Hungrydoug's Fishless Cycle

[Hungrydoug]

Begins today!

Post office decided not to put a card through my door when my test kit was delivered on Wednesday!

Anyway,

Day 1 - pH 6.8 Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all 0, temperature in tank 28.5oC - 4ppm ammonia added. (19/12/09)
Day 2 - pH 6.8 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 3 - pH 7.0 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC 1.2 tablespoons bicarb added, mature filter media added.
Day 4 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4ppm, nitrite 0ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 5 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4 ppm, nitrite 0ppm, temperature 28.5oC
Day 6 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4 ppm, nitrite 0ppm, temperature 28.5oC
Day 7 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4 ppm, nitrite 0ppm, temperature 28.5oC
Day 8 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4 ppm, nitrite 0.5ppm, temperature 28.5oC (ran this twice and got the same results both times)
Day 9 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4 ppm, nitrite 2ppm, temperature 28.5oC
Day 10 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 3 ppm, nitrite 3ppm, temperature 28.5oC (28/12/09)
Day 11 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 3ppm, nitrite 3ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 12 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 3ppm, nitrite 3ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 13 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 2ppm, nitrite 3ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 14 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 1ppm, nitrite 4ppm, temperature 28oC (1/1/10)
Day 15 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 0.75ppm, nitrite 4ppm, Nitrate 20ppm temperature 28oC (Progress!)
Day 16 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 0.25ppm, nitrite 4ppm, Nitrate 5ppm temperature 28oC (Error with the nitrate yesterday I think!)
Day 17 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 4ppm, Nitrate 5ppm temperature 28oC 4ppm ammonia added
Day 18 - pH 8.3 Ammonia 4ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC pH seems to be on the way up, tested it twice just to make sure.
Day 19 - pH 8.3 Ammonia 2ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28oC
Day 20 - pH 8.1 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 21 - pH 8.1 Ammonia 0.5ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 22 - pH 8.1 Ammonia 0ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC 4ppm ammonia added
Day 23 - pH 8.1 Ammonia 3ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC (10/1/10)
Day 24 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 2ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 25 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 26 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.75ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 27 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.5ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 28 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.25ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 25oC - heating broke today, hence drop in temp!
Day 29 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC 4ppm ammonia added
Day 30 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 3ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 31 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 2ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC (18/1/2010)
Day 32 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.5oC
Day 33 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC 4ppm ammonia added
Day 34 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 3ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 35 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 2ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 36 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 37 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.5ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 38 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC 4ppm ammonia added
Day 39 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 3ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 40 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 2ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 41 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 42 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 43 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.75ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC (30/01/2010)
Day 44 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.5ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 45 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.25ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 46 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC 4ppm ammonia added
Day 47 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 3ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 48 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 2ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 49 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 1ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 50 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.75ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC
Day 51 - pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.25ppm nitrite 4ppm Nitrate 5 ppm temperature 28.oC

 

[OldMan47]

Off to a correct dosing start Doug. I look forward to seeing your numbers as things progress. Keep an eye on the pH, it can't fall much before the cycle will stall.

 

[Hungrydoug]

Thanks.

Got chatting to a guy at work and he has offered me piece of his filter media from his established tank, do I just stick it in my filter or simply drop it in the tank?

 

[joshybjoshy]

try and keep it as dirty as you can from your mates filter and i squeezed all the dirt right next to the filter then put the media inside the filter

 

[OldMan47]

Take that donated material and slip it right into the filter with the new media. It should help speed things up a lot.

 

[Hungrydoug]

Day 1 - pH 6.8 Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all 0, temperature in tank 28.5oC - 4ppm ammonia added.
Day 2 - pH 6.4 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC

Thanks for the advice on the media, guy is bringing it in a bag of tank water so I'll stick it in the filter when I get home.

 

[OldMan47]

At a pH of 6.4, your tank is ready to stop before it even gets started. I would suggest that you add some bicarbonate of soda, also called baking soda. A spoonful of it ought to pop that pH right up above 7.0 for you.

 

[Hungrydoug]

Ah, didn't spot that typo! It's still 6.8 but is worth getting some bicarb in there anyway? Is a tablespoon per 50l correct?

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, a tablespoon per 50L is what I suggest. That should bring it right on up there.

We assume your Day 1 fishless tank readings were the same as your tap? If not then it would be good to post your tap water stats just for the record.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Hungrydoug]

Yes, a tablespoon per 50L is what I suggest. That should bring it right on up there.

We assume your Day 1 fishless tank readings were the same as your tap? If not then it would be good to post your tap water stats just for the record.

~~waterdrop~~

Yes, tested the water from the tap and also from the tank which had been running for 48 hours (substrate, heater and filter only, no other additions) readings were the same.

Have the donated filter media in a nice freezer bag full of water, will add that when I get home.

 

[Hungrydoug]

Day 1 - pH 6.8 Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all 0, temperature in tank 28.5oC - 4ppm ammonia added.
Day 2 - pH 6.8 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 3 - pH 7.0 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC 1.2 tablespoons bicarb added, mature filter media added.

And so it continues...

I've started tracking everything in a spreadsheet, so once the cycling gets going I'll post graph updates too.

 

[OldMan47]

You should be off to a fairly fast start with mature media in your filter. Don't be too surprised when you are done in a week or two from now.

 

[Hungrydoug]

You should be off to a fairly fast start with mature media in your filter. Don't be too surprised when you are done in a week or two from now.

Thanks for all the help OM47, I'm still aiming to stock the tank at the end of January for my birthday but any sooner would be a huge bonus. Really need to start thinking about fish now!

 

[joshybjoshy]

good look with the cycle i the media really helps

 

[Hungrydoug]

Thanks Josh, latest update:

Day 1 - pH 6.8 Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all 0, temperature in tank 28.5oC - 4ppm ammonia added.
Day 2 - pH 6.8 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC
Day 3 - pH 7.0 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC 1.2 tablespoons bicarb added, mature filter media added.
Day 4 - pH 7.9 Ammonia 4ppm, temperature 28oC nitrite 0ppm