Cycled or Not

[antony burkill]

Hi, again...lol

Have set my tank up 15 uk gall with all nice stuff, plants (4 nice med size)
and gravel rocks etc.
then ran for 1 week @ 77f with no addition other than added bacteria..( fave
newbie trick).
Testing tank all read 0.00 ph was 7.2 and Kh 107 ppm.

Then managed to get hold of holy grail...ammonia
added to make to 5.5ppm...24hrs later..down to 2.5ppm and no nitrite or
nitrate ph 7.6
added ammonia to raise to 5.5ppm again..
filter clogged.(doh) and didn't notice for several hrs, tank water cloudy
unclogged filter...
24hrs later water still cloudy, ammonia .05-1.0ppm nitrite and nitrate 0.00
ppm and ph 7.4

I know plants like ammonia, but is this normal or have live plants added 1
week earlier been enough to cycle...or am I just rushing the process

any help appreciated..thanks

[antony burkill]

Have since found out that cloudy water is probably build up of ammonia.
White Particles floating around like mini air bubbles, also on glass of
tank. There is a slime build up also, although I have read this is necessary
for bacteria.
Do I continue with fishless cycle and add more ammonia or what ???


"antony burkill" > wrote in message
...
> Hi, again...lol
>
> Have set my tank up 15 uk gall with all nice stuff, plants (4 nice med
size)
> and gravel rocks etc.
> then ran for 1 week @ 77f with no addition other than added bacteria..(
fave
> newbie trick).
> Testing tank all read 0.00 ph was 7.2 and Kh 107 ppm.
>
> Then managed to get hold of holy grail...ammonia
> added to make to 5.5ppm...24hrs later..down to 2.5ppm and no nitrite or
> nitrate ph 7.6
> added ammonia to raise to 5.5ppm again..
> filter clogged.(doh) and didn't notice for several hrs, tank water cloudy
> unclogged filter...
> 24hrs later water still cloudy, ammonia .05-1.0ppm nitrite and nitrate
0.00
> ppm and ph 7.4
>
> I know plants like ammonia, but is this normal or have live plants added 1
> week earlier been enough to cycle...or am I just rushing the process
>
> any help appreciated..thanks
>
>

[Haynes'ey]

"antony burkill" > wrote in message
...
> Have since found out that cloudy water is probably build up of ammonia.
> White Particles floating around like mini air bubbles, also on glass of
> tank. There is a slime build up also, although I have read this is
necessary
> for bacteria.
> Do I continue with fishless cycle and add more ammonia or what ???
>
>
> "antony burkill" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi, again...lol
> >
> > Have set my tank up 15 uk gall with all nice stuff, plants (4 nice med
> size)
> > and gravel rocks etc.
> > then ran for 1 week @ 77f with no addition other than added bacteria..(
> fave
> > newbie trick).
> > Testing tank all read 0.00 ph was 7.2 and Kh 107 ppm.
> >
> > Then managed to get hold of holy grail...ammonia
> > added to make to 5.5ppm...24hrs later..down to 2.5ppm and no nitrite or
> > nitrate ph 7.6
> > added ammonia to raise to 5.5ppm again..
> > filter clogged.(doh) and didn't notice for several hrs, tank water
cloudy
> > unclogged filter...
> > 24hrs later water still cloudy, ammonia .05-1.0ppm nitrite and nitrate
> 0.00
> > ppm and ph 7.4
> >
> > I know plants like ammonia, but is this normal or have live plants added
1
> > week earlier been enough to cycle...or am I just rushing the process
> >
> > any help appreciated..thanks

Hello Antony having recently done the fishless cycle myself I would say to
be patient you are now waiting for the nitrite to go through the roof when
this gas happened you will be looking for Nitrate readings and then you are
very close to adding fish.

There are plenty people on here that have helped me and know a lot more, my
process took about 5 weeks before I added my fish which was only 3 weeks ago
and It looks excellent and I'm still learning.

Last week I had a 3 day Bacteria bloom, but now again everything looks
lovely.

Enjoy the hobby.

Haynes'ey.