I am sure everyone has read some form of this question somewhere and I apologize in advance. I am currently about a month and a half into a fishless cycle and I am getting readings that don’t seem right (compared to the readings that should happen during this)
My tank is a 45 gallon corner tank. I am using an API test kit. I have the gravel, decorations, fake plants, and HOB filter. Just need fish. During this cycle I have the temp at 86-88, the water level a little low for extra aeration, treated the tap water, ph at 7.6 etc. Pretty much everything I have read to do. I am using pure ammonia to get it at 5ppm. It took a while for it to start dropping but it actually does drop to 0 in 24 hrs now. The issue I am having is there was no nitrite spike at all and the nitrate is pretty much at 0 as well. I was checking the ammonia and nitrite daily too. The nitrite did register off 0 once but not by much. Definitely not a spike. Any ideas on what may have happened or is happening? Stalled? I am thinking of getting the water tested at my LFS but I am just concerned that if I get “real fish” ammonia going on in there that the cycle will really start and there goes my “fishless cycle”. If I have to I will start over. Thanks a lot

John

Are you still dosing the ammonia? After the ammonia spikes you still need to dose ammonia as that will cause the nitrites to go up. Once they start dropping the nitrates will rise.

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Yes I still dose the ammonia up to 3 or 4 ppm everyday and it continues to drop to 0. As usual the nitrites and nitrates continue to do nothing : (

John

Just give it time it will work out. You might try doing a 25% water change it might help kick it off again.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
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In this case, what where would you expect to get the bacteria to attack the ammonia turning it into nitrite? Bill in Va.

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12 Tanks, 900 gallons. Discus/Angels/Malawi/Lake Victorias. Just added a 135 & 2 - 29's..

from what you have posted you are adding ammonia daily and it is dropping to 0. It should be turning into nitrite, which since it is 0 I would think it has turned into nitrate, but you said that is also zero as well.

I recommend testing nitrate again very carefully. Add solution #1, invert several times. Shake solution #2 for 30 seconds MINIMUM, add to tube. Shake tube for 1 minute MINIMUM. Wait 5 minutes and read results.

It should be chemically impossible for you to be processing so much ammonia each day and have neither nitrite or nitrate go up

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20g Planted Tank (Still cycling)

This is spot on what I would suggest too. Very strange that daily it goes from 3-4ppm to 0 with no other tests reading. It never hurts to take the water and get a 2nd test. At least its an excuse to go down to the LFS

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Im not sure what you meant here but isnt that pretty much the cycle expected? From what I have read its Ammonia=Nitrite=Nitrate. If Im wrong please let me know.

John

I dont know if I just needed to vent or just dumb luck but I checked this morning and had 0 Ammonia and now I have plenty of Nitrate. Im not sure what happened to the Nitrite spike though. Like I said it only measured a very small amount for a day or two and that was it. I will keep adding Ammonia and testing for a couple more days and then have my water tested at LFS. If all good, big water change and get some fish. Thanks for all of your help. Have a great weekend!

John

Ammonia does not magically turn into nitrite... Ammonia is converted into nitrites by a bacteria in the environment, usually a well established filter media or the substrate. The water column is the least efficient provider of the required bacteria. The 1st stage of the cycle is the creation of ammonia via fish and or food waste or chemical additives. Next up is a bacteria, Nitrosomonas, oxidizes that ammonia and turns it into Nitrite. Following the conversion of amm-nitrite, yet another bacteria, Nitrobacter/Nitrospira, attacks the Nitrite turning it into Nitrate.. This Nitrate is only depleted by two occurances. The presence of live plants in the tank and serious water changes. My limited research states that the first bacteria, Nitrosomonas, will eventually occur naturally. (I've not proven this to MY satisfaction)..
My first question is where is the bacteria coming from that starts the ammonia to nitrite cycle...That is why my suggestion to anyone starting a new tank is this:
"Beg, borrow or steal some established bacterial holding material." I keep a few sponge filters going all the time for this. I have given away my blackened floss from my HOB's (Hang on Back) filters, I have given away some of my substrate. Anything to get the water cycle established. Note.. if you do manage to get some established substrate and you don't want to dump it into your tank due to coloration or some nuance, dump it into a stocking and hang it in your tank... (Just make sure your stocking is clean and not detergent laden)... Bill in Va.

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12 Tanks, 900 gallons. Discus/Angels/Malawi/Lake Victorias. Just added a 135 & 2 - 29's..

The bacteria will show up if you feed it. It sounds to me like you just went through the middle part of the cycle very quickly and now your cycle is done. I'd keep dosing and testing for a few more days just to be sure. Also, do you have plants in your tank? That changes how the cycle works.

I tested my water today and to my suprise the nitrite level is off the chart. The ammonia is 0 again and my nitrate is also high. The only thing I did yesterday was add another fake plant. Could stirring up the gravel cause the nitrite spike? I guess I shouldnt over think this but Im glad to see this finally happen. Now more waiting which is fine at least its happening! Thanks again

John