First Few Days Into Cycle

[fluttermoth]

Apologies for butting in WD

Adam: if you need to measure out very small quantities of Prime etc; it'll help to get a 1ml syringe from a chemist; you don't need a needle on it or anything, just the plastic syringe part; they're not expensive. Hope that helps; it is very difficult to measure tiny amounts any other way

 

[curlyriff]

Thanks WD for letting me know it's OK it will only be a day while I get the thread to tie the moss to the slate peices etc on. I wasn't expecting the moss to arrive so quickly so kind of caught me off gaurd.

Forgot to mention but my PH is still between the 7.8 & 8.0PH at the moment. Will test again tonight.

FM, thank you for the input I have got a 5ml one but they said it's the only size they have in stock. I have three 1ml on order and brought another two 5ml.

This way I can keep them labelled up to stop any cross contamination when working with different things.

I also labelled up my test tubes for High PH, Nitrite, Ammonia & Nitrate Just to make sure that even when I rince them out with old tank water thatand dry them there will be no cross contamination.

Also anyone know where to get some decent planting tools for the fish tank at a reasonable price because the kits on ebay for 2 pairs of scissors and 3 different tweezers at £40 a set seems really expensive.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

New lights are here and in. Have attached photo of before and after to compare.

New Light above

Old light above

Gives a better coverage of light but isn't as warm as the lights before. Not sure if it brings the colours out of the bogwood as much. The Excel just arrived too so sorting that out as well with the dosing etc.

All is looking OK at the moment. Just got watch the algea growth and see how the plants do over the next week or so while I am fishless cycling.

Thanks for input so far.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

Some more slightly better pics for you to all have a look at:

Also just for test results.

Ammonia dropping from 5.0ppm to 0.0ppm in 6-12 hours still.
Nitrite is still above 5.0ppm
Nitrate still stable around 10.0-20.0ppm
PH stable around 7.8 to 8.0 range

All is looking OK. Just keeping the algea growth under control. Plants looking happy. Just done a little more pruning on the Anubis as there was allot of leaves tucked under each other that were very dark and getting no to little light so trimmed them off hopefully so that the other leaves can use the nutrients and to keep it looking healthy.

The brown on the moss is reducing. I have got my slate peices ready to use and I have added a cross pattern of groves over the surface just to aid the moss on them.

I did a 90% water change to reduce the amount of tannin and to get rid of some of the algea spours in the water. Hopefully this will keep in under control plus it was mentioned that new water actually brings in some nutrients for the plants so thought larger water changes may be better suited.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[OldMan47]

For a planting tool, I have yet to find one as versatile and efficient as the one on the end of my arm. It does require that I roll up my sleeve or put up with wet clothing for a while after planting.
For using Prime, I find that a dropper is quite handy since a single drop of Prime will treat anywhere from 2 to 4 litres of water. It depends on how sure you want to be that even a chlorine spike can be easily dealt with. I use a drop for about 3 litres of water and never have any trouble with my fish. For larger water changes I do use a plastic pipette that will hold a whole 1 ml when completely full.

 

[curlyriff]

For a planting tool, I have yet to find one as versatile and efficient as the one on the end of my arm. It does require that I roll up my sleeve or put up with wet clothing for a while after planting.
For using Prime, I find that a dropper is quite handy since a single drop of Prime will treat anywhere from 2 to 4 litres of water. It depends on how sure you want to be that even a chlorine spike can be easily dealt with. I use a drop for about 3 litres of water and never have any trouble with my fish. For larger water changes I do use a plastic pipette that will hold a whole 1 ml when completely full.

Cheers OM47,

The only reason I was looking for some tools is because the Edge has a small hole in the top it would be easier to have some tweezers to reach small debris or similar without first having to take out 20% of the water and move all the bog wood and plants about. It isn't the easiest of tanks to keep clean and a few tools to reach the corners I think would be useful for a tank such as this.

And thank you for the input on the dropper. I have already got myself a load of medicine syringes ranging from 1ml to 5ml now so that I can make sure I dose the correct amount.

On another note I have been offered a Fluval Roma 200 with an Fluval 205 external filter so hopefully I will be picking that up tonight as well and getting the cycle started on that too.

Not really sure where I am going to place the thing though. It deserves a spot where I will pay it attention but my only real space is in my bedroom.

Results of my current fishless cycle on the Edge are as follows:

Ammonia dropping from 5.0ppm to 0.0ppm in 6-12 hours.
Nitrite is above 5.0ppm
Nitrate around 10.0-20.0ppm
PH around 7.8 to 8.0 range

Oh and I have dropped my temp from 29degree to 26degree just to keep the plants happy.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[Timmy_Bee]

Im guessing with The Edge, you have to get the perfect amount of water, and if you shove your arm in, it might over flow!
As for tools, i have seems some in P@H (UK) which look ok, and was much less than £40. but cant remeber the make or model. Same co. that make gravel cleaners

 

[curlyriff]

Thanks for the input TB

I managed to find a set of 5 including a few different tweezers & scissors for £20 posted so not too bad and will see how they are once they arrive.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

My cycle certainly seems to have slowed down allot now. Even after doing an almost 100% water change based on water left in the filter I still have Nitrite over 5.0ppm.

My ammonia is still dropping to 0.0ppm in under 12 hours. My PH is still around 7.8ph & my Nitrate is around 20.0-40.0ppm.

