# Never ending cycle



## mess17 (3 Jan 2022)

Hi all, 

I've recently set up a small tank (3g) for my wfh desk setup. But am having a strange in with the nitrogen cycle. 

I originally set it up on 25th October, however, I rescaped it on the 26th November. So figure this may have restarted the cycle somewhat (although same soil, same plants, same lava rocks, same wood, just a diff layout. 

Given that is over a month ago, I have just tested the water, photo attached of the ammonia and nitrate, nitrite no lt pictured was fully purple too. The other day nitrites were almost at zero, however something appears to have happened to casue a massive ammonia spike. Fortunately I don't have any livestock in there current as nitrites never got fully to zero. 

Just seems to me to be taking an awfully long time, and the presence of all three bacteria is odd to me. 

I'm adding flora grow carbo and tropica specialised nutrition so the plants are looking very healthy (although have had some melt on the frogbit, but the water tests explain that maybe). Not sure if I should stop adding these? 

I'm running it without a heater currently so water temp is about 19 degrees C. Surface agitation is somewhat there but do get a buildup of biofilm. 

Bit rambly, but wondered if any of the experts had some advice, and whether it is actually a long time the 1 or 2 months 

Thanks


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## Jaseon (3 Jan 2022)

Im thinking your soil is leaching ammonia although im no expert.


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## dw1305 (3 Jan 2022)

Hi all,
Something is a bit strange, the plant growth looks pretty healthy.


mess17 said:


> The other day nitrites were almost at zero, however something appears to have happened to casue a massive ammonia spike. Fortunately I don't have any livestock in there current as nitrites never got fully to zero.


Which substrate is it? Some of them <"are quite ammonia (NH3) rich">. I'm going to assume that you didn't add ammonia initially? 

The other options are chloramine in your water supply or problems with the test kit. Because levels of nitrite (NO2-) are also high it is more likely that they are true readings, nitrite <"is easier to test for than ammonia/ammonium (NH3/NH4+)", mainly because it forms insoluble compounds.

If you use <"Prime"> as your dechlorinator? It may interfere with ammonia readings.


mess17 said:


> Just seems to me to be taking an awfully long time, and the presence of all three bacteria is odd to me.


Just ignore the bits you read about bacteria and cycling, <"more recent research"> (which can actually look for the genes that code for ammonia oxidation) has found that the <"situation is a lot less linear"> than the <"traditional view of cycling">.

cheers Darrel


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## John q (3 Jan 2022)

I'd say 4 weeks in, possibly quicker if the substrate was leaching high amounts of ammonia then the tank would be cycled, especially given the healthy looking Plants.


mess17 said:


> I'm adding flora grow carbo and tropica specialised nutrition


Maybe this would cause some reading towards ammonium/ammonia, how much of the specialised are you dosing?


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## mess17 (3 Jan 2022)

Thanks for the responses guys, yeah all a bit strange, and as a few of you mention, the plant growth is really good, haven't had any melting (save frogbit roots), almost no algae except first week and some on the wood. 

Using tropical soil powder. 

Dosing one pump per week of the specialised and one pump per day of the floragrow carbo. 

Didn't add any ammonia and used a bag of filter media from a cycled tank. Wonder if maybe lack of ammonia at the start meant the old filter media bacteria died off? 

Dechloriantor is seachem prime as guessed.


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## Jaseon (3 Jan 2022)

mess17 said:


> Using tropical soil powder.


Tropica recommend that you change 25-50% of the water min. twice a week during the first 4 weeks after establishing the aquarium. Might be due to the high ammonia content? I would think it would be even more concentrated in a nano tank?


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## jaypeecee (3 Jan 2022)

Jaseon said:


> Tropica recommend that you change 25-50% of the water min. twice a week during the first 4 weeks after establishing the aquarium. Might be due to the high ammonia content?


Hi @mess17 

I read on A N Other forum "I have a planted 5.5 gallon tank and today added Tropica specialized nutrition with a 10% water change. I checked my ammonia levels and they were at 0.25. My ammonia levels have never been above 0 since its been cycled. The ferts contain ammonium. Is this something I need to worry about? Or should the ammonia drop naturally?".

So, there you have it.

JPC


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## dw1305 (4 Jan 2022)

Hi all,


mess17 said:


> Wonder if maybe lack of ammonia at the start meant the old filter media bacteria died off?


You honestly don't have to worry about that, everything we thought we knew about nitrification is wrong. Have a look through the <"linked threads above">.


mess17 said:


> Dechloriantor is seachem prime as guessed.


It <"interferes with the ammonia readings">, I'm not sure about nitrite. I <"found this">, that suggests it might:


> I wrote to Seachem on this issue back on Feb 3rd. They just now responded with this explanation:
> _Prime does not directly reduce nitrite levels, but rather binds them into a form that is non-toxic to your aquarium inhabitants. Due to the way they are chemically bound and due to the fact that nitrite tests kits do not have the ability to differentiate between toxic and non-toxic forms of nitrite levels in your system, it is likely an indication that your bio-filter has consumed/converted the nitrites._





jaypeecee said:


> The ferts contain ammonium. Is this something I need to worry about? Or should the ammonia drop naturally?".


I'm not sure that the one pump a week of Tropica Specialised will add <"enough ammonia to make much difference?">

cheers Darrel


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