Chemistry Help

[remdog]

Thanks for the reply, Waterdrop. I did not do a PH check today when I ran my test, but I will tomorrow morning. Things seem to running smoothly, with NH3 dropping to 0, and, so far, NO2 off the chart. I've been replenishing NH3 to around 3ppm daily. BTW, even after the cycle completes my understanding is that I can keep it going indefinitely without fish. I hope that is correct because there might be a bit of a lag between the cycle completing and my introducing fish to the tank.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[remdog]

As you go higher or lower than that the growth rates begin to slow and if you go as low as 6.2 the bacterial growth will stall and stop altogether at 6.0, at least for a while.
~~waterdrop~~

Interestingly, when I checked PH this morning it was around 7.6, which is considerably lower that two days ago. I guess I'm not going to be too concerned about this unless the PH drops significantly below 7.0.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[remdog]

Today is day 15 since I started fishless cycling the 10G, and here are the figures:

NH3 = 0
NO2 = >5
NO3 = 10
PH = 7.6

I'm a little concerned about the nitrate figure, which might actually be a bit above 10. I have been adding enough NH3 to the tank every day to bring the level up to somewhere between 3 and 4. Perhaps I should be cutting back on that.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[kporteo]

During fishless cycling your nitrate levels go through the roof, im currently in my qualifying days and its reading 80ppm+, you get rid of this though when you do your final water change before adding your fish.

K

 

[Skins]

During fishless cycling your nitrate levels go through the roof, im currently in my qualifying days and its reading 80ppm+, you get rid of this though when you do your final water change before adding your fish.

K

I agree, i'm also in a fishless cycle and nitrates are 160ppm+. When you get to your qualifying week it won't hurt to do some small water changes(30%)and 24hrs before stocking a large water change(80-90%)

Skins.

 

[remdog]

During fishless cycling your nitrate levels go through the roof, im currently in my qualifying days and its reading 80ppm+, you get rid of this though when you do your final water change before adding your fish.

K

Got it! And I suppose that the nitrates are at least making the plants happy.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[remdog]

Things have taken a dramatic turn today, with NO2 dropping to around 2-3ppm. Usually when I add drops to the API test tube the drops immediately turn a deep purple in the bottom of the tune. Not today. So, we'll see what it looks like tomorrow. I am assuming that if the tank completely cycles I can still continue to keep the cycle alive without fish with the addition of ammonia. I only mention that because there may be a time lag between when the tank finishes cycling, and when I can add some fish.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[jameshunter63]

Yep, a finished cycle is when the ammonia you add will be broken down into nitrite and then finally natrate all within a 12 hour period. As long as you keep adding the correct amount of ammonia every 12 hours you wont have a problem.

james

 

[Skins]

Yep, a finished cycle is when the ammonia you add will be broken down into nitrite and then finally natrate all within a 12 hour period. As long as you keep adding the correct amount of ammonia every 12 hours you wont have a problem.

james

You should only dose every 24hrs, if you were to dose every 12hrs you will end up with to much nitrogen.

 

[jameshunter63]

Yep, a finished cycle is when the ammonia you add will be broken down into nitrite and then finally natrate all within a 12 hour period. As long as you keep adding the correct amount of ammonia every 12 hours you wont have a problem.

james

You should only dose every 24hrs, if you were to dose every 12hrs you will end up with to much nitrogen.

I stand corrected!!

 

[remdog]

Yep, a finished cycle is when the ammonia you add will be broken down into nitrite and then finally nitrate all within a 12 hour period. As long as you keep adding the correct amount of ammonia every 12 hours you wont have a problem.

james

You should only dose every 24hrs, if you were to dose every 12hrs you will end up with to much nitrogen.

My MO has been to dose every 24 hrs...so should be OK. I'm interested to see what tomorrow's test brings. I didn't test for NO3 today, and I assume that it's off the chart. When the tank finishes cycling, and before I add fish, I will do a substantial water change, which should bring the nitrates down to an acceptable level.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[waterdrop]

Before you get fish, there's no reason not to make any water change be a full water change down to the substrate. The action of substrate cleaning and removing all water possible will remove the most nitrate, which is desirable both from the standpoint of the bacteria and for the future fish. Always remember to re-dose ammonia unless its the final big water change before the first fish introduction.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Doc7]

Before you get fish, there's no reason not to make any water change be a full water change down to the substrate. The action of substrate cleaning and removing all water possible will remove the most nitrate, which is desirable both from the standpoint of the bacteria and for the future fish. Always remember to re-dose ammonia unless its the final big water change before the first fish introduction.

~~waterdrop~~

WD : i keep reading that and want to ask one thing as i begin my own fishless cycle. I guess that I just keep feeding ammonia after my qualifying week until I have settled upon and found a location to buy all of my fish (hopefully if i need to use multiple LFS, i can "reserve" fish for a couple of days if necessary), buy the fish, bring them home, and do a 90-100% water change while they are still in the bags sitting on my floor next to the tank, so as to keep feeding the bacteria till the last minute? Water temp won't be too accurate this way as now the whole tank is fresh and hasn't equalized to heater setting, but if i'm within a few degrees and properly acclimate the fish I suppose that's ok?

 

[anon02]

On the last evening of my qualifying week I did a down to gravel water change, refilled and tested, but I didn`t redose

The following morning I re tested again to be safe and went and got 80% of the stock as recommended using the inch per gallon rule of thumb. I haven`t seen a measurable trace of NH3 or NO2 since

Hope that helps

 

[remdog]

Woo-hoo! Today is day 19, and both NH3 and NO2 tested 0ppm this morning. I re-dosed because I am not quite ready to add fish, and I am assuming that I can continue to do that for as long a necessary. I should be able to add some fish in the next couple of days, and will do a down-to-the-substrate water change before adding fish. I purchased a Python off of Amazon a while back, and after playing with it for a while I can see why some folks look on it as an indispensable accessory.

Cheers...

Rem