cyclle- just filled with water now what, got my ammonia

**parkeey** · 11-10-2012, 08:27 AM

right guys this is my first tank, fluval 200. so im now in preparation of cleaning the new gravel and next fill the tank up with water

i got my tap safe chemical how much to add?
how much b&Q ammonia shall i add?

do i add ammonia each day or just once

i have no testing kit because it didnt turn up with my filter ordered so annoying, i wanted to get started today... is there a rough dosage of ammonia i can go by for a 200 litre tank

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-10-2012, 12:58 PM

Read the cycling threads in my signature. Just follow the directions.

Add enough ammonia to bring the reading up to 4ppm on your test. It will say on your dechlorinator how much to add to your water.

**jeffs99dime** · 11-10-2012, 01:40 PM

I would strongly urge you not to start your cycle until you get your liquid test kit because you will not know what your tap water parameter baseline level is and also will not know when the ammonia starts to diminish in the tank so you will not know when to add more. Read the stickies as Hobbs suggested and read the first link in my signature.

**parkeey** · 11-10-2012, 05:47 PM

ok thks i have setup up the filter and lights and all running ok now i will wait for test kit before adding anthing.

**jeffs99dime** · 11-10-2012, 05:56 PM

Good, I'm glad to hear that. Just use the time waiting for your test kit to do as much research as you can so you have an advantage when you start.

**parkeey** · 11-11-2012, 01:03 PM

my pond filter has some used k1 media , shall i take out a few handfulls of this although very greeny? cos i took the 2 carbon sachets out of my ex1200 tetra filter as wasnt sure to use this as turned black when i rinsed... shall i put a few handfulls of k1 media in, woudl this help the cycle???

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-11-2012, 01:23 PM

What bacteria is on it will simply die without food (ammonia) to feed it. I don't know as I'd add anything from a pond to my inside tank, either. Altho I agree with Jeff that waiting on your test kit would be wise, I really don't think it would hurt to add a couple T. of ammonia now to get things started. Any ammonia from 2-5ppm (on your tester) will get things at least started for you. Adding ammonia is not a perfect science and adding a small amount is better than adding too much.

**parkeey** · 11-19-2012, 04:24 PM

right so i had wait 3 weeks for my test kitsupplied by ark petstore wont be using them again, so last week i added 8ml of b&q ammonia and today just finallly got my teskit, heres the result ammonia added nearly a week ago. so i make it 0.6 on the scale... ? what the next step now..

**Cliff** · 11-19-2012, 04:30 PM

I can't really make out the detials on the color chart of your test kit. I am assuming you have 0.6ppm of ammonia

If that is correct, I would dose some more ammonia, wait 20 minutes, then test again. Repeat as required until you get the level up to around 3 to 4ppm. Once you have done that, you will now know the amount you will need to dose moving forward from here

**imma24** · 11-19-2012, 04:31 PM

Wait until you get a reading of 0 and then add more ammonia up to 1-2ppm. Eventually, you will get a reading for nitrites. Every time the ammonia drops to 0, you add more to get it back up to 1-2ppm and eventually, it will drop faster and faster as the bacteria grow.

Oops - Cliff & I cross posted -I'm thinking since there was ammonia already added, the OP should wait until it goes down to 0 before adding more?