Fishless cycling, Nitrite level still peaks after 5 days.

[SaltMe]

Brand new 29 gallon tank.
I'm cycling the tank fishless with 10% clear ammonia and
30 lbs of live sand.

Tank has been cycling for 30 days now. I originally added 6 drops of clear ammonia to tank to kick start cycling process. Ammonia level jump to 5.

After 20 days, ammonia level drop to 0, I now add 2 drops of clear ammonia into tank everyday to feed bactaria. And each time ammonia level will jump to 3 and the next day, ammonia is completely comsume and ammonia level drops back to 0. So the ammonia is being process.

Nitrite level, however, will simply not drop. 5 days since I saw it peak, and now it still peaks at 80 (dark red color with tester).

Nitrate level have also peak. And again, both Nitrite and Nitrate levels have been very high and there's no sign of either leveling out.

Any suggests of what I need to do next?


Many Thanks,


Saltme

[koj11]

I assume you have your liverock in the tank already, yes? If not, put it in now. Stop adding ammonia to your tank, and keep testing. It will cycle given time.

[SaltMe]

In all honesty, I don't have any live rocks at all. I can't afford live rocks. I am cycling my tank ghetto style and that's why I am using ammonia to cycle my tank.

My plan was:
1. Cycle tank with ammonia and live sand bed in 30 days.
2. Purchase 2 clown fish.
3. Care for fish and be happy.
4. In 1 year, upgrade to 55 gallon tank with live rocks and the works.

[clown2be]

Buy any rock. put one piece of live rock in and all other rock will become live. I believe the rock is called lava rock should be at your LFS alot cheaper than LR . Just buy one small piece of LR to start everything going. $10.00

[SaltMe]

Is it now safe/ok for me to add clown fish?

My ammonia level is 0 while my nitrite and nitrate levels are
quite high.

[koj11]

No don't add any fish. Your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates need to all come down first. Save yourself some wasted money and time and do it right the first time. Get some rock in there. It doesn't need to be live rock. You can buy base rock which is significantly less expensive. Then go to a grocery store and buy a big cocktail shrimp and throw it in there. Keep testing and stay patient.

[clown2be]

You will kill your $20.00 fish. spend the money on rock and do it right. Where did you get your info in the 1st place about setting up a SALT WATER TANK. Yes Im yelling.

[SaltMe]

Well, I spend 1 month researching, Reading postings on the net about salt aquarim setup and going to Barnes and Noble and reading books about how to setup salt water aquarims.

Fishless cycling was the next big thing. Many people have try it with amazing results.

Link to the guy that start it all:
http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycle2.html

[MiddletonMark]

I cycled fishless ... but would run a saltwater tank without at worst base rock [better yet live rock]. Beyond the important filtration going on, without anything in the tank the fish IMO are not going to act the same.

LR, beyond it's effect on filtration, provides important `cover' for the fish to hide around and in, to hide from each other, to sleep around.

As said above, I tend to believe in doing it right or not doing it at all. Just my take on it, but I'd highly encourage LR.
[heck, watch the used/selling forums here ... bet you can buy some from someone taking down there tank in your area. ... for way cheaper than the LFS]

[luceneck]

Might just be me, but that article is talking about freshwater approaches. The reason I would suggest this is because there are various things mentioned in it that would point to a freshwater approach.

such as

This latter point is of particular interest to keepers of african cichlids or other aggressive fish

2) Live Plants (preferrably potted, leave the rockwool on until cycling is finished). Crypts or amazon swords are good choices, and not too demanding.

4) Other ornaments (driftwood, rocks, etc.) from an established tank.

also, the link you gave is a follow up to an article the author wrote before. In that article he mentions various freshwater fish.

If I were you I would get a small piece of live rock, or perhaps even some rubble. At a LFS by me I can get rubble for $1.50 a pound. Definetly cycle your tank with some rock and no fish. Patience is the key, I build my tank up paycheck to paycheck.

[reverai]

You might also see if there is a local fish group around where you live. I know if you were around where I live, I could give you some live rock simply because I bought to much for my nano tank and have extra. I agree that your plan isn't the best for the well being of your future fish. They need something to hide in and around. The only way you are going to be able to get rid of your nitrate's given your setup is via water changes. In any case, good luck.

Steve

[H2OLUVSME]

i cycled a 29 with LR and aragonite in less than a month. IMO you should try to cycle ,in a natural manner. adding ammonia cannot help at this point. i gound a person in my area breaking down a reef. i got my roick for under $2 per pound. i set my tank up 6/4, and my levels were ammonia=0, nitrites=0, and nitrates=20 ppm, until i added the first portion of my clean-up crew. i had a little spike of trates going up to 60 ppm. and now 2 days later they are back down to 40 ppm.

i agree that patience is the key. LR also has an important role. i think if you add a few pounds of LR and some base rock you will be suprised with how good of a cycle you can achieve. if you know someone in your area you may even be able to borrow a good piece of LR to seed your base.

please for the sake of the fish and your wallet, cycle 100% before adding any fish.

just a newB's .02

LT