# Beginner Cycling question



## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Here is the long story turned short.

20 gallon tank. Been following the normal cycle procedures. 

1) filled tank and used declor
2) put in enough ammonia to bring it to 3ppm
3) put in my crystal wart, and a moss ball
4) put in my chinese algae eater 

I never added even a single drop of ammonia past day 1. Yet it keeps spiking up to 8ppm repeatedly. If I do a 10% water change and make sure i put declor in the water before adding it to the tank, it drops it back down to 4ppm. Nitrites have formed, and are sitting at about 5ppm before the water change, and between 2 - 3 ppm after. I've been trying not to touch anything, and just let it cycle, but I felt bad for the algae eater. I've since removed him to a different tank for safety. Any ideas? I haven't even put any food in the tank for him, so it can't be overfeeding. 

And btw, the tank has been cycling now for about 3 weeks. Any help would be appreciated! :help:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Use you test kit to test the new water both before and after dechlor. You can sometimes find ammonia and often get ammonia from chloramine in the tap water. 

If your water is good, increase water changes, either % or frequency or both. Keep ammonia from ever getting above 4. You don't want to keep killing off your filter bacteria and starting over. Likely some part of a plant has died and is decaying making ammonia in your tank. You should be able to use it cycle, but not if it gets too high. You could try rinsing them out in the sink to get any loose pieces off.


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

I'll do that tomorrow and post the results. Right now it's 4ppm ammonia still and 2.5 nitrites. I'll prob test it as soon as I get home from work, and I'll check my plants very carefully and possibly remove them to another tank for now.


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

fishless cycle ftw


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

also keep in mind that it normally takes 8-12 weeks to completely cycle a tank..you can either do a fishless cycle or do it with fish ; but you can't do both at the same time...
i don't cycle,so i don't test , so i don't know where your readings should be ; but try to be patient..it will all come together pretty soon..


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Ok results, late post i know sorry >.<;

Tested fresh tap water, with declor. no ammonia at all showed up on the test, so that's a good thing.

Checked my crystal wart. Apparently a peice drifted behind the filter and was starting to turn slimy. It was about the size of a dime. Removed it.

Ran another ammonia test. Roughly 2.5 ppm. Will keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't climb. 

I know it will take a long time to cycle. I'm patient, just never heard the others on here mention that it jumped so high. I shouldn't have put the chinese algae eater in there. He was a loan from a friend, to keep algae from growing wild while i cycled.

Additional note, planted 3 anubias, 1 sword, and 1 crypt tonight in the tank, and removed the moss balls. Crossing my fingers that they are ok. Planted in 2" deep sand, covered by 1/2" gravel. And i made sure not to bury the (sorry i know this is spelled wrong) Rhimisome thingie on the anubais.


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Ok new update for this, and new question. Got the ammonia down where it's landing on 0 at least every other day. But now my Nitrites are spiking to 5+. Do i need to water change to get those down as well?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

yes. leave the nitrites too high and fish will die. Not sure what # is too high for fishless, though. But the same thing goes. You can kill off the "cycle" if you let it get too high.


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Thanks, I'll do a water change right now.


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

ACK! The nitrites must have been outragously high. It was reading 5ppm+ on my master test. So we did a 20% water change in my 20 gallon. Tested again and it was STILL reading 5ppm+. We had to do a 50% change right after to get it below 5ppm. It's now at about 2ppm.


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## C. King (Dec 14, 2012)

When I set up my 20 gal, I did a fishless cycle, no ammonia added, but a fair amout of plants, and it did the same thing. First ammonia was super high, then nitrites super high. Finally, the nitrates began to show up, and nitrites started to fall. My ph was high, so I tested the tap and it was off the charts, so I did water changes using RO (reverse osmosis) water from the store. Boy, was I tired of water changes! It was not fun, and I really just wanted to buy some fish immediately, but it was worth the wait. Didn't lose a single fish, have had no problems.


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

C. King said:


> First ammonia was super high, then nitrites super high. Finally, the nitrates began to show up, and nitrites started to fall. My ph was high, so I tested the tap and it was off the charts, so I did water changes using RO (reverse osmosis) water from the store. Boy, was I tired of water changes! It was not fun, and I really just wanted to buy some fish immediately, but it was worth the wait. Didn't lose a single fish, have had no problems.


And that ladies and gentlemen is what and how it happens.... even with fish the pattern is the same.... unfortunately it's more punishment for the fish, just wish more would take the time to do a fishless cycle and reap the benefits when its done.


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Weirdest readings ever...Tested the tank today. I added ammonia when i did the 50% change 6 drops for a 20 gallon so you know weedkiller  Yes i've read your cycling post. It was at 0 ammonia after the change. Nitrites were at about 2 ppm like posted above. Tested it again today. Here were the results. I had to test twice to beleve it...

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
NITRATES 0?

Shouldn't there be nitrates? Or are my plants eating it up? I'm so confused. I plan to test it again this evening after it's had 12 hours to digest the new ammonia addition.

FYI plants are.
1 Red Flame Sword
1 3 inch patch of crystal wart
1 Bronze Wendth
3 Anubias of different sizes. one large, one medium, one nana


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

add ammonia to 3ppm and test in 12 hours for nitrite and nitrate and post results


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Results. 3ppm ammonia left for 12 hours.

Ammonia - .25ppm
Nitrites - .25ppm
Nitrates - 5ppm

I'm guessing when I did the large water change I 0'ed out the nitrates? Maybe?


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

check again in 12 hours if ammonia 0 dose to 3ppm, if all is returning to 0 it would seem you are cycled or close to it


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Ok new results guys...I've tested this tank every 12 hours for the past two days...I don't get this. 

I put the ammonia up to 3ppm. After 12 hours i got

Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - .25ppm
Nitrates - 5ppm.

Pumped it up to 3ppm again, 12 hours later without changing ANY water or anything.

Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrites - .25ppm
Nitrates 0ppm????

It's done this three times now, where i'm showing 0 nitrates, but I haven't water changed since before the first time it did this? I'm really confused. how can nitrates just vanish?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

plants can eat nitrates and nitrate is the test, IME, most likely to give a false reading. If you have a "standard solution" test the test.


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

yeah, emc7 is right, make sure you are using the test correctly, especially the api as there is a different technique in using it.
it would seem you are cycled or as near to, your nitites should be 0 if you are finished cycling.
but your nitrates should be high-ish unless your plants are munching it very efficiently


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## LadySilvara (Apr 7, 2013)

Guessing my plants are muching it, because my crystal wart has nearly doubled in size in a week, and i swear my crypt has grown a quarter of an inch taller in that same span. I've run the test several times, on both my 40 gallon and my 20 gallon. I'm getting HIGH nitrates in my 40 gallon, steadilly climbing and is now up to about 20+ppm. It's only the 20 gallon which has low nitrates. And my 20 gallon is the only planted tank so i'm guessing that's why. Thanks guys, this has helped a ton!


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