37g Cycling Journal: Advice Welcome!

[carligraceee]

How many tanks have you (fishless) cycled using this forum's method?

@carligraceee , apologies for the thread hijack...

With hindsight I am surprised that only one of the 4 goldfish died, and that was during the first night in the cooking basin. The following years we gave the other three (a common and two comets) to someone with a pond as they had grown huge.

Haha you guys are cool-

Day 25 Parameters: (Two cap fulls of ammonia hydroxide added)

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 7.6
Temp: 84F

I hope I am in the last stretch! I will test again tomorrow around 2pm mountain time...

 

[carligraceee]

Haha you guys are cool-

Day 25 Parameters: (Two cap fulls of ammonia hydroxide added)

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 7.6
Temp: 84F

I hope I am in the last stretch! I will test again tomorrow around 2pm mountain time...

Day 26 Parameters: (No ammonia hydroxide added)

Ammonia: .25ppm
Nitrites: 2ppm
Nitrates: 30ppm
pH: 7.4
Temp: 84F

Yikes! Def not today! Will wait again for 0 and 0 readings and do this all over again !

 

[Slaphppy7]

Day 26 Parameters: (No ammonia hydroxide added)

Ammonia: .25ppm
Nitrites: 2ppm
Nitrates: 30ppm
pH: 7.4
Temp: 84F

Yikes! Def not today! Will wait again for 0 and 0 readings and do this all over again !

Patience....

You have a bubbler going, correct?

 

[carligraceee]

Patience....

You have a bubbler going, correct?

I am like 97% sure I have a bubbler

 

[Slaphppy7]

I am like 97% sure I have a bubbler

It's the 3% uncertainty I'm concerned about, lol

To clarify, an airstone running off of an air pump...too lazy to go back and look what all equipment is in the tank

 

[carligraceee]

It's the 3% uncertainty I'm concerned about, lol

To clarify, an airstone running off of an air pump...too lazy to go back and look what all equipment is in the tank

Okay, no I don't think I have an airstone. I DO, however, have an air pump.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Okay, no I don't think I have an airstone. I DO, however, have an air pump.

Warmer water holds less oxygen; the BB you are growing need oxygen

An airstone (bubbler) would help keep the water column oxygenated...you could just run it during the cycle, and take it out when done

You are so close to being cycled, though, not sure how much difference it would make at this point

 

[carligraceee]

Warmer water holds less oxygen; the BB you are growing need oxygen

An airstone (bubbler) would help keep the water column oxygenated...you could just run it during the cycle, and take it out when done

You are so close to being cycled, though, not sure how much difference it would make at this point

Oh wow, I didn't know all that! If I get a bigger tank in the far future (90% sure I will, probs a 120g) then I will do that as well.

Day 27 Parameters: (Two cap fulls of ammonia hydroxide added)

Ammonia: 0ppm!!!!
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 7.0
Temp: 84F

Yay! I am going to add another full dose of ammonia hydroxide now!

 

[carligraceee]

Oh wow, I didn't know all that! If I get a bigger tank in the far future (90% sure I will, probs a 120g) then I will do that as well.

Day 27 Parameters: (Two cap fulls of ammonia hydroxide added)

Ammonia: 0ppm!!!!
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 7.0
Temp: 84F

Yay! I am going to add another full dose of ammonia hydroxide now!

Day 28 Parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 2ppm
Nitrates: 20ppm
pH: 6.4
Temp: 84F

Wow, some different numbers for pH. Why do I have a high nitrite reading and no ammonia? What do I do now? Should I test later in the day since it hasn't been a full 24 hours?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Day 28 Parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 2ppm
Nitrates: 20ppm
pH: 6.4
Temp: 84F

Wow, some different numbers for pH. Why do I have a high nitrite reading and no ammonia? What do I do now? Should I test later in the day since it hasn't been a full 24 hours?

Yes, always test a full 24 hours after dosing...ph will fluctuate during a cycle, it's normal

 

[carligraceee]

Yes, always test a full 24 hours after dosing...ph will fluctuate during a cycle, it's normal

I tested last night again and everything is done!!!
Day 28 Parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 7.4
Temp: 82F

Today, I added the fish after doing a 35% water change. It is off to a great start and they are LOVING the space. I am waiting a few weeks before I go to the store for my tetra school and bristlenose pleco. I am so thankful for everyone's help, seriously. I will update this whenever I have any questions!

Questions:
- For the filter cartridges, all I do is rinse them off in old tank water, correct?

 

[Tacocat]

Today, I added the fish after doing a 35% water change. It is off to a great start and they are LOVING the space.

Ooh nice! Which fish did you add?

 

[Slaphppy7]

I tested last night again and everything is done!!!
Day 28 Parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 7.4
Temp: 82F

Today, I added the fish after doing a 35% water change. It is off to a great start and they are LOVING the space. I am waiting a few weeks before I go to the store for my tetra school and bristlenose pleco. I am so thankful for everyone's help, seriously. I will update this whenever I have any questions!

Questions:
- For the filter cartridges, all I do is rinse them off in old tank water, correct?

Yes, DO NOT rinse the filters in tap, your newly grown BB colony would be wiped out...I wouldn't even rinse it in tank water for a few weeks...be sure it NEVER dries out

 

[carligraceee]

Ooh nice! Which fish did you add?

I am so stoked! I added three mollies and one platy to start. I will be adding a school of red phantom tetras later as well as an albino bristlenose pleco!

 

[carligraceee]

Yes, DO NOT rinse the filters in tap, your newly grown BB colony would be wiped out...I wouldn't even rinse it in tank water for a few weeks...be sure it NEVER dries out

Okay perfect. I rinsed it a little today in tank water but not much. Everything seems to be going smoothly so far.