Aquaone 980

[waterdrop]

Yes, and I don't know if our reference article spells it out but eventually, when ammonia starts dropping to zero every day, you only re-add ammonia once a day (never more than once in 24 hours) preferably at the same time of day.

The very first time you add ammonia at the beginning of your fishless cycle it can take a couple of -weeks- (even 3 or 4 weeks rarely) before the very first drop to zero ppm ammonia.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[pjandnoo]

Think we are starting to get there now.

Fridays reading were 0.00 ammonia and 0.50 nitrite so we added 5ml of ammonia
Sat was 4ppm of ammonia and .50 nitrites
Sun was interesting as the ammonia has nearly all gone and the nitrites are at 1ppm.

Whoo fishy fish fish!!

 

[OldMan47]

That change is encouraging but keep monitoring and dosing. The progress often goes very unevenly.

 

[pjandnoo]

Monday nights tests had the ammonia down to 0, nitrites had fallen back to 0.25 but I tested for nitrates this time to find that was up to 5ppm so looks like the cycle is working. I added another 5ml of ammonia to keeps things turning over so will see what happens later!!

 

[waterdrop]

Take a search for the fishless cycle of member "martinking" - his first post shows a good format for single-line reporting of fishless cycle daily results here on the forum. One of the first things we look for is "the day you are on" and we also like to keep tabs on the pH. --wd--

 

[pjandnoo]

Take a search for the fishless cycle of member "martinking" - his first post shows a good format for single-line reporting of fishless cycle daily results here on the forum. One of the first things we look for is "the day you are on" and we also like to keep tabs on the pH. --wd--

WOW 132 days now thats what I call patience. I will repost in this format

 

[pjandnoo]

Day 0
Added 5ml ammonia
Day 1
4ppm Ammonia
Day 2
4ppm Ammonia
Day 3
2ppm Ammonia
Day 4
1ppm Ammonia
Day 5
0.25 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite
Day 6
0.00 Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 7
4ppm Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite
Day 8
0.25 Ammonia - 1ppm Nitrite
Day 9
0.00 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 5ppm Nitrate - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 10
2ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate PH of the water is 7.6

 

[waterdrop]

 

[pjandnoo]

Day 0
Added 5ml ammonia
Day 1
4ppm Ammonia
Day 2
4ppm Ammonia
Day 3
2ppm Ammonia
Day 4
1ppm Ammonia
Day 5
0.25 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite
Day 6
0.00 Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 7
4ppm Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite
Day 8
0.25 Ammonia - 1ppm Nitrite
Day 9
0.00 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 5ppm Nitrate - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 10
2ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate PH of the water is 7.6
Day 11
0ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate - added Ammonia

 

[OldMan47]

It looks like your ammonia processing bacteria are picking up a bit. Now we need to see some good nitrite processing get started. Don't be too surprised if the ammonia is at zero again tomorrow and the nitrite is getting hard to read because it has gone so high.

 

[pjandnoo]

It looks like your ammonia processing bacteria are picking up a bit. Now we need to see some good nitrite processing get started. Don't be too surprised if the ammonia is at zero again tomorrow and the nitrite is getting hard to read because it has gone so high.

Thanks OM, is it worth keep testing the PH every day too?

 

[waterdrop]

Its good to keep up a more frequent check of pH than, say, nitrate(NO3), but every day is not necessary, perhaps every other day or a couple times a week or something. If you go a really long stetch without checking pH then a pH crash can sneak up on you.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[pjandnoo]

Day 0
Added 5ml ammonia
Day 1
4ppm Ammonia
Day 2
4ppm Ammonia
Day 3
2ppm Ammonia
Day 4
1ppm Ammonia
Day 5
0.25 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite
Day 6
0.00 Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 7
4ppm Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite
Day 8
0.25 Ammonia - 1ppm Nitrite
Day 9
0.00 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 5ppm Nitrate - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 10
2ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate PH of the water is 7.6
Day 11
0ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate - added Ammonia
Day 12
0.25 Ammonia - Drops went purple when they hit the bottom!! Spike?? Nitrate 40ppm.

 

[OldMan47]

Definitely into your nitrite spike now. The number we see posted is "over 5 ppm". You are still making good progress and will soon need to cut back the ammonia dose to avoid extremely high nitrite levels while the nitrite processors grow their colony size.

 

[pjandnoo]

Definitely into your nitrite spike now. The number we see posted is "over 5 ppm". You are still making good progress and will soon need to cut back the ammonia dose to avoid extremely high nitrite levels while the nitrite processors grow their colony size.

I am expecting the ammonia to be back to nil when I test again later so should I start to cut back on the ammonia now or the next time it goes back to nil?