opinions on ammonia addition during cycle

[madpad]

So whats the consensus out there for those that have done a fishless cycle? Do you keep adding ammonia daily or once you get a reading do you stop? Ive seen conflicting opinions on this... My situation on Day 3 is I was getting no readings so I upped the dose tonite to 2 capfuls in a 60 gallon tank, after an hour I tested and ammonia is at 6.0 to 7.0 ppm. So what now keep adding or wait for it to drop.

[sharkbait]

Madpad,
What is the nitrite reading?  If your ammonia is at zero, before the daily ammonia additions, then it's time to check your nitrites.  With no ammonia readings you should have a high nitrite reading.  

Day three and ammonia has already zeroed out, sounds like things are moving right along.  You need to keep adding enough ammonia every day to bring the level to 3-5 ppm.  When ammonia is present in your water the nitrosomas bacteria oxidize it into nitrite and the nitrobacter converts the nitrite into nitrate, and the nitrate you control through regular water changes.  The daily additions of ammonia keep this cycle going until you add the fish.

So to answer your question, yes, you should keep adding daily additions of ammonia, enough to bring the reading to 3-5 ppm,  until you see the ammonia and nitrite zero out.

[madpad]

May 15, 2001- setup filter and heater, Temp 84

May 16, 2001- PH 7.6 added 30 drops of ammonia, test for ammonia at 0ppm

May17, 2001- added 30 drops of ammonia, 12 tsp of bacteria starter, ammonia at 0ppm

May18, 2001- added two capfuls of ammonia, ammonia at 7.0ppm

May19, 2001- cut back ammonia to 30 drops, Ammonia at 6.0 ppm, no nitrites yet.

[clothahump]

Keep adding ammonia until the nitrites kick in, then start checking for nitrates, when the nitrites disapear and the nitrates start to register, CYCLED, now add livestock gradually, to allow the filter to catch up with the extra load of fish waste.  8)

[sharkbait]

The bacterial colony created by the fishless cycling method will be able to handle a large bioload immediately. The ammonia which you have added during the fishless cycle is much higher than the concentration of ammonia produced during the traditional method, thus, able to handle a greater bioload than if you had cycled with fish. *

When you have zero ammonia and zero nitrites the cycle is complete.  By this time your nitrate readings will be very high.  You should do a large scale water change, before the addition of fish,  at least 75 percent, to bring the nitrates down.

You must add ammonia on a regular basis. It is food for the bacteria. If you stop, the bacteria will become dormit and not grow. Your ammonia should not have dropped much in 3 days however. The reason you noticed a drop in ammonia is because you added less.

[madpad]

Guys I didnt have an ammonia drop after day three, I had an ammonia spike. Which is were its at right now. Still waiting for the Nitrites. I havent skipped any ammonia additions. Thanks for the help. I will keep you posted.
May 15, 2001- setup filter and heater, Temp 84

May 16, 2001- PH 7.6 added 30 drops of ammonia, test for ammonia at 0ppm

May17, 2001- added 30 drops of ammonia, 12 tsp of bacteria starter, ammonia at 0ppm

May18, 2001- added two capfuls of ammonia, ammonia at 7.0ppm

May19, 2001- cut back ammonia to 30 drops, Ammonia at 6.0 ppm, no nitrites yet.

May20, 2001-added 30 drops ammonia, tested at 6.0ppm , no nitrites

May21, 2001-added 30 drops ammonia, tested at6.0ppm, no nitrites

[sharkbait]

Madpad,
Is 6.0 ppm the ammonia reading before or after the daily addition of ammonia?  

[madpad]

Before and after

[Matt Nace]

Keep up the doses. I posted some links on the other post.

I have a ton of others if you want them.

Message me for them.