Cycling tank with ammonia

[Priscilla]

Hello! How long do I have to wait before I can add biodigest into my tank after adding ammonia? 

[Shrimp Home]

You can add BioDigest and BioTrace immediately after setting tank

[Priscilla]

47 minutes ago, Shrimp Home said:

You can add BioDigest and BioTrace immediately after setting tank

After adding the biodigest I just have to wait right? Until I see nitrates then just do wc? 

[sarah]

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/how-to-start

You need to keep adding ammonia to keep it at the right the levels. At the end, you do a big water change to remove the large amount of nitrates that will have built up.

[Priscilla]

39 minutes ago, sarah said:

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/how-to-start

You need to keep adding ammonia to keep it at the right the levels. At the end, you do a big water change to remove the large amount of nitrates that will have built up.

Do I still have to add ammonia even after adding the beneficial bacteria from biodigest? 

[sarah]

Absolutely. The bacteria just help the cycle move along quicker. The ammonia feeds the bacteria.

Maybe this video will help explain the process: 

 

[Shrimp Home]

On 9/26/2016 at 9:33 PM, Priscilla said:

After adding the biodigest I just have to wait right? Until I see nitrates then just do wc? 

 

You need to feed bacteria day by days with a little of ammonia

[Priscilla]

5 hours ago, Shrimp Home said:

 

You need to feed bacteria day by days with a little of ammonia

Do I have to specifically keep the lights on or off throughout the whole process?

[Shrimp Home]

8 hours ago, Priscilla said:

Do I have to specifically keep the lights on or off throughout the whole process?

 

You can on/off as normal (I keeping the lights on 8 hours per day)

[Priscilla]

42 minutes ago, Shrimp Home said:

 

You can on/off as normal (I keeping the lights on 8 hours per day)

oh okay! Thank you!  

 

Smaller tanks like 2.8l will take a shorter time to cycle right?

[zodiac]

myself i would cycle without the bacteria in a bottle.

you have to keep adding ammonia and make sure you don't add too much.*

 

(if not using bacteria in a bottle),it takes a little less time on a tank that size.

there is less surface space for bacteria so you start off with less ammonia.

less total volume of nitrites to consume.

 

*i cycled a 5g with 1ppm ammonia in 2 weeks.

a shrimp tank you want it aged at least that long before adding them.

[Priscilla]

8 minutes ago, zodiac said:

myself i would cycle without the bacteria in a bottle.

you have to keep adding ammonia and make sure you don't add too much.*

 

(if not using bacteria in a bottle),it takes a little less time on a tank that size.

there is less surface space for bacteria so you start off with less ammonia.

less total volume of nitrites to consume.

 

*i cycled a 5g with 1ppm ammonia in 2 weeks.

a shrimp tank you want it aged at least that long before adding them.

Oh okay! The main thing to take note is that the ammonia and nitrites can be reduced to 0ppm in 24hrs also right? So I just keep maintaining the ammonia levels at either 1 (yours) or 4 (Christine's method)?

[zodiac]

anybody saying 4ppm is giving bad advice.

that high is bad for the bacteria.

any size tank,the most is 3ppm.

 

for testing,you would have stopped using the bacteria in a bottle,so you know it's live bacteria.

it's add 1ppm and then if 24 hours both are zero...cycled.

that size i would do 0.25-0.5ppm.

 

shrimps bioload are low.

the tank doesn't need a lot of bacteria.

as they grow or breed the bacteria will grow as there is more ammonia is being produce.

 

[Priscilla]

3 minutes ago, zodiac said:

anybody saying 4ppm is giving bad advice.

that high is bad for the bacteria.

any size tank,the most is 3ppm.

 

for testing,you would have stopped using the bacteria in a bottle,so you know it's live bacteria.

it's add 1ppm and then if 24 hours both are zero...cycled.

that size i would do 0.25-0.5ppm.

 

shrimps bioload are low.

the tank doesn't need a lot of bacteria.

as they grow or breed the bacteria will grow as there is more ammonia is being produce.

 

I see  

so do I just wait for ammonia to go down to 0.5 or do a water change? 

 

And if bacteria dies, it will contribute to the ammonia level right?

[zodiac]

no need for water change unless ammonia or nitrites are too high.

 

bacteria are living things,so i guess so.

in a cycled tank,they end up as nitrate. 

[Priscilla]

no need for water change unless ammonia or nitrites are too high.
 
bacteria are living things,so i guess so.
in a cycled tank,they end up as nitrate. [emoji4]

Okay! Yesterday at 1pm ammonia was at 4ppm and at 6pm it dropped to 2ppm.
I hope it would drop to 1 or less by tonight then I'll just maintain it at that level.

Is it weird that the nitrites dropped from 5ppm to 2ppm and nitrates are still at 5ppm? At 1 and 6pm respectively.


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