Cycling tank slow now going backwards!

[Essjay]

I use API Tap Water Conditioner, but I mix it in a bucket at the amount for the volume of the bucket.
I had looked at API's website which says the dose rate is 1 ml per 20 gallons (76 litres) but I've just got my bottle out of the cupboard and that says 1 ml per 15 gallons or 60 litres and 3 times that for chloramine. I wonder if the dosage on the website is for the larger, more concentrated bottle?


Do you have chloramine in your tap water? API Tap Water Conditioner splits up chloramine, removes the chlorine half but leaves the ammonia half in the water. That's not a problem during cycling, but when there are fish in the tank there will be ammonia in the water after every water change until the bacteria have had chance to remove it. Most peole who have chloramine in their tap water use a water conditioner which detoxified ammonia for 24 hours.

 

[Jenny32]

I use API Tap Water Conditioner, but I mix it in a bucket at the amount for the volume of the bucket.
I had looked at API's website which says the dose rate is 1 ml per 20 gallons (76 litres) but I've just got my bottle out of the cupboard and that says 1 ml per 15 gallons or 60 litres and 3 times that for chloramine. I wonder if the dosage on the website is for the larger, more concentrated bottle?


Do you have chloramine in your tap water? API Tap Water Conditioner splits up chloramine, removes the chlorine half but leaves the ammonia half in the water. That's not a problem during cycling, but when there are fish in the tank there will be ammonia in the water after every water change until the bacteria have had chance to remove it. Most peole who have chloramine in their tap water use a water conditioner which detoxified ammonia for 24 hours.

I am not sure how to test tap water for chloramines? I went on the safe side and added 1ml for every 20 litres (3ml per 60 litres). Just in case tap water had chloramines.

 

[Essjay]

You could try testing your tap water for ammonia see if there is a slight reading. Or contact your water company to ask them.

 

[Jenny32]

You could try testing your tap water for ammonia see if there is a slight reading. Or contact your water company to ask them.

I gave this a try, tested yellow, no ammonia in the tap water. So maybe I need to add less conditioner. But saying that my bucket is 20 L so i'd need to measure out 0.33ml which is going to be hard ?

 

[Essjay]

If you could put slightly less than 20 litres in the bucket - 18.75 litres to be precise - you would need 5 drops. That can be measured with a pipette/syringe. Or buy a 1ml babies medicine dosing syringe which is marked in 1/100ths ml

 

[Jenny32]

If you could put slightly less than 20 litres in the bucket - 18.75 litres to be precise - you would need 5 drops. That can be measured with a pipette/syringe. Or buy a 1ml babies medicine dosing syringe which is marked in 1/100ths ml

Great idea ill try getting a babies syringe ? no point adding more than is needed!

 

[Jenny32]

Are you following the method on here? That was written so that nitrite can never get high enough to stall the cycle.

Nitrite should continue to go up as ammonia falls, and when you add more ammonia it will make even⁸ more nitrite. Then it will start to come down.
With your very soft water, I would test for pH at the same time as ammonia and nitrite ans both nitrite and later nitrate are acidic and can use up all the KH. When that happens there is nothing to keep pH stable and it will drop.


When I did a fishless cycle, it took almost 4 weeks for ammonia to finally reach zero, and 7 weeks to complete.

I have been using Fluval bio cycle so not followed the guide exactly, but I did read it and used it as a guide. I have been told that adding bottled bacteria produces its own ammonia so maybe thats not helping it get to zero.

I'll try and test Ph level more often. My kh is lower from the tap (1kh) than what it is testing in the tank (3kh)

 

[Slaphppy7]

I have been using Fluval bio cycle so not followed the guide exactly, but I did read it and used it as a guide. I have been told that adding bottled bacteria produces its own ammonia so maybe thats not helping it get to zero.

I'll try and test Ph level more often. My kh is lower from the tap (1kh) than what it is testing in the tank (3kh)

You really don't need the "bottled bacteria" at all; the bacteria we need to cycle our tanks exists naturally in the environment.

IMO, that stuff is a waste of $, but the people at the shops will always try to sell you stuff you don't need...

 

[Essjay]

I know that once upon a time, some bottled bacteria products contained ammonia to feed the bacteria, but I don't know if any still do this.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I know that once upon a time, some bottled bacteria products contained ammonia to feed the bacteria, but I don't know if any still do this.

I wouldn't know, never researched or bought it...I just know I've cycled 6+ tanks without it

 

[Jenny32]

Can't believe it. Tested Nitrites this morning and they were at zero! Ammonia seems just off yellow so more like 0.25 still. So either faulty test kit, I am reading the results wrong or the bacteria is causing ammonia. Guess ill find out if i stop using fluval bio cycle and see what happens.