# Good Bacteria Death Rate?



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm well into week 3 of my fishless cycle and when dosed to 4ppm ammonia, it's at 2ppm the next day, (Nitrites still at around 4-5), Nitrates at 30ppm (were at 20ppm at beginning of cycle), so I'm getting there.

Once the cycle is completed and I stop dosing ammonia, how long do I have to stock the tank before the good bacteria begins to die off? (I'm thinking if for some reason I can't stock right away, I'll keep dosing ammonia just to keep the bacteria alive and at a high level.) Just wanted to know the time range I've got. :fish9:

Thanks!


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Once its cycled even now you can start adding some fish food to feed the bacteria as well. I never do fishless cycles, I just make sure I have seeded filters ready to go at all times incase a tank needs to be cycled or goes into a cycle. The extra established bacteria works wonders.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

+1


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

personally, I'd stop dosing the ammonia once you think it's established, and wait for it to read 0, THEN add your fish. the fish are going to be producing ammonia right away, so they'll immediately take the place of your doses. if there's too much ammonia still in the tank when you add the fish, they may not take to nicely to it... but that's all going to depend on the fish at the same time too...

but at the same rate, take that advice with a grain of salt, because I've never bothered with a fishless cycle. I've never had a problem with cycling a tank WITH fish, so I've never bothered to try


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Why ask that question? Sounds you're overthinking things again. The worst you may get is a momentary ammonia spike...you should be able to handle that.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Lol, thanks jrman.

To everyone else: I was following the fishless cycle method that is a sticky in this forum. It said that the Nitrites need to start falling before I can add fish. My ammonia drops quickly, but the Nitrites are still at 5, and I think that will kill fish will it not? (Confuuuuused, lol.)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The cycle hasn't completed the process until you are at 0, 0, xx value for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. A falling nitrite value usually indicates the end is near.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

That's what I thought. Thanks! Lol, "the end is near." That's a good thing, but it sounds so ominous!

Today the ammonia was at 1.5ppm
the nitrites were at 1 (they dropped 4ppm over night.... odd...)
the nitrates were at 10 ppm (which is actually better than they were when the cycle started, lol.)

I re-dosed ammonia (1/8 tsp) and 2 hours later it was at 4ppm. I'm expecting it to be back down to 1-2 ppm by tomorrow - as has been the norm lately. It's getting there! Soooo excited!

So, here's hoping I can add plants and the 10g residents by the end of the weekend or early next week!


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