FISHLESS CYCLING Discussion Thread

This is where I found the ammonia http://www.ukconsumerinfo.com/productdetails.aspx?prod=417
There is a 'contact us' at the top of the page, which is how I emailed them.


Unfortunately, most home ammonia testers are the salicylate test, and they are all the same colour change.

How much chemistry have you studied? At the risk of saying what you already know (and in case anyone else reading this wonders) the link gives the contents as ammonium hydroxide. This is formed when ammonia dissolves in water, so ammonia solution is ammonium hydroxide.

Ok so today is my 3rd day into my cycle and I've just tested my water for ammonia and nitrite. I believe that my ammonia lvl is the same as day 1 around 3ppm and that my nitrite lvls are about 0.75ppm. I've attached a couple of photos showing the vials. I'd appreciate if somebody could confirm this. I need to get my head round these colours.

Thanks in the advance

When I tested my plain tap water for nitrite it was blue. So I'm on my way to seeding my filter 😀

How would I know that my nitrite lvls are below 15ppm if the kit only measures up to 5ppm?

But all I'm looking for right now is my ammonia to be less than 0.75 and nitrite to be over 2 at which point I add another full dose of ammonia. And start testing every 2 days instead of 3

Right ok.  I won't be straying away from your guide anyway. I will do the 3/1 testing though when my nitrite test reads 5+ppm. Let's me see the colour variations as well. Thanks again sue

Here is my nitrite test vials
Tank water, 3/1 ratio tap/tank water and straight tap water

Again straight tap water is definitely zero
3/1 ratio looks to be between 0 and 0.25ppm maybe even 0.5ppm
Which puts my tank result at 0.75 & 1.5ppm

I had just finished typing when Adenann posted, but I'll post what I'd written anyway.....


It can be difficult comparing colours on a computer screen, but your readings look to me:

Ammonia -
Tap - zero
Pure tank - slightly less than 2 but not nearly as low as 1
Diluted - 0.5


Nitrite -
Tap - zero
Pure tank -  the 2 and 5 colours look the same on my screen, so your vial could be either 
Diluted - 0.25



It is quite difficult to make really accurate testers for use in the home. People's eyesight varies which adds in other inaccuracy factor. Labs use colour sensing equipment to get accurate results, which is impractical and unaffordable for home use, so we are stuck with our test kits - unless you want to buy a colorimeter.





Have you seen the progress of my fishless cycle at the bottom of the actual method? That should give an idea of what to expect.

I have only actually done 2 fishless cycles, one in 2016 using this method and one in 2013 using the older fishless method. But I had tested my tank on countless occasions before I did the two cycles, so I was very familiar with the testers.

All sorts of things can affect the way we see colours. I have a yellow cataract developing in my right eye (apparently there are several types of cataract and my optician says I have a yellow one). If I look at white typing on a black screen and close one eye, the text looks pale yellow with my right eye and bluish with my left eye. This probably distorts the way I see colours, and once the cataract gets to a certain stage and it is replaced, I'll probably have trouble seeing true colours again till my brain adapts.

Hi all,

For anybody reading I just want to confirm my successful cycle following Sue's kind help.

Here is a little breakdown:

Hi all,

For anybody reading I just want to confirm my successful cycle following Sue's kind help.

Here is a little breakdown:

@kuukelite
If you now add 3ppm ammonia does it disappear along with nitrites within 24 hours?