OP
OP
JDs4me
Fishaholic
thanks, and yes, there is a big bit of paper duck taped to the tank...'heater down'!! As to what I did, see below!
Good luck with yours and I hope you are stocking soon
The tank is a Juwel 260 litre, filtered with external Aquis 1200, 300W heater.
Substrate is black sand and river pebble, stones tested and unreactive to HCl acid.
Ornaments are all resin, flowerpot ceramic; 2 pieces of mopani, pre-soaked.
The tanks location is in an area of no direct sunlight, ambient light levels low; no lights on during the cycle period (hoping to avoid bacterial/algal blooms). No plants in tank.
Used API Freshwater Master Test Kit for readings, and Salifert NO2 kit to qualify the higher ppm readings which were difficult for me to differentiate between using the API. Readings were taken daily but only shown here at relevant points in the cycle.
Tapwater parameters; pH 7.8, NH3 trace, NO2 trace, NO3 around 20-40ppm during the cycle period. The tank had been filled with filter running, with dechlorinated water at 26C for 7 days before the first addition of NH3.
2nd april, day 1 - added 12ml NH3 taking level to 5+ ppm; on advice given reduced that by water changes to hold around 3ppm. Adjusted tank water temperature to 30C again on advice given by forum members
12th april, day 11 - added approx 1 litre of sub-gravel dirty water from local lfs into tank by the filter inlet pipe
14th april, day 13 - first drop in NH3 seen, to 1ppm; nitrites 5+ppm
15th april, day 14 - added NH3 to 1ppm level in the tank, on advice given
TAP; pH 7.8, NH3 0ppm, NO2 0ppm, NO3 20- 40ppm, dgH 20
TANK; pH 8.0, NH3 1ppm, NO2 5+ppm, NO3 5ppm(?), dgH 18-20
I continued adding NH3 to 1ppm every 24 hours (which was clearing within 12 hours by the 17th april and for the rest of the cycle), and at this stage did daily water changes to control the spike in NO2, just before adding the NH3. This allowed me to identify when the first movement in NO2 occured. According to advice given, there was no problem with water changes at this stage. This would also control NO3 levels as the NO2 started to convert. At this stage the water level was dropped to increase oxygenation as the outlet pipe 'waterfalled'; added an airstone to the tank. Pinch of food flake added; added once a week to completion .
23rd april, day 22 - first seen drop in NO2 over a 24 hour period (not to zero). Used both NO2 kits, and also kept the API test tubes with the samples in, as the colour remained stable, which helped to identify any change in concentration through comparison.
27th april, day 26 - NO2 dropping to zero after 24 hours; stopped the spike-controlling water changes
28th april, day 27 - 2ppm NH3; dropping to 0.25ppm NO2 in 12 hours
29th april, day 28 - 3ppm NH3; NO2 dropping to 0.25ppm in 14 hours - pH 8.2, NO3 rising, 40-80ppm, dgH 22
30th april, day29 - higher dose of NH3 to 4ppm; NO2 zero in under 24 hours (0.5ppm after 16 hours); NO3 40-80ppm
1st may, day 30 - back to 3ppm NH3; 5 hours later NH3 at 1ppm and NO2 at 2ppm; 8 hours later NH3 0.25ppm and NO2 around 2-3ppm; 12 hours later NH3 0ppm and NO2 at 1ppm; 15 hours later NO2 at 0.25ppm
2nd may, day 31 - NH3 at 2ppm; 6 hours later NH3 0-0.25; NO2 2-3ppm; 12 hours later NO2 > 0, < 0.25; zero NO2 after 14 hours
3rd may, day 32 - 2ppm NH3 added; 14 hours again for NO2 to clear; NO3 now up to 80+ppm; added a little frogbit today and now have tank lit for the first time
4th may, day 33 - 2ppm NH3 added; NO2 cleared in
At this stage I felt happy that the cycle was complete for the number of fish I was adding initially i.e. not going for 100% maximum capacity stocking (by forum calculator around 40%)...decision based on forum advice and other sites online .
