[FishyFishy89]

So I've started fishless cycling my 5.5 gallon. I retardly did a hand pour with the ammonia. Didn't measure it out. Nor did I test it that day. I should of suspected something when I had cloudy water for a weekish.

Anyways, I tested my water today. I have atleast 8ppm of ammonia. Oppsy!!!! I kinda loled at it. It sure was fun watching that vile of water get greener and then start turning a blue-ish green xD


So, do you think I should do a 50% and bring the ammonia down? Or leave it as is? It's been running like this for about 2 weeks now, I'm thinking my cycle would be pushed behind if I do a water change now....

 

[avraptorhal]

Do WC. I did something similar and killed several fish from the high nitrates resulting from the overdose of ammonia. It took several 50% WC and intensive gravel vacuuming each WC to get the nitrates down to <10.

 

[JDM]

The cycle will move along best at around 1ppm ammonia concentration. Too much sill slow the whole process down and changing the water with these levels will only serve to help speed it back up again.

Have you been testing for nitrites at all?

Jeff.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Ammonia is not only toxic to fish, but also the bacteria/archea that oxidize it into nitrites (same for the bacteria/archea that convert nitrites to nitrates). Believe it or not.
So the cycle will not happen with high levels of ammonia because the required biology will simply not develop. Do the water changes to get the ammonia way down in order to start the N2 cycle.

 

[JDM]

Around 1ppm ammonia is the threshold where nitrite oxidizers begin to become dormant and over 10ppm where the concentration is too much for the ammonia oxidizers. Apparently they don't die off but if they are dormant they obviously are not reproducing. High ammonia will lead to a nitrite spike and that will not subside until the ammonia concentration is lowered... which extends the whole cycle timeline. I couldn't find anything to indicate how quickly they become active once levels are lowered again.

I was able to produce a nitrogen cycle in a bottle in about 7 days from ammonia addition (food method) with water changes to keep the concentration at or below 1ppm. No plants, heater, filter or circulation involved.

Jeff.

 

[FishyFishy89]

I love getting information from you guys! I very much appreciate it. I'm thinking a 75-80% wc is in order?