I think I'm finally cycling!!!

[Lauren B.]

It's been nearly 3 freaking weeks....it's about time!!! :19:

It took a long time for the ammonia levels to lower, so I could add more ammonia (it took over 2 weeks). I've been adding a few drops of ammonia each day, and then I'd take a nitrite reading every 2 days. Finally today my nitrites rose! It's not much...it went from light turquoise to a light powder blue, which I think is about .12ppm (not even one whole color block), but it's something!

At least now I know stuff is happening! A few times I got discouraged with the time it was taking and doubted whether I was doing anything right. My patience is finally paying off! :19:

Woo-hoo!! thumbs2:

[Incredulous_Ed]

congrats!!!!

[Severus]

Congratulations! It is always great when yoour tank is ready to sutain life! lol

[KneeKickLou]

Great Job! I would check out your LFS to see if any of them sell BioSpira. Its bacteria in a pouch that will jump start your cycle. I got a bag for abour $14 bucks. Make sure that you get it from a place you trust and that it is stored in a fridge. If it gets warm it goes bad. Just dump it in your tank and keep adding the ammonia and youll get those nitrites out of there in no time flat. Good luck and keep up posted (no pun intended)

[muffin]

Congrats for two things:
1 for your tank finally cycling for you
2 for choosing to do a finless cycle.

Your fish/tank will appreciate your patience when you start adding your fish.

[Lady Hobbs]

Muffin is right. Congrats! Once you start seeing those nitrites, it goes much faster. They will start raising fast now. whoopeee

[Lauren B.]

Great Job! I would check out your LFS to see if any of them sell BioSpira. Its bacteria in a pouch that will jump start your cycle. I got a bag for abour $14 bucks.

I'm using SeaChem's Stability for the beneficial bacteria. The store employee recommended it. Previous to that, like one or two doses, I used Cycle (it was an opened package, a really tiny trial-sized bottle) so the employee just gave it to me).

I have heard of BioSpira, as well as Fritz brand. They seem really hard to find though, and I have not seen either of them in the local aquarium stores here. I don't really want to mail order just the one item either, especially since I'm already stocked with aquarium supplies.

Has anyone had good luck with Stability? I'm also using SeaChem's Prime, the water conditioner.

[Chrona]

I'm using SeaChem's Stability for the beneficial bacteria. The store employee recommended it. Previous to that, like one or two doses, I used Cycle (it was an opened package, a really tiny trial-sized bottle) so the employee just gave it to me).

I have heard of BioSpira, as well as Fritz brand. They seem really hard to find though, and I have not seen either of them in the local aquarium stores here. I don't really want to mail order just the one item either, especially since I'm already stocked with aquarium supplies.

Has anyone had good luck with Stability? I'm also using SeaChem's Prime, the water conditioner.

Theres a couple of tests online that people conducted concerning the effectiveness of so called bacterial additives. So far, the only one thats been found to actually work consistently is Marineland's Biospira. The bags are kept in refrigerators at your LFS along with the frozen food. The other products contain bacteria, no doubt about that, but the testers surmised that they were the wrong kind. Apparently, the research from years and years ago concerning nitrifying bacteria in aquariums wasn't exactly right, because recent tests have found that the particular bacterias identified in the previous tests really have no bearing on the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium.