Ammonia dosing- keep dosing or stop? So many questions!

[Twalker791]

Ok so I am doing a fishless cycle in my new 37 gallon FOWLR tank. I have aragonite sand and dry live rock in the tank, and 4 days ago I added a bottle of Bio-Spira. I got pure ammonia (Ace Hardware janitorial brand as suggested) and started dosing. Day one I dosed it to 4 ppm. The next day the ammonia had dropped to 2 ppm and nitrites were 4ppm plus. Day 2 ammonia was 0, nitrites still high, and nitrates were about 10 ppm. I dosed ammonia to 2 ppm. On Day 3 the ammonia was 0, nitrites high, nitrates about 20 ppm. I again dosed ammonia to 2 ppm. Today is day 4. Ammonia is 0, nitrites haven’t budged and are still very high, nitrates 10 ppm. I have read on these forums that people suggest keeping ammonia levels at 2 ppm or so, so that the bacteria have a good source. Others say to give the ammonia a break if the nitrites are really high. So which is it? The man at my LFS said to dose until day 7 and then call it quits and keep testing. So what do you guys say? Should I keep dosing everyday, or stop at any point? I’m hoping the nitrites will start to drop soon. Any tips? I know this part takes some patience as well. Thanks! Also salinity is 1.023, temp is 80. pH is between 8-8.2

 

[brandon429]

You don't have to do anything else.

Simply let current attachment stew and circulate for ten days, change water, you are done. It's that simple, you've already dosed bacteria that skip cycle, and measured initial movement down. Given ten days all surfaces are coated, change water and begin. No further testing needed either, it's off and running and ends in about 4 days to adherence on surfaces... the extra 6 days = 10 total was time to make sure no leaks, good temps good salinity control

You aren't going to get ten straight answers on cycling, but if you do it this way above then update with pics after animals are added, they'll be doing fine.

 

[Twalker791]

You don't have to do anything else.

Simply let current attachment stew and circulate for ten days, change water, you are done.

So my bacteria won’t die if the ammonia level stays at zero for that long since there’s no fish in there?

 

[saltyhog]

So my bacteria won’t die if the ammonia level stays at zero for that long since there’s no fish in there?

No and likely won't really decrease much in number. If you are concerned you could "ghost feed" a little with a small amount of frozen or flake food.

 

[Twalker791]

Thanks!

 

[brandon429]

they are eating the entire time, from natural sources, that we can't stop unless reefing in a bacteria lab they really are that resourceful when in water. we have studies where unfed live rock is kept three years in water, retested, and passes like it had fish the whole time. cycles can never ever starve, not for years and years and years as long as kept wet and open-topped for environmental microexchange.