is 0.5ppm/1.00ppm I started on 8ppm plus ammonia and 0 nitrite so things going well ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Looks good.
I'll mention that it is 2 seperate bacterias that complete our cycles.The first and seemingly quickest to form converts ammonia to nitrite.The second and sometimes seemingly much slower to form converts nitrites to nitrates.
According to our fishless sticky if after 4 days(This is once nitrites are detected{where you are at})ammonia and nitrites are NOT 0 then you dose ammonia .Enough to equall 2ppm for entire tank(remember when I said measure carefully?).
So if last time you think you got upto 4-8 then you want to add 1/4 that much ammonia again(and every 4 days until levels are 0/0/??


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

But my ammonia levels are still high should I wait 1-2 days for them to go down to about 2ppm then add more to get level to 5ppm ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

You add what equals 2ppm on friday the 19th.That is 4 days from last dose.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

So if I add 2ppm of ammonia on Friday I am good to go what if my ammonia level is high like 4ppm do I still add ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Yea you still add.The only # that matters for ammonia again is 0.In order to know you will have a strong enough bacteria colony to stock completely tank/filter needs to convert 2ppm(at least) completely(0/0/??).


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Update on my tank ammonia went from 5ppm to 0.25 from day 4/5 so I have topped it upto 5ppm again and my nitrite is almost 5ppm am I on track ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Now you're watching the nitrites.When they get to 0 you are there!
Keep going every 4 days till both are 0.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

So I have done the right tbing topping up the ammonia ??


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## DLFL (Oct 26, 2012)

Yes you did.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Thanks for help guys so do I need to top ammonia up everytime it goes low till I get 0/0 on both ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Yes you need to top off but only every 4 days(once) until both ammonia and nitrite are 0.
Once the ammonia and nitrites are both 0 within 4 days of last ammonia dose then you will probly have sky high nitrAtes and need [email protected]% water changes atleast.
Once you do the waterchange to get nitrAtes to acceptable level completely stock the tank if possible!


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

In 24hours my ammonia gone from 5ppm to 0.25 nirite 2.0ppm still add more
Ammonia ?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

you dose the ammonia ONLY EVERY 4 DAYS NOW,that you have registered nitrites.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

But my ammonia went right down from 5ppm to in 0 24hours so I leave it low ??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Brew86uk said:


> But my ammonia went right down from 5ppm to in 0 24hours so I leave it low ??


With the detection of nitrites we know the bacteria for "step1" is in place and ammonia will be converted.Still only step1.
Ammonia should be dosed to 2ppm every fourth day until both ammonia and nitrite are 0.AT the most you might dose ammonia every other day until the nitrites go to 0.
You are getting there so I wouldn't worry to much ,just keep paying attention to levels.
Have you been researching fish you want to stock with?


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

tetra Mollies Platys. By the way I was told u need ammonia so the nitrites can eat it ? I have topped the ammonia upto 5ppm so if it does goto 0 by tomorrow should I leave it for a few days or top up again ?? Getting confused now lol


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Update nitrite is 0 ammonia 4ppm and nitrate 20ppm am I coming to the end of the cycle


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