Question!

[ashleyALE]

Haven't been on in a while, but it's nice to be back :]

Back in mid June, I had 2 of my bettas in a divided, filtered, heated 10gal. It was uncycled and I did regular water changes. Tried using Stability to cycle the tank with the fish in it. It went well until one of the fish came down with Ick so I removed BOTH fish from the 10gal into seperate bowls with no filtration. They have been there since with very regular water changes and have actually remained very happy.

I was doing water testing a couple of weeks before the Ick started so I assumed that the fish had been in the tank long enough to create some waste and kick the nitrogen cycle into gear (as long as I didn't do any more water changes).

Here are the measurements:

6/15
Day 2 of Stability treatment
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 1.0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

6/16
Prior to 3rd dose of Stability
Water is slightly cloudy
pH: 7.0
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

After 3rd dose of Stability, same day
pH: 7.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

6/18
pH: 7.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

No testing for a while (No fish in the tank)

7/8
pH: 6.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0.25ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

I assumed, with Nitrites being up and Ammonia down, that the cycle was moving along. I did no other testing until today. There have been NO changes made to the tank with the exception of adding conditioned water when a lot of evaporated.

Today's measurements:
pH: 6.6
Ammonia: 1.0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

So what's the deal? Did it just stop cycling or what?
Thanks in advance!

[ElmoFish]

I'm no expert on cycling, but I have done a lot of research, and in order for the cycle to complete it needs a constant source of ammonia to feed the bacteria cultures, to keep the cycle going and get the correct bacteria formed, which means no fish = eventually the cycle stops.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong..

[Kim]

You are correct. You need a constant source of ammonia or the bacteria will starve and die off which kills your cycle completely :(

[ashleyALE]

gotcha.

i guess somewhere in my brain i knew that. i had heard of people using a small amount of food in the tank everyday to continue with the ammonia but i didn't think about it.

lame on my part

thanks guys!

[neenjar]

Originally Posted by ashleyALE

gotcha.

i guess somewhere in my brain i knew that. i had heard of people using a small amount of food in the tank everyday to continue with the ammonia but i didn't think about it.

lame on my part

thanks guys!

Adding food to a fishless tank every day will keep the ammonia going. The other part is right, you need something there...

[RoseyD]

I found it easier (and faster) to kickstart the cycle by using filter media from an already cycled tank...

example - I've been running 2 filters on my 20 gallon tank - when I started my 30 gal tank - I took one filter from the 20 gal - and put it on the 30 gal. within 2 days, my water was testing nitrites/nitrates (and yes ammonia)

I then added the filter I wanted to really use on the 30 gal. tank - (I bought it two days after the tank was set up) - and, right now - a week later, the tank is still running two filters - old plus new. - I tested the water last night - and, the 30 gallon after 1 week of being set up - is now testing as 0 ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 0 Nitrates.

In another month or so, I think that the 'new' filter will be fully seasoned with good bacteria - so then I will be able to remove the old filter from the 30 gallon and use it to 'cycle' any other new tank I will set up...