First Tank

[Comacchio]

Brilliant thanks. Added around 7 ml of ammonia since there was still 0.5ish ppm left. Will check tomorrow after my work at around 6pm and see whats still in it.

 

[Comacchio]

Day 31: 27/9/11

Today is a good day. I started my new (first real) job this morning. When I arrived back home I checked my tank 26 hours after dosing to 5ppm. Results are VERY pleasing.


pH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0 ppm
NitrIte: off the scale
NitrAte: 80-100 ppm

Finally! So now I change the dosing to 3ppm to prevent nitrIte build up, right? Keep dosing every 24 hours until I start getting double zeros then start 12 hour testing?

 

[Comacchio]

Thoughts?

 

[Tizer]

i like cake

 

[HayzH]

i like cake

+1

 

[Comacchio]

Very good. But am I correct in the 3ppm thing now that its definately processing 5ppm in 24 hours? Todays readings:

Temp: 29-30
pH: 8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
NitrIte: off the scale
NitrAte: 100+ ppm but not 160 ppm yet.

Tested ammonia this morning and it was still around 3ppm so its not progessed that far yet.

 

[Overload]

Very good. But am I correct in the 3ppm thing now that its definately processing 5ppm in 24 hours? Todays readings:

Temp: 29-30
pH: 8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
NitrIte: off the scale
NitrAte: 100+ ppm but not 160 ppm yet.

Tested ammonia this morning and it was still around 3ppm so its not progessed that far yet.

I dropped my dosing to 2ppm after the first zero for ammonia untill I got a zero for nitrite as well. When that happens remember to build the dose back up slowly (I brought it up another 1ppm everytime it was all cleared in 24 hours)

I would also keep an eye on your ph even though, high Nitrate and Nitrite can cause it to crash.

 

[Comacchio]

Tested the tank 12 hours after dosing. Got back 0.5ppm ammonia and nitrite off scale.

24 hour test:

Day 34:

Temp: 30-31 (Warmer weather pushed this up)
pH: 8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
NitrIte: 0 ppm
NitrAte: Not tested but known to be 100+ ppm

Ok, I'm officially clueless! I dont know how the nitrite disappeared so fast! Going to dose to 5 ppm and see what my levels are like in 12 hours then again in 24.

 

[HayzH]

Tested the tank 12 hours after dosing. Got back 0.5ppm ammonia and nitrite off scale.

24 hour test:

Day 34:

Temp: 30-31 (Warmer weather pushed this up)
pH: 8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
NitrIte: 0 ppm
NitrAte: Not tested but known to be 100+ ppm

Ok, I'm officially clueless! I dont know how the nitrite disappeared so fast! Going to dose to 5 ppm and see what my levels are like in 12 hours then again in 24.

could be bouncing...this is what mine does when i boost the PH up when it crashes..the downfalls of soft water eh?

 

[Comacchio]

Maybe, will find out at 7.30 pm tomorrow night!

 

[Comacchio]

12 hour test:
pH: 7.5-8 (hard to tell)
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: off the scale
Nitrate: Not tested

24 hour test:

pH: 7.5-8 (hard to tell)
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 100+ ppm but not 160ppm!

Getting there it seems! Because my A-bacs took so long to populate the tank I'm assuming the N-bacs have been growing alongside, which explains the nitrites dropping so fast. Think ill do a 75% water change on sunday to try and lower the nitrates. Then fill back up with dechlorinated water then bicarb of soda to raise the pH to around 7.5-8 is the plan.

 

[Comacchio]

Another day of no ammonia at 12 hours while nitrite off the scale, then a double zero at 24.

Is it safe to do a 90% water change this far into the cycle? Id turn my 205 off (should still have water in), turn heater off, put my U4 in a bucket of old tank water. Change would hopefully be done within an hour. I really want to get rid of the 160ppm of nitrate in the tank!

 

[Tizer]

you can change 90% of your water at any time you like, as long as you redose ammonia to allow the cycle to continue

 

[Comacchio]

Cheers.

Disaster. Left the water change a day too late and the pH has crashed to 5 or below. Added in a few spoons of bicard while i wait for parents to wake up before i can perform a water change (its a noisy process!). How much is this likely to harm the cycle?

When doing the water change, can I take the 90% water out, dechlorinate for just over the full tank, then simply run a hose of cold water in? Is temperature matching really required?

 

[Squigs]

Cheers.

Disaster. Left the water change a day too late and the pH has crashed to 5 or below. Added in a few spoons of bicard while i wait for parents to wake up before i can perform a water change (its a noisy process!). How much is this likely to harm the cycle?

When doing the water change, can I take the 90% water out, dechlorinate for just over the full tank, then simply run a hose of cold water in? Is temperature matching really required?

Sorry to hear that Not sure how much harm the low ph will do to the cycle, maybe not much as it hasn't been low for too long? But not I'm not sure.

As for the water change, I think you'll be fine with your plan and I don't think you need to match temperature. Temperature is more important when you have fish in it. I'd suggest you don't let your water be too cold though (only because it'll slow down the cycle a tiny bit - I'm sure the heater will warm it up all over again!!)

Good luck!