Fishless tank cycle question

[eddiegunks]

Hey all,

I'm trying to cycle my new Fish Tank without Fish. I'm using ammonia and I'm trying to do it that way.

I started on 17 March. Everything was going very well on 26 March I had .25 ammonia, and 4.5 nitrite, and 40 nitrate.

I tested it again that evening and my my ammonia was at zero. So I added my daily dose again. ( I had added my daily dose that morning, and then I added again that evening. ). This is where i may have screwed it up.

The next morning on March 27 my ammonia was 0. my nitrites were about 3, but my nitrates were 5. How did that happen? How did my nitrates go down without a water change?

This morning on March 28 I tested it again. My ammonia was 0. my nitrites were about 3. and My nitrates stayed about 5.

Thx

Eddie

 

[duanes]

Sounds like you are just beginning the 2nd stage of the cycle where nitrites are beginning to rise.
Patience is the key, building up a proper population of bacteria to consume ammonia and nitrite, can take 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the size of the tank.
And nitrates may appear dependent upon what your water provider use a a disinfectant.
If the company uses chloramine, it is not surprising that nitrate noise could show up on a test.

 

[eddiegunks]

Thx

It is well water. So no chlorine.

 

[duanes]

Depending on whether you live in a city, or agricultural area, may contribute to nitrates.
Wells in rural and agricultural areas where nitrate fertilizers may have large seasonal, snow melt or rain event swings.
Or even if you are on a private well downstream (aquifer/water table downstream) from a farm field, or even a neighbor that likes too over fertilize may contribute to your wells water parameters.
Many years ago I interned with the DNR well test program, and found wells downstream from feed lots, certain highly fertilized fields, to test extremely high for nitrate, nitrate residual.

 

[eddiegunks]

Ok. Thx. But are you suggesting that the well water may make my jitrates go down? That is my issue. The nitrate level is all the sudden low. All the rest of my tanks are showing 25-80 (80 is another tank we are cycling. No fish. Dont worry. ).

Thx again

 

[duanes]

At this point, I would not be worried about nitrates fluctuating, In this early part of the cycle you should be more worried about ammonia and nitrite, and waiting for them to peak, then ebb.
And "no" I expect well water (especially private wells) to often have higher nitrates than surface water. Hence your other high nitrate tanks.

 

[eddiegunks]

Excellent. You're right, tap water comes out at about 20 on the nitrates.

 

[eddiegunks]

well, not sure whats up.....the nitrates have returned to "normal" for a fishless cycle.

the newest observation is that i am loosing NH4 overnight. but my nitrites do not seem to be changing at all. i thought i would see some movement after 14 days.

that being said, i have air bubbles going and i added some plants. could they be scrubbing the NH4?

i will keep at it.

eddie

 

[duanes]

Looks like the ammonia consumers have reached equilibrium, now you to be patient enough to let the "nitrite" consumers reach proper population. You've conquered the first stage, you're are now in the 2nd stage. Once nitrite disappears, your tank is cycled.
Cycling is about populating a tank with enough good bacteria, it sometimes takes 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[Coryloach]

The next morning on March 27 my ammonia was 0. my nitrites were about 3, but my nitrates were 5. How did that happen? How did my nitrates go down without a water change?

It is pointless testing for nitrates when cycling. What the nitrate test does is convert all nitrates to nitrites and then gives you the total of both. When you're cycling, you obviously have a reading of nitrties, so the nitrate test is essentially including any lingering nitrites...

When filshess cycling, rule of tumb is monitor your ph as it may start dropping. Do not let nitrites go above that reading of 3ppm you've already got. At that level they're already toxic to the very same nitrifying bacteria you're trying to establish. In a cycled tank they're never exposed to such levels at once.