Good luck with yours and I hope you are stocking soon
The tank is a Juwel 260 litre, filtered with external Aquis 1200, 300W heater.
Substrate is black sand and river pebble, stones tested and unreactive to HCl acid.
Ornaments are all resin, flowerpot ceramic; 2 pieces of mopani, pre-soaked.
The tanks location is in an area of no direct sunlight, ambient light levels low; no lights on during the cycle period (hoping to avoid bacterial/algal blooms). No plants in tank.
Used API Freshwater Master Test Kit for readings, and Salifert NO2 kit to qualify the higher ppm readings which were difficult for me to differentiate between using the API. Readings were taken daily but only shown here at relevant points in the cycle.
Tapwater parameters; pH 7.8, NH3 trace, NO2 trace, NO3 around 20-40ppm during the cycle period. The tank had been filled with filter running, with dechlorinated water at 26C for 7 days before the first addition of NH3.
2nd april, day 1 - added 12ml NH3 taking level to 5+ ppm; on advice given reduced that by water changes to hold around 3ppm. Adjusted tank water temperature to 30C again on advice given by forum members
12th april, day 11 - added approx 1 litre of sub-gravel dirty water from local lfs into tank by the filter inlet pipe
14th april, day 13 - first drop in NH3 seen, to 1ppm; nitrites 5+ppm
15th april, day 14 - added NH3 to 1ppm level in the tank, on advice given
TAP; pH 7.8, NH3 0ppm, NO2 0ppm, NO3 20- 40ppm, dgH 20
TANK; pH 8.0, NH3 1ppm, NO2 5+ppm, NO3 5ppm(?), dgH 18-20
I continued adding NH3 to 1ppm every 24 hours (which was clearing within 12 hours by the 17th april and for the rest of the cycle), and at this stage did daily water changes to control the spike in NO2, just before adding the NH3. This allowed me to identify when the first movement in NO2 occured. According to advice given, there was no problem with water changes at this stage. This would also control NO3 levels as the NO2 started to convert. At this stage the water level was dropped to increase oxygenation as the outlet pipe 'waterfalled'; added an airstone to the tank. Pinch of food flake added; added once a week to completion .
23rd april, day 22 - first seen drop in NO2 over a 24 hour period (not to zero). Used both NO2 kits, and also kept the API test tubes with the samples in, as the colour remained stable, which helped to identify any change in concentration through comparison.
27th april, day 26 - NO2 dropping to zero after 24 hours; stopped the spike-controlling water changes
28th april, day 27 - 2ppm NH3; dropping to 0.25ppm NO2 in 12 hours
29th april, day 28 - 3ppm NH3; NO2 dropping to 0.25ppm in 14 hours - pH 8.2, NO3 rising, 40-80ppm, dgH 22
30th april, day29 - higher dose of NH3 to 4ppm; NO2 zero in under 24 hours (0.5ppm after 16 hours); NO3 40-80ppm
1st may, day 30 - back to 3ppm NH3; 5 hours later NH3 at 1ppm and NO2 at 2ppm; 8 hours later NH3 0.25ppm and NO2 around 2-3ppm; 12 hours later NH3 0ppm and NO2 at 1ppm; 15 hours later NO2 at 0.25ppm
2nd may, day 31 - NH3 at 2ppm; 6 hours later NH3 0-0.25; NO2 2-3ppm; 12 hours later NO2 > 0, < 0.25; zero NO2 after 14 hours
3rd may, day 32 - 2ppm NH3 added; 14 hours again for NO2 to clear; NO3 now up to 80+ppm; added a little frogbit today and now have tank lit for the first time
4th may, day 33 - 2ppm NH3 added; NO2 cleared in
At this stage I felt happy that the cycle was complete for the number of fish I was adding initially i.e. not going for 100% maximum capacity stocking (by forum calculator around 40%)...decision based on forum advice and other sites online .
it's been at least 8 weeks now, thanks to the stall. Glad one of us has finished 
