Fishless Cycle

[codheadjohn]

I haven't used an API nitrate kit for some time - but I don't remember it as being one that could report a result of 0.25mg/l. Are you sure we're talking about nitrate and not nitrite?

It says it right there infront of me

I think you're looking at the nitrite blue/purple chart. The nitrAte, furthest right chart is not sensitive enough to distinguish such small numbers, because we don't care about 0.25ppm. That kit will read as zero if you don't do the test correctly though. One of the bottles needs shaking before you add it to the solution, you really need to shake seven shades of sh*t out of it before adding, then shake the solution loads too. If your arm doesn't feel like it's about to fall off, you've not been shaking enough

[ahulleman]

Im gonna steal this topic with a quick question regarding fishless cycles!
A friend of mine asked me if he needed to do water changes during a fishless cycle..
I told him that unless the filter becomes clogged up, you do NOT do water changes and let the ammonia convert naturally...
(keep in mind that hes never added ammonia, he just added some quickstart + food and let it decay naturally.... not sure why)
I am advising him correctly aren't I? Somehow i started doubting myself when reading this post lol

[Gingerlove05]

You shouldn’t need to do water changes during the cycle, although it may be required if its very soft water (low kh and the carbonates have been used up) and the ph drops and the cycle stalls.
Fish food can be used to cycle but it takes a few days for the food to break down causing the levels to jump all over the place if you dont use the exact same amount or if some food takes a bit longer to break down. Using ammonia is easier as its more controlled.

[ahulleman]

You shouldn’t need to do water changes during the cycle, although it may be required if its very soft water (low kh and the carbonates have been used up) and the ph drops and the cycle stalls.
Fish food can be used to cycle but it takes a few days for the food to break down causing the levels to jump all over the place if you dont use the exact same amount or if some food takes a bit longer to break down. Using ammonia is easier as its more controlled.

Makes sense, Thanks
@GingerGandalfff can have the post back now