8 Days In...

[orange shark]

Hi TTA,
 
Thanks for your response, in regards to the "top up", it was because I used a different method of adding the Ammonia, so when testing an hour later and it read 2ppm I realised that I had added less than the previous amount, hence the top up. I see by your response that this may have been wrong, I guess anyone else reading this now knows!
 
I was hoping for that response though I was just shocked that it took 18 days to clear 2.75ppm and only 1 to clear atleast 1ppm! Thought I best check I didn't do anything wrong.
 
Thanks for all the responses and help so far!
 
OS

 

[orange shark]

Day 20:
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite >5ppm
pH 7.4

 

[orange shark]

Day 22: 
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite >5ppm
pH 7.4
 
My interpretation of the instructions are that I will be ready to add the maintenance feed tomorrow providing I get another 0 Ammonia reading (which I should), can anyone confirm?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You are correct
 
Then its wait for the nitrite to drop and then the full dose and test in 24.

 

[orange shark]

Thanks TTA
 
Bad feeling the Nitrite is going to take ages to drop, be just my luck 

 

[orange shark]

Day 25
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 5ppm (or above, can't tell)
pH 7.4
 
Topped up a 1/3 of the original dosage on day 23 
 
I think I am getting false 0.25ppm readings, the tubes look perfectly yellow but when put against the white of the card they look slightly green...I get the same with my tap water which is what makes me think so.
 
So now I am just waiting for the Nitrite to drop below 1ppm before adding the full amount again, is this right? If it takes a while for the Nitrite to drop then the Ammonia bacteria are going to have nothing to feed off for a while, is this ok?
 
Thanks,
OS

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Yes they will be fine without ammonia for days or even weeks. And yes you are waiting for the nitrite to be under 1 ppm before engaging in the final test.
 
The thing about testing is to understand what the kits are measuring. Hobby kits pretty much measure total ions present. In lab research what they measure is how much of the item being tested is nitrogen ions. This is why on lab test kits 1 ppm of ammonia-nitrogen produces 1 ppm of nitrite-nitrogen and 1 ppm of nitrate-nitrogen. Measure the exact same things using an API kit and you get 1.3 ppm ammonia, 3.28 ppm nitrite and 4.4 ppm nitrate. Think of it as measuring the same distance in miles vs kilometers. The distance doesn't change, only the measurement scale.
 
Or if you translate this to an all API kit scale; 1 ppm ammonia --> 2.5 ppm nitrite --> 3.38 ppm nitrate. This is based on the molecular weights of the three substances.

 

[orange shark]

So I went away on Sunday and got back today...when I left the Nitrite was very purple >5ppm
 
I had someone test it for me on Monday and they said it was still very purple, asked them to test yesterday but I don't think they did
 
Tested today and Nitrite is as blue as anything! 0ppm
 
I'm not sure if the test on Monday was done incorrectly, but i've dosed the full amount again to test in 24 hours, hopefully any delay in adding that amount won't affect the cycle too much!
 
edit: Also a quick question about the huge water change once the cycle has finished...my only option to refill the tank is to use a hose, so pretty cold water, and also not dechlorinated, I've read it can be detrimental to not dechlorinate water first, so how am I supposed to add the water to the tank?

 

[orange shark]

Ammonia going in 24 hours...Nitrite in 48 hours 

 

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Not quite there yet. When nitrite again drops under 1 ppm, hit it with the 3 ppm dose as per the cycling instructions.
 
Nitrite bacs get started well after the ammonia ones and the nitrite ones also reproduce more slowly. But what does happen with both types as they increase in number is the speed with which they can handle the ammonia or nitrite increases. This causes the effect of these things initially hanging in at higher levels and then suddenly things move down rapidly. You should be rught at that tipping point in terms of nitrite. Suddenly the ammonia vanishes and the nitrite doesn't even appear.
 
i agree with you on the .25 ppm ammonia reading as likely being correct.

 

[orange shark]

Hi TTA,
 
I hit a slight problem today...yesterday was the 4th time i've redosed the full amount after the maintenance feed bit was complete.
 
On the last 3 the Ammonia has dropped to 0 in 24 hours, but this time after 24 hours it was 0.5ppm (I tested twice to check)...why has this happened?
 
On the plus side the Nitrite has now dropped to 0.25ppm in 24 hours, but i'm disappointed about the Ammonia
 
Should I wait until the Ammonia drops to add the full amount again?

Thanks,
OS

 

[orange shark]

Apparently my eyes are failing me...it was 0.25ppm so have re-dosed the original amount...again. 
 
Here's hoping we get a 0 for the Nitrite in 24 hours!