Cycling progress ?--fishless

**Uihawk98** · 09-13-2009, 03:08 PM

I just tested my water and my nitrites DROPPED to 0.50 ppm. They were at 2.00 or above just last night. My nirates are between 0 and 5 ppm. What I don't understand is that the ammonia increased from 0.25 to 1.00 ppm.. what does this mean ?

Thanks.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-13-2009, 03:12 PM

The ammonia should be going down as the nitrites go up. With the nitrites dropping now the cycle appears to near completion. I have no idea, either, why the ammonia is rising. Did you do a gravel vac or change the filter media? Your nitrates should be raising more, too, with the nitrites declining.

**Uihawk98** · 09-13-2009, 03:49 PM

No, I haven't used a gravel vac for anything. I have only added de-chlorinated water to replace water lost through evaporation, etc..

**rlkramer1** · 09-13-2009, 06:05 PM

Have you checked the ammonia level of your dechlorinated water? Some city water has small amounts of ammonia in it (0.5 ppm or less). Chloramine is made up of chlorine and ammonia.

Some water dechlorinators bust up the chloromine and reduce the chlorine, but leave the ammonia. Tetra aquaSafe for instance, will not remove ammonia if present, and will actually raise the level of ammonia if there is chloramine in the water. API Stress Coat removes the ammonia as well.

**Uihawk98** · 09-15-2009, 12:23 PM

Since my ammonia seems to have stalled out at 1 ppm, with my nitrites falling, should I add ammonia and try to bring it up to 2 ppm and possibly "jump start" my stalled cycle ?

**rich311k** · 09-15-2009, 12:34 PM

You should maintain ammonia levels at 2 once you see nitrites. So yes bring ammonia back to 2.

**Uihawk98** · 09-15-2009, 01:13 PM

rich311k,

Allow me to clarify. I think I am/was on the end of my cycle. About 2 days ago, my ammonia was at between 0 and 0.25 and my nitrites, after being way up, started to fall to 0.25 to 0.50. My nitrates have only been between 5-10. So since my ammonia repeatedly dropped within 24 hours after dosing the tank with ammonia up to 2 ppm, I assumed my cycle was working. But then the nitrates FINALLY fell but the ammonia is stalled at 1 ppm. That is the point where I am at now and that's why I asked the question about "jump starting".

**rich311k** · 09-15-2009, 01:28 PM

I understand. Your nitrites are dropping and your ammonia is at 1 when it was almost at 0. The ammonia bacteria needs food and you want to keep a colony maintaned that can eat 2 ppm a day. So yes puimp it back to two and keep there until the nitrite phase ends. No kick start needed just the normal fishless routine.