Fish-Less Cycle Diary

[mata]

This is my first time with fish-less cycling. I am going to use the 'add and wait' method for this cycle. Any advice is greatly appreciated as well!

Tank is a Juwel Rekord 70, 70 liter (18.5 US galon I think) Tank. Using a Juwel Pump 400 and 100 watt heater. Using internal Juwel filter, with 2 fine course sponge, Cirax Box and 3 course sponge (they are not the full thickness of juwels hence the 3) and white filter wool on top.

Using API Master Test Kit and Boots House Hold Ammonia, Prime for De-toxing water.

 

[OldMan47]

Sounds like it is time for your first dose of ammonia Mata.

 

[mata]

Yea I added my ammonia about 2 hours ago, but had to head out will be testing in the next hour.

 

[mata]

Did my first test, everything is normal except teh PH has gone quite high. Any ideas what might cause this, could it be the sand or maybe the Cirax not being washed? The water has been in since yesterday with pump and filters going.

 

[PDSimon]

Weird that its gone up, not sure why. Sand should be washed so possibly that.

8.4 is optimum for cycling though..

 

[JoshuaA]

Did my first test, everything is normal except teh PH has gone quite high. Any ideas what might cause this, could it be the sand or maybe the Cirax not being washed? The water has been in since yesterday with pump and filters going.

Ammonia is a base.

Ammonia goes in pH goes up, Nitrite is produced pH goes down.

Ammonia = Base
Nitrite = Acid

 

[waterdrop]

Ammonia itself is a moderate base, so when you add ammonia it can cause the pH value to rise. Water in a city pipe system is under greater pressure than when it is out in a tank under normal atmospheric pressure. In the pipe system, more CO2 can be dissolved, and is. CO2 makes the water somewhat more acid, so once the tap water comes out of the pipe and the pressure drops, some of the CO2 leaves the water and thus some acid content leaves the water, so the water can become more basic.

So those are two reasons your pH may have gone up. In your case I would guess that the ammonia addition was the more prominent one, since you waited 24 hours before measuring your tap water pH. Another unknown though is whether your water authority uses simple chlorine as a bacteria deterrent or a combination of ammonia and chlorine called chloramine. Chloramine doesn't gas out in 24 hours like simple chlorine does, so your status on this would obviously change the picture on the issue of whether chlorine/chloramine is a factor in your pH rising.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[mata]

Thanks for that detailed information, puts my mind more at rest, thoguht that something bad was going wrong already! Anyways, will test again on Wednessday I will be away from home untill then, so Ammonia should have reduced by then.

 

[mata]

Well just done my 2nd check today, and well I was surprised at the results to say the least. The PH has droped slightly I would say but the Ammonia has hardly budged at all, is this normal at the start of the cycle? I would have thought it wouldnt have dropped to 0 but I would have thought that there would have been a noticeable drop?

Anyways I won't be adding Ammonia tonight will have to wait what looks to be another cuple of days.

 

[mata]

Just thinking, could I have to little in the way of filter material? Just after 3 days I would have thought I would had some kind of drop...either that or I'm just to impatient to get going Will test again to night, fingers crossed!

Test done tonight, same results again.

 

[mata]

I don't know why I didn't think of this before! My parents are looking after a friends Biorb tropical tank with a few fish in it (not sure what they are tho) She has it for the next year or so. She was given extra filter material for it to change at some point soon, so maybe I could use the one that comes out and maybe cut it so it will fit somewhere in my filter.

This a good idea? will cutting the material affect it or will I try and fit it in as is? If its OK I will head round to theirs and get it, do the Biorbs take just the one circle of material or two? I think its either a 15l or 30l Orb more likely a 15 tho.

Thanks for all your advice so far!

 

[PDSimon]

Not sure on the media, but if you're taking it out, try not to remove more than 1 third, maybe even 1 quarter.

 

[mata]

Cool thaks for the info, will take a look tonight at the media tonight and see if I can take some, won't chance it if its not suitable.

Day 6 results added.

At this point I havent done anything to the tank since adding the ammonia from day one. Should I do some kind of water change or leave as is until the ammonia reduces?

 

[PDSimon]

Just leave it Continue testing every 24 hours and wait for it to go down. I assume by 4 or 5 you mean ppm?

 

[mata]

Yes I do mean 4ppm or 5ppm as its hard to tell on the card.

Missed yesterdays test but will test again tonight, hopefully some change. I still have quite a white cloudy tank, possibly a bacterial bloom? would this be a good thing or a bad thing for the tank to have this?