Fishless Cycling In Progress

[DebraAustin]

Hi Other Debra,

Neat to meet another Debra. Not only that I grew up in WA, Bellevue, Renton and Seattle to be exact. I'm not sure where Edgewood, WA is. I think it is down by Tacoma, but I lived right outside of Edgewood, NM.

On the cycling. When my ammonia and nitrites are down to zero after 12 hours is when I will do a large water change and add some fish. I do not have chlorine in my water, as we are on well, but will add the cleaner as it also takes care of heavy metals and other toxins that I can't measure.

Had a great birthday, but still no fish. Talked to someone at a local fish store and got answers to some of my questions. Hope he was knowledgable. If he wasn't he shouldn't be working at a place that specializes in just fish.

Hope my tank doesn't take severn weeks. I'm going on week three now!

Debra

 

[DebraAustin]

Yesterday my nitrites were still off the scale, but my nitrates are on the rise 10ppm. Last night my ammonia had completely cycled in 12 hours, yeah. Now I will look for the nitrites to start falling soon. Will test later this morning as I just added more ammonia and need to let it dispurse.

Debra

 

[dgwebster]

it shouldnt take 7 weeks like mines did. I made my first boo-boo my overloading the ammonia the first time round - that slowed down any kind of change that I could see. It also then caused a large nitrite spike, then my tank started acting all funny.

But another day of my fish in the tank, and ive still got 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5ppm nitrate. GO FISHLESS CYCLING!!!

Ok, no im not 5.

 

[DebraAustin]

Twiddle, twiddle (those are my thumbs). Still waiting for the nitrites to come down, bleah. Ammonia is cycling nicely every 12 hours, but the nitrites haven't budged. I'm hoping it is like the instructions said...the nitrites will stay high and then suddenly drop off. I'm getting really antsy now!

Glad to hear your fish are doing well since you added them. Keep me posted.

Debra

 

[piper]

Stick in there Deb, I put in ten tetra last sunday after all my readings checked in (well close enough any way). And have had no deaths and readings are looking good still. Its worth the wait as you know your fish will welcome the good contions. Mine have coloured up very quickley and seem happy

 

[Squid]

It was like that with my ammonia levels debra.. wait wait, not much happening.. suddenly dropped dramatically.. im hoping the nitrites do the same too.. like you i have started to see nitrates, so fingers crossed..

Squid

 

[dgwebster]

well its now been 5 days since adding the danios, and similarly, their stripes are coming out good and strong, very vibrant.

The Neons are coming home later tonight and im picking up my gouramis (one neon blue and two fire reds) hopefully next thursday, depending on their quarantine (i.e. if they pass for sale next week.)

So fingers crossed. As everyone has said debra, it is a really good way to start it, although it involves alot of sitting and waiting. i used the nitrite->nitrate period to establish plants. which have started to go mad in the growing spectrum. I think this is the best part of a fishless cycle, plenty of time then to consider and research all of your options.

 

[wheelyfeet]

I'm getting really antsy now!

I bet you are!

It seems like the nitrites take forever. The bacteria that take care of them must take a bit longer to build up. However, if I read your posts correctly you've been at this about 2 weeks? That's not bad, really.

Are your nitrites off the chart? (Untestable.) If so, per this article by Chris Chow at www.tropicalfish centre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm (sorry, it wouldn't allow the link in one piece), do a water change to bring them down to readable level and make sure that you aren't adding too much ammonia each day. I would think that a reading of ammonia reading of 1 ppm after adding the ammonia is sufficient.

I've read that it doesn't do a lot of good to test nitrate levels until nitrites are gone. The reagent for nitrates somehow reads nitrites as well, so you get a false reading.

What a coincidence that you are from Washington, that your name is spelled phonetically instead of "Deborah," and that you live near an Edgewood. (You must be pretty close to 40 something!) And yes Edgewood is near Tacoma, on the north hill of Puyallup.

 

[DebraAustin]

[/quote]

What a coincidence that you are from Washington, that your name is spelled phonetically instead of "Deborah," and that you live near an Edgewood. (You must be pretty close to 40 something!) And yes Edgewood is near Tacoma, on the north hill of Puyallup.
[/quote]

Hi Debra,

Debra is the predominant west coast spelling, Deborah is east coast. I don't know what they do in the middle as I met a mix of both when I lived there. Don't live near Edgewood anymore, moved from there around ten years ago. I am in fact in my late 40s. How did you figure that our from my post?

I think my nitrites came down some yesterday, but the colors are so close on the scale that I really won't know until they are at 0. Hopefully that will be today. Then I'll just have to wait for the 12 hours cycling of both ammonia & nitrites. Ammonia cycling is going well, so think nitrites will get there quickly, too.

Debra

 

[wheelyfeet]

I am in fact in my late 40s. How did you figure that our from my post?

I'm psychic! Actually, in the 50's every other girl was named Debra (or it seemed). Have you ever met a woman who is in her 30's or 50's named Debra?

 

[DebraAustin]

I am in fact in my late 40s. How did you figure that our from my post?

I'm psychic! Actually, in the 50's every other girl was named Debra (or it seemed). Have you ever met a woman who is in her 30's or 50's named Debra?

Yes, actually I have, but not nearly in the numbers of us 50s bunch. In high school I actually had 5 Debbies in one class, ugh. I never got to be Debbie. I always had to be Debbie G (went my Debbie until I was an adult, then decided that Debbie sounded too childish. Funny thing is that I introduce myself as Debra and invariably the person responds, "Nice to meet you, Debbie." How weird.)

My nitrites are definitely starting to cycle, yippee! They were down to .25 last night. Now I just need to get them cycling in 12 hours. That means more testing, but I don't mind if it means I can get fish sometime this next week. That will mean it has been about three weeks for my tank to completely cycle.

Debra

 

[piper]

good stuff "debbie"

 

[DebraAustin]

Getting pretty close now. They are almost cycling in 12 hours (nitrites that is). Will start testing them twice a day and will start testing nitrates daily. I'm looking forward to getting my fish soon. Maybe by the end of this next week.

Debra

 

[dgwebster]

Good good debra.

my fish had a small set back. one died yesterday from Flexibacter Columnaris, or mouth rot. Sadly identifying symptoms didnt appear untill yesterday morning, up untill then many diff diseases were suspected, from lack of air in water to gill flukes.

It has been slightly saddening in that i spent alot of care and time doing my fishless cycle to ensure the best start for my wee guys and gals.

However, going over all my records, the water parameters were superb, everything is the way it should be, as evident from the other fish not showing any symptoms.

So even though the fishless cycle is not infallible, it is still good.

 

[wheelyfeet]

Good good debra.

my fish had a small set back. one died yesterday from Flexibacter Columnaris, or mouth rot. Sadly identifying symptoms didnt appear untill yesterday morning, up untill then many diff diseases were suspected, from lack of air in water to gill flukes.

It has been slightly saddening in that i spent alot of care and time doing my fishless cycle to ensure the best start for my wee guys and gals.

However, going over all my records, the water parameters were superb, everything is the way it should be, as evident from the other fish not showing any symptoms.

So even though the fishless cycle is not infallible, it is still good.

I hope your LFS guarantees the fish. My LFS only guarantees for one week and requires the fish along with a water sample. Unfortunately, by the time we loose a fish, the guarantee period is over.