[funnyjew2]

I've been having issues with my fishless cycle, my nitrites have been sky rocketed for weeks...so Dr Tim suggested I do water changes to get them to a readble level. Tonite I did a 30% water change 25 gallons, I tested my nitrites about 2 hours later and now their is nothing 0ppm and ammonia 0ppm

my ammonia has been going back to 0 within a 24 hour period but nitrites stayed between 2-5ppm for weeks. I'm on day 37. Nitrates are between 10-20ppm So now what? do I add more ammonia see if it disappears again as well as nitrites, then I'll know if I'm truly cycled.

Good lord what is going on :-?

Can a water change kill a cycle???

I don't want to get my fish, they poop and pee and the BB can't perform it's cycle the way it should because of the water change.

 

[zimmy]

You might have cycled! I'd add the same dosage of ammonia you've been adding and test ammonia and nitrites in 24 hours to confirm you've cycled.

 

[prov356]

my ammonia has been going back to 0 within a 24 hour period but nitrites stayed between 2-5ppm for weeks. I'm on day 37. Nitrates are between 10-20ppm So now what? do I add more ammonia see if it disappears again as well as nitrites, then I'll know if I'm truly cycled.

Yes, you may be cycled. This is not a weird or bad thing. Nitrites, when they drop, drop suddenly like this. The water change probably had nothing to do with it. You're jumping to some wrong conclusions. Add an ammonia dose and test tomorrow. If both are 0, you're cycled. Don't focus on nitrates. So, often I see people trying to determine if they're cycled by testing nitrates. It's not about nitrates, when checking for a cycled tank. You can't determine if a tank is cycled with a nitrate reading.

I think you've arrived. Get ready to add fish. :fish: :fish: :fish: But confirm with that test first, of course.

 

[funnyjew2]

thank you thank you..I will add about 1/4 dose of ammonia 25 drops, and test tommorrow night. If all is well and no nitrites show up, I will get my fish. Just going to start off slow 1 juvie Oscar wait it out..then a week or so later get some silver dollars, but thats it for stocking.

the weird thing is when i tested nitrites when i got home from work at 6:40pm they were like 2-5ppm did the 25 gallon w/c and poof! 0 that's why i'm suspect. wish me luck, will report tommorrow the results. I will say this.if my nitrites jump again, I will have to find the closest bridge

 

[krfhsf]

Congrates you will not be a jumper. You did it! :thumb:

 

[zimmy]

the weird thing is when i tested nitrites when i got home from work at 6:40pm they were like 2-5ppm did the 25 gallon w/c and poof! 0 that's why i'm suspect.

You need to see the nitrites drop to zero before a water change. I would test today without changing the water to ensure that you are really cycled. As DJ mentioned in the other thread you have going about this topic, it might also be a good idea to continue dosing your tank (assuming your readings are zero tonight) and checking your levels for a few days to a week to make sure you're levels are cycling back to zero within 24 hours. Once that happens, you'll know for sure that you're cycled and it's safe to add fish.

In the meantime, you might want to take a different route home (so you avoid any bridges)

 

[krfhsf]

Last year when I cycled a 200gal I was adding 3-4ppm ammonia. After 6 weeks my nitrites were sky high and would not come down . I had a gut feeling the tank was cycled but because of the high amounts of ammonia I added it was bogged down. I did 3 -80% water changes that night. tested and only had a trace amount of nitrites. I added more ammonia to get it up to 3-4ppm. Tested in the morning and every thing was 0ppm. Except nitrates which were climbing. I did this everyday for a week and it was cycled from then on. I'm just saying this tank could be cycled. Good Luck.

 

[funnyjew2]

wow.. 3 80% wc's?? how long did that take. I added a 1/4 dose of ammonia which is what I've been adding ever other day or every 3 days since seeing nitrites. I will check when I get home. If everything is 0 i'm going to get my fish. I'll start off slow with 1 juvie oscar and that's it, after about a week or so I will slowly stock.

