110Ltr Fishless Cycle

[2101]

So i finally got moved into my new house and started my first tank. I had some trouble within the first week of the cycle as i had a piece of oak that was sold to me as treated, but it obviously had not as my tank went a dark cloudy deep red/orange. So i did a 95% water change and left the wood out and it has stayed clear since. I have the 110 litre Aquatropic AT80 for them who don't know of this, it came with a heater and filter and 2 chemicals a. Filter Starter b. Tapsafe.

My log is as of follows right from the start:

Day 0 : Filled the tank with water, added the Filter Starter that was provided and also the Tap Safe to the water that was added.
Day 1 : Got API water kit from you guys. Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.5 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0~ PH - 6.6
Day 2 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.0 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0~ PH - 6.6 Brought Ammonia and added and got it upto 5.0
Day 3 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 4.0 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.4
Day 4 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 4.0 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.4 In the evening did a 20% water change to clear the water as it had gone very cloudy from the Cornish Oak I added on day of filling the tank.
Day 5 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 4.0 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.2
Day 6 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 4.0 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.0 In the evening noticed that this is clearly not going well and have had a bad PH crash. And i knew that the bacteria wouldn't grow as fast in this state. So 95% water change was done, TapSafe added to water and then FilterStarter
Day 7 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.8
Day 8 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.6 Filter Starter added (bottle says add the same amount every other day for the first week)
Day 9 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 6.8
Day 10 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 7.0 Filter Starter added (bottle says add the same amount every other day for the first week)
Day 11 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 7.0
Day 12 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 7.0 Filter Starter added (bottle says add the same amount every other day for the first week)
Day 13 : Tested and got: Ammonia - 0.25 borderline 0.50 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 PH - 7.0

I have brought Ammonia from the only place i could get it from locally, it was this stuff http/www.max-on-line.co.uk/products/ammonia/index.html
i am pretty sure this is only pure ammonia and has nothing else within it. Should i start dosing my tank with this unto 4ppm? I was told by my contact at my local LFS who's taken an interest in my project that i should get enough ammonia out of my Filter Starter fluid to get my filter going

Help and advice on what i should be doing for the next few days along with is that ammonia ok to be using? (not been added since 95%water change).

HELP IM A NOVICE AT THIS!!

I can upload pictures if needed also.

 

[Aqua Tom]

That ammonia looks perfect, its 9.5% solution, meaning 9.5% ammonia & 90.5% water which is what we recomend.

Your LFS is selling you stuff so take ther advice with a grain of salt.

Look at the link in my sig to beginers resource centre, read everything at least twice, then you should be ready to start cycling in anger.

 

[Overload]

looking good so far, I would top the ammonia up if its below 0.25.
I would say go to 2-3ppm until you get past the nitrite spike

 

[2101]

Good to hear its looking good, ill top it up with that Ammonia today then.
I will remember not to inhale some like last time

The guy at the LFS is the same age as me and has recently graduated with a degree in Marine Biology and he's taken an interest in my project as I'm currently doing a degree in Marine and Natural History Photography. And the tank is to document the behaviour and such of tropical fish, he's helping me with research he already had from his. Plus he's giving me discount

 

[2101]

Also i read the other week that i should add some aeration to the tank as the process takes out any oxygen in the water. There is a feature on my filter that can add aeration to the tank. Should i leave this on all the time or just for a set amount of time a day?

 

[2101]

I dosed my tank with that ammonia upto 4ppm and with doing so the ph went upto 7.4 from 7.0. Issue? Reason?

 

[PyroBrit]

The ammonia you are using is the same that I am using from our local hardware store. I'm on day 16ish (lost count) and my ammonia clears from 4ppm in a little over 24hrs. Not seeing any nitrite results yet which is a little confusing but still a bit early really.

I have a heater to keep the water at 80 and an air stone for the cycling process.

 

[2101]

No answer as to why i found my ph had risen up then?

BUMP

 

[Overload]

No idea, mine rose a couple of times early on, but started dropping again later in the cycle. Might have been something Alkaline in with the ammonia, or in the filter, or might have just been misread (happens to us all)

 

[2101]

Cheers for the advice