Fishless Cycle - Results So Far

[backtotropical]

Looking good Stormy.

It looks like you're almost there with the A-Bacs, and the fact that nitrite isn't rising much but lots of ammonia is being processed indicates that your N-Bacs must be taking hold too.

Stick at it, its going well.

BTT

 

[waterdrop]

Gotta like how his pH holds, don't you BTT?

 

[backtotropical]

Gotta like how his pH holds, don't you BTT?

The joys of hard English water, Waterdrop!

 

[stormy78]

Gotta like how his pH holds, don't you BTT?

The joys of hard English water, Waterdrop!

Its funny that you mention that because I have done this mornings tests and the PH has dropped to 6.8!!! The A-bacs seem to be taking there time now in processing the ammonia, going from 12/14 hours to 24 hours and I 'think' my nitrIte has spiked. The API tests show a deep purple after 5 mins. I have rechecked the tap water here and it is now showing as 7.5. It looks like something organic was rotting in the pipes to lower th PH early on?!?! The water around here is fairly hard and has a higer PH in general.

 

[waterdrop]

(sheesh BTT, now I'm bad luck to others! ...all I do is mention it..)

stormy, that's great about finally getting a strong nitrite spike, turning a corner to a new stage there..

The process of fishless cycling itself drives the pH in the acid direction, so that may be what you're seeing. You're buffering may have been finally used up and the pH may drop more rapidly now, so pH tests will have to be done right along with ammonia and nitrite (I think you are already doing.)

BTT or one of us can diagnose details.. generally 6.2 to 6.0 is the time to act with a large water change and a recharge of the ammonia.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[stormy78]

Thanks waterdrop, I will be testing my PH at 6pm tonight. The ammonia just dropped to 0.00ppm but I dont want to add Ammonia until closer to the 6pm mark. If the PH has crashed I will do a 50% water change before I add the new Ammonia. I have also rescaped the tank and will get some pics on here when I get chance!

 

[stormy78]

Day 23 (Monday 5th May)

Tested Ammonia at 10.00am
Ammonia: 0.50ppm
NitrIte: 5.00ppm
PH: 6.8

Tested Ammonia at 2.00pm
Ammonia: 0.00ppm
NitrIte: 5.00ppm
PH: Did not test

I raised Ammonia back to between 2.00 and 4.00 ppm at 5pm

Tested Ammonia at 9.15pm
Ammonia: 1.00ppm
NitrIte: 5.00ppm
PH: 6.8

It looks like the NitrIte is spiking although me and the significant other have debated which shade of purple he API tests are bringing up! (She thinks its 2ppm and I think its closer to 5ppm).

 

[Miss Wiggle]

certainly sounds like it's spiking.

the colours on the api kits can be a bit funny, however it's usually fairly easy to tell the difference betwene 'some' and 'none' and while it's nice to know exact levels in between, once you can go from 'some' ammonia and nitrite to 'none' in a day then the tanks ready for some fish, just if you're a bit unsure how much ammonia is being processed you need to stock lightly

 

[waterdrop]

agree with MW

Your Monday tests have 3 big purple 5.0's

After your N-bac population is big enough some days will come when you have:

3 big sky blue 0.0's

Then it will feel obvious.

 

[stormy78]

Day 24 (Tuesday 6th May)

Tested Ammonia at 8.00am
Ammonia: 0.00ppm
NitrIte: 5.00ppm
PH: 6.8

I raised Ammonia back to between 2.00 and 4.00 ppm.

Tested Ammonia at 8.00pm
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
NitrIte: 5.00ppm
PH: 6.8

Ammonia has definatly slowed down as it was processing in 12 hours and now it going over.

Also I'm having a major problem with Algea. Im getting diatoms everywhere and substantial Green hair algea, which I have removed as much of the hair algea as possible and also some algea that looks like the hair algea but is red?!? I think this is down to adding some liquid fert a week or so back for the plants. I would love to do a substantial water change to bring the nutrients down in the water but I dont want to stop my cycle. Any advice guys?

 

[waterdrop]

I think you're making the right choice to not disturb your fishless cycling. The algae can all get cleaned up later.

You wrote at the top of this thread that your tap water in Birmingham has 20ppm Nitrates - perhaps that is another little thing that adds to promoting algae - its possible I guess.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[stormy78]

I just tested this morning and:

Ammonia: 0.00ppm
NitrIte: 0.00pm
NitrAte: 40
PH: 6.8

It took the Ammonia 14 hours to process and the Nitrites went from 5ppm to 0 overnight. Am I nearly cycled ? I just added Ammonia to take it up to 2ppm.

 

[stormy78]

I think you're making the right choice to not disturb your fishless cycling. The algae can all get cleaned up later.

You wrote at the top of this thread that your tap water in Birmingham has 20ppm Nitrates - perhaps that is another little thing that adds to promoting algae - its possible I guess.

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks waterdrop. Well when/if the tank is cycled I guess I will remove a majority of the water and try to rmove as much algea as possible. My only concern is making sure I get all of the hair algea (both green and red). The tank could really do with a good clean. I try to get most of the plant debris out as soon as I see it but moving the Bogwood to give the Java Fern a clean showed how much rubbish is collecting at the bottom of the tank!! Also, in the last day or so, it seems that there is some Mosquito/other Larvae in the tank. So far I have counted/killed around 5 of the little gits!! It wont be an issue when the fish in there (yummy) but until then I'm having to kill them.

On a more positive note I fitted one of the DIY Moonlight kits (see the DIY forum pinned topics) last night and it does look good when the room is in darkness! I will get some pics on here of the new layout and the moonlighting (not the 80's TV show) today!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

sounds like the cycle's done, give it another week of adding ammonia to make sure the colony is established, just hold off on clearing out the algae until the extra week has passed then when you do your 90% water change before adding fish give it a clean out then.

it's common to get algae problems when cycling, the high levels of ammonia encourage plant and algae growth, hopefully it'll die back now the cycle's done.

 

[stormy78]

sounds like the cycle's done, give it another week of adding ammonia to make sure the colony is established, just hold off on clearing out the algae until the extra week has passed then when you do your 90% water change before adding fish give it a clean out then.

it's common to get algae problems when cycling, the high levels of ammonia encourage plant and algae growth, hopefully it'll die back now the cycle's done.

Great! Thanks for the confirmation Miss Wiggle! I was hoping to get my first fish on Sunday (5 days time) otherwise its another week before I can get to the LFS and stock up. Should I add 2-4ppm ammonia once a day now until Sunday morning and then do a 90% water change, clean off as much of the Algea as possible from plants, slate, Juwel Roack Background, refill the tank with Dechlorinated water, wait a couple of hours for the temprature to settle down and then add my fish once they have floated for a while in their bags?

Also do you and the other members have any advice on what I should stock? I was planing on:

10 x Cardinals
2 x Dwarf Cichlids (hopefully male and female)
3 x Oto's
8 x Other species of smaller Tetras

I want to try and keep away from Live Bearers as all the plants will give the Fry plenty of places to hide and I will potentially have a population explosion lol Does this look about right for the size of tank and do you have any other suggestions?