Water quality experts on cycling: Please advice

[Asian_Redtail_Catfish]

Hi, I got a new tank a few weeks ago and the tank is cycling..My water readings yesterday were:

Ammonia: 1-2
Nitrite: 0.5

I said okay, nitrites are there so that is a good sign..But today I checked the water again and it was this:

Ammonia: 1
Nitrite: 0

Where did my nitrites go? If I am understanding of the nitrogen cycle correct, my cycle went back to the beginning since nitrite suppose to eat the ammonia up and make it go to 0...

Please help

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

It indeed goes organic N --> ammonia --> nitrite --> nitrate. Looks like your bacteria converting nitrite to nitrate are starting to work, and the current rate-limiting step is the ammonia to nitrite conversion. Give it some more days of monitoring.

Did you spike the tank with bacteria? Do you have fish in it?

HarleyK

 

[Asian_Redtail_Catfish]

Howdy,

It indeed goes organic N --> ammonia --> nitrite --> nitrate. Looks like your bacteria converting nitrite to nitrate are starting to work, and the current rate-limiting step is the ammonia to nitrite conversion. Give it some more days of monitoring.

Did you spike the tank with bacteria? Do you have fish in it?

HarleyK

Hi, I used Bio Spira and I added old filter media in an established tank and I put it in the power filter in my new tank....I also put a couple of cups of gravel from an established tank in my new tank..

 

[dr_sudz]

Give it some time it is doing what it is suppose to.. nitrates are takin out your nitrites but that is a good thing because the main thing you want to look at is the amonia is decreasing.

 

[Dr Joe]

Give it some time it is doing what it is suppose to.. nitrates are takin out your nitrites but that is a good thing because the main thing you want to look at is the amonia is decreasing.

Wanna try that one again or just roll over?

NitrAtes don't take out anything, that's why you have to do WCs or have alot of plants.

The two main types of bacteria in the filter are:

Bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas oxidize NH3 to nitrItes (NO2&#8722.

Bacteria of the genus Nitrobacter oxidize the nitrItes to nitrAtes (NO3&#8722.

These two groups of autotrophic bacteria are called nitrifying bacteria.

Otherwise your right, it does seem to be working, just give it some more time.

And if you want to get in on this thread:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41525

KUP.

Dr Joe

.

 

[Asian_Redtail_Catfish]

Wanna try that one again or just roll over?

NitrAtes don't take out anything, that's why you have to do WCs or have alot of plants.

The two main types of bacteria in the filter are:

Bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas oxidize NH3 to nitrItes (NO2&#8722.

Bacteria of the genus Nitrobacter oxidize the nitrItes to nitrAtes (NO3&#8722.

These two groups of autotrophic bacteria are called nitrifying bacteria.

Otherwise your right, it does seem to be working, just give it some more time.

And if you want to get in on this thread:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41525

KUP.

Dr Joe

.

I was just wondering..I always thought the nitrogen cycle was this diagram here:

http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

You can clearly see from the diagram that the ammonia of 1 and 0 nitrites like what I have can be like the first day of the cycle..

But yea, I am really unsure about this since I was told the nitrogen cycle worked a certain way..

 

[DeLgAdO]

Wanna try that one again or just roll over?

NitrAtes don't take out anything, that's why you have to do WCs or have alot of plants.

The two main types of bacteria in the filter are:

Bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas oxidize NH3 to nitrItes (NO2&#8722.

Bacteria of the genus Nitrobacter oxidize the nitrItes to nitrAtes (NO3&#8722.

These two groups of autotrophic bacteria are called nitrifying bacteria.

Otherwise your right, it does seem to be working, just give it some more time.

And if you want to get in on this thread:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41525

KUP.

Dr Joe

.

water changes period, plants can only take out so much, and they dont remove everything, they may help lower nitrate levels but DOC (dissolved organic compounds) and bacteria counts in the water column will still rise, and these are not benificial bacteria.......

 

[Dr Joe]

Wanna try that one again or just roll over?

NitrAtes don't take out anything, that's why you have to do WCs or have alot of plants.

The two main types of bacteria in the filter are:

Bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas oxidize NH3 to nitrItes (NO2&#8722.

Bacteria of the genus Nitrobacter oxidize the nitrItes to nitrAtes (NO3&#8722.

These two groups of autotrophic bacteria are called nitrifying bacteria.

Otherwise your right, it does seem to be working, just give it some more time.

And if you want to get in on this thread:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41525

KUP.

Dr Joe

.

water changes period, plants can only take out so much, and they dont remove everything, they may help lower nitrate levels but DOC (dissolved organic compounds) and bacteria counts in the water column will still rise, and these are not benificial bacteria.......

Plants take out some of the nitrates, co2, in return add oxygen and are prettier than plain old WCs

Dr Joe

.

 

[gomezladdams]

so are there any fish in there?

 

[Asian_Redtail_Catfish]

so are there any fish in there?

Yes, I had fishes in there since about 2 weeks ago..Anyway, my cycle is shot..It seemed that it went back..I have now:

Ammonia: 4
Nitrite:0

Bio spria did not work this time..And I think I will not pay that much again for something that did not work..In the past, Bio Spira did work for me..