 

[funnyjew2]

Update on my "cycle"

After water change and nitrites read 0 I added 1/4 dose of ammonia (25 drops) just to make sure I was really cycled. Tested tonite hopeing it would read 0 & 0, was going to get my baby oscar tonite. Tested and... Still cycling!!!! Ammonia went back to 0ppm but Nitirites went back up to 2ppm after 17 hours.

Day 38

I am soooooooooo frustrated now.. This tank will never finish. I'm begining to hate this now

 

[prov356]

You shouldn't be testing nitrites after 17 hours. All instructions given to you said test after 24 hours. Of course nitrites are up. Ammonia is added, it converts it to nitrites, and those nitrites need time to be converted to nitrates. Don't test before 24 hours. I don't think you have an understanding of the processes involved. I'd suggest reading up on the nitrogen cycle. And also check out some articles or threads on fishless cycling. And then go back and re-read all of the instructions given to you in all of your related threads.

 

[Glaneon]

Patience young grasshoppa.

You're close.

6 weeks is NOT uncommon.

 

[funnyjew2]

well did'nt really feel the need to stay up till midnight just to test, either way the reading would of came out the same. I took the instruction/ advice and I tested before running out to get fish. I've researched and read and read post after post on the nitrogen cycle. I'm well aware of how it works. And just for the record..the advice given on many Oscar/ fish sites on any topic, not just Cycling but oscar care, tankmates, filters, media all differ. Everyone has their own opinion and you ask 10 people the same question you get 10 different answers. So my point is...every thread I've ever read whether it be mine or others on cycling have all varied. I've read posts that read anything over 5ppm nitrite will poison BB I've read that it doesn't matter, I've read to do water changes, I've read not to do water changes. I read the advice that I ask for and based on what i read, I make my own decision. For the record, it's anywhere from 12- 24 hours you can test. See. I've stayed up for hours reading posts on other peoples experience with cycling, trying to find similar situations...so i don't feel like i'm the only one going through this. So when i hear people say Oh I cycled in 2 weeks, I cycled in 7 days(which is impossible even with seeded filter) It took me 40 days, took me 3 months. I've learned that knowone really knows what their talking about. it's based on experience and trial and error. So excuse me for being a little frustrated after 38 days when everyone has been telling me 3 weeks, Oh this product works, this one doesn't, this one's great this one sucks...whatever..it is what it is. So if your answers aren't science based facts, then keep your comments to yourself

No offense..sorry dude, just a little stressed out right now. Just need to vent..Not personal

That's what i'm talking about, Thank you glaneon...words of encouragement. "it's not uncommon" have patience..that's what people like to hear when their frustrated. Not to be made feel belittled

 

[prov356]

No offense taken. I didn't think you'd like my post, but felt it needed to be said. I'll leave you be now. Wish you well with your tank.

 

[ahud]

I have never understood how people confuse cycling.

Add ammonia

Wait

Ammonia is converted to nitrite

wait

nitrite converted to nitrate.

I think you are over analyzing. Add ammonia, wait a day and test for ammonia and nitrite, if both read 0 your golden.

 

[funnyjew2]

again..read the above post..i get it..understand it..just frustrated. I've never understood why people don't understand what is being written.

words on a page

reading words on a page

understanding words on that page

I'll repeat for the slower folk...I UNDERSTAND THE NITROGEN CYCLE. I AM JUST FRUSTRATED, THAT IS ALL

DO U UNDERSTAND THESE WORDS????

 

[ahud]

I'm sorry, clearly you understand the nitrogen cycle.

Good luck,
Aaron

 

[krfhsf]

wow.. 3 80% wc's?? how long did that take. I added a 1/4 dose of ammonia which is what I've been adding ever other day or every 3 days since seeing nitrites. I will check when I get home. If everything is 0 i'm going to get my fish. I'll start off slow with 1 juvie oscar and that's it, after about a week or so I will slowly stock.

