Fishless Cycling Diary

[jack1]

Thanks - its been really interesting seeing it change - really looking forward to the day it all pays off with the water stats

Thanks for the advice - will watch out for nitrite and pH

Cheers
Jack

 

[jack1]

Hello, another update

Water stats...

Ammon - close to 0.25ppm again after 12 hours
Nitrite - Lighter than 5ppm but just a little
Nitrate - 80ppm+ - huge difference

Also tested pH - sits between 7.2 - 7.4

Just about to dose with more ammonia to bring it up to 3-4ppm ammonia and see if it goes back down to predicted 0.25ppm again

Onward,
Cheers for tuning in
Jack

 

[jack1]

Hello

Another update - very surprised again today when testing water - 12 hours after redosing with ammonia and levels are getting better

Ammn - 0.25ppm - nearly yellow
Nitrite - 0ppm - suprised at this level
Nitrate - 80ppm

Adding more ammonia and will check in 12 hours

Any thoughts?
Cheers
Jack

On another note - purchased another 150ltr tank that will begin cycling this week - this tank is now for my 2 calico fantails who are in a smaller tank for the moment - had originally intended to use the 250ltr tank thats cycling now but found the temptation to start tropical fish too much.

So in the space of 6 months, I've went from a small tank to another 2 tanks - WOW

Cheers
Jack

 

[DrSlackBladder]

Your nitrites have dropped pretty quickly! Great feeling though isn't it, you spend ages in the first stage waiting for nitrites to show anything other than blue, then the rest of the time dreaming for blue again! Good job, now just keep adding ammonia 3-4ppm per day for a week or so (without fish) so make sure it wasn't a bad test. You'll need to do a huge water change (temperature matched and dechlorinated) too to get those nitrates down to >20ppm. You'll need to keep adding ammonia every day to feed your bacteria, until the day before you add fish. And remember to turn your temperature down (if you had turned it up for the cycle)!

 

[jack1]

Exactly what I was thinking - yeah, it's brilliant to see progress

Will keep on going with adding ammonia this week and make sure everything is ok and not a fluke test result

Will I do the water change at the end of the week?

Thanks for the advice - much appreciated
Cheers
Jack

 

[DrSlackBladder]

You can do the water change whenever, as long as your nitrates are below 20 ppm (and of course ammonia and nitrite are both zero) before you add fish. If it was me I'd do a daily 20% until nitrate was low enough, but 90% at the end of the week would work too.

 

[jack1]

Thanks for the advice - will try 20% daily
Cheers
Jack

 

[jack1]

Did a water test this morning

Ammon - higher than the last few days - sitting betwwen 2-3ppm / possible spike? - cleaning glass to reduce planaria outbreak in my tank.
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - over 80ppm

Doing another test tonight - 12 hours after this mornings test

Cheers
Jack

 

[DrSlackBladder]

You shouldn't get an ammonia spike if you're cycled - what concentration are you dosing ammonia to? Anyway, just keep doing what you're doing, it'll soon be there!

 

[jack1]

roughly up to 3-4ppm ammonia
cheers

 

[DrSlackBladder]

Just keep doing as you're doing; maybe the low ammonia reading was an error. But your zero nitrite readings show you're near the end of the cycle. Keep it up, and make sure you shake those API test bottles vigorously, especially the 2nd nitrate one, makes a huge difference to the reading!

 

[jack1]

Cheers - will remember to do these things - thanks again for the advice

 

[jack1]

Did another water test

Ammon - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - between 40-80ppm - not quite 80

Will redose with more ammonia to take it up to 3-4ppm
Hopefully getting there for the weekend
Cheers
Jack

 

[jack1]

Water stats looking good today...

Ammon - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 80ppm +

Ammonia seems to be processing within 12 hours of dosing up to 3-4ppm

Do you think I should add more ammonia or do the water change to reduce nitrates?

Cheers
Jack

 

[jack1]

Hello

Well I'm finally there now - water stats have been good over the last few days and I did a 90% water change today and added some plants

Water stats today...
Ammon - 0 - 0.25ppm - almost bright yellow - hopefully the remaining ammonia will clear for tomorrow
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - between 5-10ppm

Will do another water test tomorrow morning - hopefully I'll be able to add some fish tomorrow
Cheers
Jack
P.S. Will post some photos of the tank soon