if i continually add amonia

**Mith** · 02-09-2009, 10:57 PM

How will my nitrItes go away? Don't nitrItes eat the amonia? My NitrIte readings are still maxed out
!

**doug z** · 02-09-2009, 11:01 PM

Where are you in your cycle?

First the ammonia spikes, then the nitrates, then the nitrates (and you should have zero ammonia and nitrites at this point)..

**kaybee** · 02-09-2009, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mith

...Don't nitrItes eat the amonia?

Ammonia is converted into nitrite.

**Mith** · 02-09-2009, 11:19 PM

If I leave the tank overnight after having brought UP the amonia to roughly 3ppm... the next day the amonia's GONE. BUT, I still have TONS if nitrItes AND nitrAtes.

I'm wondering, if I want the nitrItes to go away, why do I keep adding amonia???

**Alfcea** · 02-09-2009, 11:48 PM

Exactly the same thing that happens with ammonia (you add it, then it goes away) will eventually happen with the nitrites. Once all the nitrites are very readily consumed and transformed into nitrates immediately, then you are fully cycled. If you add fish now, they will still die (not from ammonia poisoning but from nitrite poisoning!). It sounds like you are almost there, though....

Just as a side note, nitrites are, all things being equal, more toxic than ammonia...

**Mith** · 02-10-2009, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by Alfcea

Exactly the same thing that happens with ammonia (you add it, then it goes away) will eventually happen with the nitrites. Once all the nitrites are very readily consumed and transformed into nitrates immediately, then you are fully cycled. If you add fish now, they will still die (not from ammonia poisoning but from nitrite poisoning!). It sounds like you are almost there, though....

Just as a side note, nitrites are, all things being equal, more toxic than ammonia...

OK... I won't add anything until my tank's ready. After all this work, I'm not going to blow it... LOL.

Now... once my tank is cycled, can I keep it cycled for any length of time without fish? I'll have to order the fish and I may need to keep the tank cycled say, for a week?

**Alfcea** · 02-10-2009, 12:05 AM

You should keep adding your ammonia, though! If you don't, then the ammonia eating bacteria will die off and all your hard work will be lost! Keep adding a bit of ammonia every day (enough to get it to 2 or 3 ppm) until the nitrites go down to zero overnight. Then you will be finished! And after a large water change, you could add your fish safely... bit of patience, Mith! Almost there!

**Gemini** · 02-10-2009, 12:07 AM

Mith you keep adding it to feed the bacteria. Fish produce ammonia all the time. That's why you keep adding it during a fishless cycle. So the bacteria has something to eat.
Keep adding it until your reading 0 nitrities. Then keep doing what you have been doing to keep your cycle until you have fishies.

**Mith** · 02-10-2009, 12:23 AM

People say only add drops at a time....but I gotta tell ya, with a 125 gallon tank, its not drops but cap fulls!! In two weeks id say I've added a total of one cup of pure amonia and it actually takes that much to get the water level to 4-5 ppm!