arielroxi Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 I have tried to find my answers in the form but not with much luck. I'm doing a fishless cycle. 30gal. Added plants and used Seachem Stability for 4 days, I have not seen an ammonia spike. It has been 2 weeks. Lots of hair algae and brown algae. I clam it off and it's back the next day. I have not done a water change. This weekend will do a 30% change. I test the water once a week. The plants are doing well. Should I be testing it daily? Should I add Seachem Stability after I do the water change? Or not at all? Should I clean the algae before I do a water change? Or let it continue to spread? Should I wait a month before adding fish or snails? Am I totally lost? Thanks, Angie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryC Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 (edited) Did you add anything that will produce ammonia, or ammonia in liquid form? Ammonia will not spike on its own, you have to add a source for it, it may be liquid, pure ammonia or any organic matter (fish food) that will rot and produce it. I recommend Dr. Tim's ammonia, easy to dose and thus easy to control how much you need. I've done 3 fishless cycles with it dosing to 2ppm and doing water changes at soon as I start getting nitrate. Edited November 18, 2020 by HenryC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arielroxi Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 No I didn't add any ammonia product. Thank you for the recommendation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 I have had this tank set up since early November and have had fish in it since the beginning. I measured the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate everyday. Here is a graph of what that looked like. Nitrates were high initially likely from fertilizer the plants brought in with them, but this faded. After a few days the ammonia and nitrites began to increase. And then the ammonia and nitrate held steady for a few days. Then the ammonia peaked on the 14th followed by a peak in nitrites the next day. Nitrates began to rise after that. And now everything is falling back down again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alesha Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Just now, Daniel I have had this tank set up since early November and have had fish in it since the beginning. I measured the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate everyday. Here is a graph of what that looked like. Nitrates were high initially likely from fertilizer the plants brought in with them, but this faded. After a few days the ammonia and nitrites began to increase. And then the ammonia and nitrate held steady for a few days. Then the ammonia peaked on the 14th followed by a peak in nitrites the next day. Nitrates began to rise after that. And now everything is falling back down again. And I'm willing to bet that if/when you add more fish, you will see another cycle similar to this. Probably with shallower peaks & valleys, but similar. At least that's what I've experienced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arielroxi Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 16 hours ago, Daniel said: I have had this tank set up since early November and have had fish in it since the beginning. I measured the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate everyday. Here is a graph of what that looked like. Nitrates were high initially likely from fertilizer the plants brought in with them, but this faded. After a few days the ammonia and nitrites began to increase. And then the ammonia and nitrate held steady for a few days. Then the ammonia peaked on the 14th followed by a peak in nitrites the next day. Nitrates began to rise after that. And now everything is falling back down again. Wow Daniel that is quite the tracking you have. I will start checking daily as soon as I get the ammonia to add. Now my only problem is with the algae that is going out of control. Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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