12 minutes to drain with the super syphon x3 and 1 hr to refill x3. Thats what it took to find out I was cycled. You are there too. Just be patient and keep going. Prov is the man and please do not be disrespectfull to him he is just trying to help you. Good Luck and keep us posted!

 

[prov356]

Update on my "cycle"

After water change and nitrites read 0 I added 1/4 dose of ammonia (25 drops) just to make sure I was really cycled. Tested tonite hopeing it would read 0 & 0, was going to get my baby oscar tonite. Tested and... Still cycling!!!! Ammonia went back to 0ppm but Nitirites went back up to 2ppm after 17 hours.

Day 38

I am soooooooooo frustrated now.. This tank will never finish. I'm begining to hate this now

Let me respond to this and explain why I said what I did.

Right after you add ammonia, ammonia will be 2ppm, nitrite 0ppm.

Ammonia level starts to drop as bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite.

After maybe 12 hours ammonia has dropped to 0, but nitrite has steadiliy risen.

Nitrite may peak and then begin to fall some 15-18 hours after the addition of ammonia.

Nitrite has dropped to 0 after 20-22 hours.

So, in this scenario, your tank was 'cycled' before you even added the ammonia. Adding the ammonia and testing is just the proof. The tank was cycled at 10, 12, 16, 17 hours, doesn't matter. 'Cycled' means there's enough bacteria present to handle a certain ammonia load within a 24 hour period. By 'handle' I mean convert it first to nitrite, then nitrate. The testing is just the proof. If you test at 17 hours, you haven't proven that the bacteria can handle the load in 24 hours, only that it can't in 17. If you had tested after 12 hours and had gotten an ammonia and nitrite reading, it doesn't mean your tank wasn't 'cycled'.

So, yes, there are things in the process that you don't understand. Calm down, humble yourself and learn. Or continue to shout at us and we'll probably all go away. Although I'm not easily intimidated or discouraged.

This is just the first step in a long haul. If you approach all problems going forward this way, you'll decrease your chances for success. Of course you're going to get a lot of different recommendations on an open forum like this. If you're having trouble sorting it all out, find someone who seems to understand and pm them. Many are happy to help this way. I have helped many this way. When you start 3 different threads on your cycling questions, it also adds to the confusion. You started one thread that went for a bit, then started another to ask if the advice you were getting in the first was correct. Then you got a reading you didn't understand, so started yet another thread.

Not trying to belittle you. I am truly trying to help you. This is supposed to be a relaxing hobby.

 

[zimmy]

Well said, Tim.

To the OP, I'm in a similar position to you. I'm on day 24 of cycling a 15 gallon tank (no sign of nitrites dropping yet). This isn't even my main tank. My 110 gallon is the tank I'll be using but it's been sitting on my dining room floor for over a month waiting for the delivery of the stand it'll be on. I've been cycling the 15 for something to do and hoping I can use it to seed the bigger tank once that one is actually set up (there'll be another several weeks wait I'm sure to get that one cycled). What I'm learning is that in all kinds of ways this hobby is about patience. The choice is to learn it or suffer with frustration over the fact that things don't always cooperate with our wishes.

I read something the other day that seemed to have a real grain of truth to it. It said that being an aquarist is not about keeping fish, it's about keeping water. I found that helpful in dealing with my cycling frustrations (even though I'm obviously looking forward to getting fish in my tank to go along with the water ).

 

[funnyjew2]

yes , thank you thank you...I appreciate the words of encouragement. I will just continue to test. I'll test again tonite after work. This is a new hobby for me..so I don't have the experience that most of you have. That is why I joined the forum. I apologize. I don't personally know any other people in this hobby so when things happen that I don't fully understand, or I have a question, I can't exactly call a friend. So, this forum is the only place I can turn to.

What is a super syphon x3??? 12 minutes to drain?? is it like python??