Fishless Cycle

[hurtmypony]

I am doing a fishless cycle, which I started on:

Sunday morning: I dose the tank with 5mls of Ammonia Hydroxide (couldn’t find the Chloride variant) from a brand of which many others have enjoyed success. I chase this with the recommended dosage of StressZyme. The tank climbs up to about 1ppm in the ammonia test I take an hour after dosing. I have trouble matching shades of the same color, but that’s what it looked like to me and The Duchess.

Monday Morning: I foolishly dump the same amount of ammonia into the tank without first checking levels – Grievous Rookie Error #1. The following test I took one hour later put the ammonia level around 2ppm or 4ppm. I couldn’t tell.

Monday Night: I add my giant fake rock. I don’t even wash it – Grievous Rookie Error #2!

Tuesday morning: My tank has taken on a hazy appearance; the landscape has a blooming effect just like my dreams, but minus the naked midgets. I add more StressZyme.

Tuesday until present: My tank is smokier than the poker room at the Indian Casino on Cigar Appreciation Night.

Yesterday, Reel Addiction suggested it could be a bacterial bloom, which is common for a new tank.

Here’s the clincher I didn’t tell him, though:

The ammonia level has not budged. I have added no more ammonia, but the ammonia test tube is greener than Ralph Nader, and has remained so since Monday morning.

Is this normal? I do not recall my tanks getting this cloudy, but that is a long way back to remember. Shouldn’t the ammonia level be dropping if the haze is indeed a bacterial bloom? Or,

Am I just being impatient, or

Is no bacteria present yet, three days is too early, and the cloudiness a consequence of the (possibly dead in the bottle) StreesZyme, or

Did maybe the rock need to be washed and soaked, and it is just leaching? Or,

Is the Ace Brand Janitorial Strength Ammonia causing the taint?

I have no seeding material, yet, so if the bacteria in the bottle aren’t alive, I have to wait for the bacteria to “appearâ€â€¦in case that is important for a diagnosis.

Here’s a current shot of the tank:

It might appear like the photo in my other thread, but it is really much hazier since that shot. I just learned to put the camera on better settings for a better picture! Here it is from the side:

I used to be able to see perfectly well down the full length of the tank. Please let me know if I should do something, or just wait a little longer to see how it turns out.

Thanks again, guys!

 

[verbal]

I think really high ammonia levels can inhibit beneficial bacteria. I am not sure the exact threshold, but you should be able to lower it with water changes.

 

[dogofwar]

I'd do a 50% water change...squeeze some gunk from someone's filter into the tank...and wait a few days to see if your readings change.

Matt

 

[MonteSS]

As Matt said get the amonia down to 2PPM. Without seeding it will take over a month to cycle.

....Bill

 

[hurtmypony]

Thank you very much, guys.

Tony is going to hook me up with a sponge filter on Sunday, and I'll also get to check out his tanks!

I have not tested the water today, but it is still cloudier than Paris Hilton's head during a discussion of String Theory.

Should I do the water change before I put the seeded material in, or should I leave it at 4ppm (if it still is there, and I am sure it is) and throw in the sponge (when I get it) to see what happens?

Do you think 4ppm ammonia will sincerely inhibit bacterial growth? I was hoping to keep it high, so they will prosper as quickly as possible, but maybe a little patience on my part is in order...

 

[dogofwar]

I'd do a water change to get it down to 2 PPM or so...and then add the sponge.

Patience is definitely in order

I've never done a fishless cycle with ammonia...always just added some gunk from a mature tank, some relatively hardy fish...and went from there...

Matt

 

[hurtmypony]

Yeah, I guess I should have stuck to the "old fashioned way".

When I decided to take fish keeping back up, I gave myself a few challenges:

1. Learn about sand substrate by using it.
2. Use the foreign-to-me canister filtration.
3. Do a Fishless Cycle to see what that's all about.
4. Use a different a different decorating motif than previous times.
5. Grow live plants (Never made it to the final plans - too cowardly to try just yet).

So, I purposely handicapped myself in pursuit of broadening my (quite limited) knowledge! It's become a curse and a point of pride, heheh!

I will do as you have advised me above. Thanks to all!

 

[dogofwar]

I'm kind of old school myself...had a fishkeeping hiatus between '91 and '98...

Matt

 

[hurtmypony]

After a water change, the tank is down to 2ppm ammonia. It's probably between 1 and 2, actually. So, tomorrow in goes the seeded filter and the hopefully shortened wait to a cycled tank begins.

Thank you!