# 0ppm Nitrate anyone?



## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

can a tank be fully cycled with a nitrate reading of 0 ppm?
ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
and my nitrate is also 0.

is my tank cycled or not yet?


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

Did you do a fishless cycle by adding ammonia?


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

no I used old media off other tanks and seeded filters


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Only going by what you posted, I would say maybe.
You didn`t mention any food source, straight ammonia or fish.
Without something for whatever bacteria on the media to feed on, it will start to die off.


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

I would say add some pure ammonia, get it to about 6 ppm, then test the next day. Once your ammonia goes from about 5-6ppm to 0 ppm in less than a day, it will be cycled


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Do you have plants in the tank?


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

I have been adding food, no plants.

How do I had 6ppm ammonia? what is that is ml?


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

do not add 6ppm ammonia, that's way too much, 2ppm is penty, and you use pure ammonia from a hardware store or other store with cleaning supplies

the ammount you need to add to a tank to get to 2ppm depends on the amount of water in the tank, as well as the actual concentration of ammonia in the bottle.

the mature media may work, but you have to have an ammonia source for the nitrogen cycle to occur to get nitrates, how long has that media been in the new tank with no food for potential bacteria?


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

cjacob is right, I add 6ppm because my tank is larger at 90 gallons.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

it is a 125 gal tank. The media has been in other tanks for months and in the new tank for 2 1/2 weeks I have been putting food in daily.


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

I would add some pure ammonia, around 2-3 ppm. You can buy an ammonia test kit at your local petsmart for about $10. See how long it takes from 2-3ppm to 0ppm, if it less then a day, I woud say add fish.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

how do I measure out ppm though?
like how much ammonia for 125 gal tank? are we talking add it until my kit reads 3ppm or add 1/2 a cup what volume of ammonia liquid?


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

the amount of ammonia will depend on the concentration of it. Just make sure it is pure ammonia with no surfacants or addetives. 20ml brought my 90 gallon tank to 5ppm. I would say about 10-20ml for 125 gallons. I would add 10ml then test after about 20 minutes to get a ppm reading. I hope that is understandable.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

*wlyons9856*
thanks that helped a lot.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

so I got this ammonia at ace hardware will it work?

http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... 1339277623


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

If Ammonia Hydroxide is the only ingredient, then yes, it will work perfect.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

it says 10% but no other ingredients are listed.


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

Should be fine then.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

yeah I figured so I did 2 caps full and a little reading showed up so now I just wait and see if it is reduced to 0 in 24 hrs right?


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

Yea, get it to about two ppm, test tomorrow to see what ppm it is at, also see where you're nitrate and nitrite is at, keep it at about 2ppm until all three read 0


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

all three? That is what they were already at, I am doing this to insure it is cycled because nitrates were at 0


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

I would have thought something would be producing nitrates - unless you have some nitrate removal media in your filtration. If you do, it could be absorbing some.


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## probe1957 (Sep 21, 2010)

matthew1884 said:


> so I got this ammonia at ace hardware will it work?
> 
> http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... 1339277623


That's what I used to cycle my tank. In my 75 gallon tank, 1 tsp took it to about 2 ppm ammonia.


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## MONEYCYCLE (Oct 7, 2010)

If it is cycled it could have a nitrate reading below detection. old media is the best but introduction of ammonia is necessary to keep it alive. I would recomend add the fish and some bottled bacteria ( such as stability,cycle,ect. ) to rejuvanate the bacteria you have. Be sure to leave the uv off for about a week.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

ok so now 
ammonia is 0
nitrite above 3
and nitrates 5-10

so now what? add more ammonia? water changes? what?


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

2ppm ammonia, see how long it takes to go back down to zero.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

ok thanks


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## probe1957 (Sep 21, 2010)

Be patient Matthew. It sounds to me like your tank is not yet cycled.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

I am being patient I was just curious as to what to do next.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

ok so still not cycled ammonia is 0 and has been for awhile. Nitrites are above 4ppm and nitrates are between 5-15ppm so now what do I do? it has been this was for several days now.


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## wlyons9856 (Sep 16, 2010)

keep adding about 1ppm ammonia every day, so 10% water changed before you add. Once you can add about 1-2 ppm ammonia and in less than one day your Ammonia, Nitrite read 0. You are cycled


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

I have been adding ammonia, and nitrites have not decreased, so continue to add ammonia until nitrite at 0


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Get a handfull of black skirt tetras and thow them in. When your nitrites dissapear, you'r done.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Sorry, I tried to go back and edit my post but can't. I didn't mean to come across so harsh.
I just meant that that's the way I have allways cycled a brand new tank. It's pretty muh a bullet proof method even though it may take a little longer. I have found these fish to be very hardy. I understand that not everyone likes to use fish to cycle a tank though.


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