Source Pure Ammonia
Buy unscented ammonia from cleaning aisle (Ace Hardware, Janitorial supply). Check label: ammonia + water only, no surfactants.
Test before use: shake bottle. If it foams, has surfactants — bad. Use only flat liquid.
Daily Schedule
Day 1: dose to 4ppm ammonia. Wait.
Days 2-7: test daily. Once ammonia drops to 0 within 24 hours of dosing 2ppm, ammonia bacteria are established.
Days 7-21: nitrite spikes. Hold ammonia at 1-2ppm to feed bacteria. Wait for nitrite to drop to 0.
Days 21-30: cycle complete. Do a 50% water change to drop nitrate, then stock.
Final Stocking Test
Dose 2ppm ammonia. Check 24h later: ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate elevated. Cycle confirmed.
If ammonia or nitrite remains, wait another week.
- ✦Heat to 84°F to accelerate cycling
- ✦Test pH — bacteria need pH 7+ for fastest growth
- ✦Add seeded media from established tank to cut cycle time in half
Why Fishless Beats Fish-Cycle
No fish suffering through ammonia/nitrite spikes.
Predictable timeline — usually 21-30 days.
Stock immediately to capacity once cycled.