My temp is kept around the 26 to 28 degree mark just because the plants in there.

Hopefully I am leading into the last week or so now since the first two weeks had such good results.

I have been dosing half amounts of TPN+ in accordance to the instructions and about the same amount as the instructions for the Excel as this is keeping the brown algea under control.

Prime is used every time for water changes to keep that all under control. The Anubis is looking healthy. The moss ins't quite as brown and I cant tell with the other plant it isn't really doing anything at moment from what I can see.

I wish I had more patients

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[OldMan47]

If you have not obtained a reading of nitrite, your large water change probably moved things from hundreds of ppm of nitrites to something closer to that 5 you keep recording. When you consider that each 5 ppm dose results in about 13 ppm of nitrites, it is no wonder that all of that repeated 5 ppm dosing has resulted in a very high nitrite level in the tank.

 

[curlyriff]

If you have not obtained a reading of nitrite, your large water change probably moved things from hundreds of ppm of nitrites to something closer to that 5 you keep recording. When you consider that each 5 ppm dose results in about 13 ppm of nitrites, it is no wonder that all of that repeated 5 ppm dosing has resulted in a very high nitrite level in the tank.

Cheers OM47,

I have been doing pretty large changes (40-50%) every 3 or so days anyways just so that it keeps the Nitrite a little lower and also to give the plants some fresh water as people suggested that even water changes carry some good nutrients for the plants. I then redosed back up to 5.0ppm ammonia making sure it is at the 24 hour dosing mark.

All seems OK just the want for fish to able to go into the tank is getting to me

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[waterdrop]

In addition to those period water changes you are doing, you could also ease your ammonia dosing down to 2 or 3ppm, rather than 5ppm. If you do that, I would -ease- it down (a couple days at 4ppm, then 3ppm etc. just because I always think that any multiday patterns in results are will be easier to understand if their have not been sudden changes in a pattern just prior. The plan, of course, is to then ease the dose back up to 5ppm later, during the third phase where you're already getting zero ppm nitrite within 24 hours but have not yet achieved zero ppm nitrite within 12 hours. The 5ppm is only important near the very end of fishless cycling.

In my book its no small accomplishment that you have managed to keep your live plants holding their own in a brand new tank. Many people experience significant plant loss on their first attempt, so I hope this means we've had some small success in providing the right environment.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[curlyriff]

In addition to those period water changes you are doing, you could also ease your ammonia dosing down to 2 or 3ppm, rather than 5ppm. If you do that, I would -ease- it down (a couple days at 4ppm, then 3ppm etc. just because I always think that any multiday patterns in results are will be easier to understand if their have not been sudden changes in a pattern just prior. The plan, of course, is to then ease the dose back up to 5ppm later, during the third phase where you're already getting zero ppm nitrite within 24 hours but have not yet achieved zero ppm nitrite within 12 hours. The 5ppm is only important near the very end of fishless cycling.

In my book its no small accomplishment that you have managed to keep your live plants holding their own in a brand new tank. Many people experience significant plant loss on their first attempt, so I hope this means we've had some small success in providing the right environment.

~~waterdrop~~

Cheers WD,

Sounds like a plan. I over the next week drop from 5ppm to about 2ppm I think, I understand that I need to raise it back to 5.0ppm at the last stage.

Thank you for the comment on the plants. I believe it is due to your advise and hopefully some of my understanding of what has been given to me in advise from yourself and others. I am suprised that I still have a healthy looking plant and nothing is dying back. My algea problem has deffinatly reduced to almost zero.

Will keep you all informed. My results today looked promising though as I have been getting a reading around 0.5ppm to 1.0ppm so hopefully this will mean I am almost at the stage to start seeing the 24 hour 0.0ppm in Nitrite.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

Last two days have had ammonia processed from 3.0ppm to 0.0ppm within 12hours and my Nitrite is dropping off the scale to 0.0ppm in 24 hours so looking to be nearing the final stage now I think. My PH & Nitrate have been steady.

My friend has brought me a betta ready to go in my tank and he is reserved at my LFS. He is an all white male. I don't know what the different tail types are so can't say but will post a pic up of him once he is in my tank which I guess at being around 2 weeks off including qualify week based on where my reading are.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

Well I never got the Fluval Tank but have brought a 2nd hand Rena Aqualife 350 with a Ehim Pro II filter all planted with fish for £100 in perfect condition so chuffed with that. Am re-setting up tomorrow and it is only being transported about 2 miles up the road so will be good to get going straight away.

Also on the cycling note my tank is half way through the qualifying week with 3 days of reading 0.0ppm for Ammonia & Nitrite within 12 hours, PH holding steady at 7.8 & Nitrate around 10-20ppm mark.

Will hopefully have the fish in next week then. As said I have a pure white Betta ready for the tank and not sure what else I am going to get yet.

The plant that was on the right of my tank was dying slowly so I have removed that as it was rotting and sinking into the gravel quite badly but the moss and the Anubis are still looking great.

I haven't chucked the other plant as it had allot of new leaves so assumed this was it melting to regrow but as I don't know what it is I didn't want it in the tank causing spikes in my results so it is in a bucket with water etc for the last day. Will maybe trim it and see if I can get it back in the tank again.

All in all everything going well at moment.

Kind Regards,

Adam