cycling
-
Shell231
- Mentally Certified!
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 11:49 am
- Location: St Leonards on sea E Sussex
cycling
In the nitrogeon cycle, which comes first out of Ammonia and Nitrite? as you all know i am setting up a new tank it has been running now for a week and a half the nitrite is at 5.0ppm and the Ammonia is at 0ppm is this cycling? and will it drop! once the nitrite has droped to 0ppm is the tank cycled? why hasn't the Ammonia shot up?
1. Ammonia is produced
2. Ammonia turns into Nitrite
3. Nitrite turns into Nitrate
You will notice your nitrate levels rising as the cycle goes full circle. But, be prepared to watch your nitrite levels go really high first. The bacteria that turns nitrite into nitrate seems to need this to kick start itself into action.
Do not be tempted to add any more fish until the ammonia and nitrite levels are both zero and have stayed that way for a little while. I think in my tank it took around 6 weeks or so before it was stable enough to add another couple fish. Go easy.
2. Ammonia turns into Nitrite
3. Nitrite turns into Nitrate
You will notice your nitrate levels rising as the cycle goes full circle. But, be prepared to watch your nitrite levels go really high first. The bacteria that turns nitrite into nitrate seems to need this to kick start itself into action.
Do not be tempted to add any more fish until the ammonia and nitrite levels are both zero and have stayed that way for a little while. I think in my tank it took around 6 weeks or so before it was stable enough to add another couple fish. Go easy.
This is the article I wrote on cycling tanks for my site. Are you adding anything to be creating ammonia? If you aren't, then what was present for whatever reason is being converted, but you are allowing the first stage of bacteria to starve. Definitely feed the tank somehow if there are no fish in it. If there ARE fish in it, read the part about adding salt and what not to help their blood be able to uptake oxygen. Hope this helps!
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