I need help

[Essjay]

Dr Tim's One & Only is one of the best there is. I wouldn't mix products just yet.

How long will you be away for? If it's just a few days I would leave the tank and see what the readings are when you get back.

 

[Country joe]

Back tomorrow will do a test and stick it on here.

 

[Country joe]

Hi, did my test at 11 am 19. 4. 24
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 4
Nitrate 80
Ph 8
Phosphate 0
Only the ph is up slightly.

 

[Essjay]

With a nitrate that high I would do a water change. I know the nitrate tester tests for nitrite and nitrate combined, but nitrite would have to be pretty high to make nitrate that high.

50% would lower nitrate to 40 ppm which is still too high. I'd do at least 75%. Once the new water has all mixed thoroughly (about 30 mins) I suggest testing both nitrite and nitrate again.

How high does your nitrite tester go? Mine goes up to 5 ppm, though the highest colours are quite similar.

 

[Country joe]

The highest nitrite on my nt labs kit is 8,0
Will do the 75% water change tomorrow.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi, did my test at 11 am 19. 4. 24
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 4
Nitrate 80
Ph 8
Phosphate 0
Only the ph is up slightly.

The 80ppm of nitrate is caused by the 4ppm of nitrite. You don't have 80ppm of nitrate in the water, it will be less than half that. The nitrate test kit is giving you a false reading due to the nitrite in the water.

 

[Country joe]

did a 75% water change at 10 am today, followed by a water test at 2pm.
Ammonia 0
nitrite 1.0
Nitrate 20
phosphate 0.
Wll it now be a waiting game, or what to do now?

 

[Colin_T]

Add a bit of ammonia and wait 24 hours to see how much nitrite there is. Try to get the nitrite to around 3ppm and then wait for it to drop to 0ppm.

 

[Essjay]

Dr Tim's 'recipe' (method) says once you have ammonia AND nitrite under 5 ppm on the N scale (which is different from our tests, and you are now below those levels), add more ammonia to a maximum of 4 drops per gallon.
Then test next day and make a note of the readings.
Test again the next day and make a note of the readings. Are they below 0.5 ppm? If they are, the cycle has finished. If one or both are not continue testing every day until they are below that level.

 

[Country joe]

I have now been told to add ammonia, locally I've been told to do nothing, it's a waiting game, so I'm now at a loss what would be the best.
If I do nothing will the nitrite eventually go to nil, or how long would it take to go to nill if start dosing with ammonia again,

 

[Essjay]

If it was the shop that told you to add nothing, ignore them. Very few shop workers have a clue about fishless cycling, they all want you to add some miracle product and buy fish there and then. If you don't, they are afraid you'll go somewhere else.

When doing a fishless cycle it is important to choose one method and follow that method and nothing else. You seem to have started with the method on Dr Tim's website, so I have looked at that and have been suggesting where you are in that method and the best way to proceed according to his method. It's the pdf titled "Fishless cycling a new aquarium" on this page

Recipes | DrTim's Aquatics

Recipes for Aquarium Success This page contains recipes with step by step directions on how to use a combination of DrTim’s Products to: Fishless Cycle your aquarium with One & Only and ammonium chloride Fight Cyanobacteria and/or Algae with Re-Fresh and Waste-Away Color-Up your corals with...

www.drtimsaquatics.com

Alternatively, you could do another big water change, add ammonia to get a reading of 3 ppm and start at the beginning of TwoTankAmin's method

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

Because you have already started a fishless cycle, this method should proceed quickly to the later stages and should be complete within a few days.

 

[Country joe]

I've decided to start Dr Tims from the beginning again, as I know what I'm doing on there, hopefully I can get sorted and start on here posting about other topics, as I'm getfed up, it must be worse for the forum members.

 

[MaloK]

Why would you do that ?

Everything is good. You have all the bacteria to process ammonia and nitrite... Be patient, it's starting to roll.

Continue to monitor and maintain your ammonia schedule.

Don't worry about nitrates until your nitrite starts to go down.

I'm not familiar with Dr. Tim's method, but your test results are showing that it is cycling at the moment.

During a fishless cycle your try to maintain the least water changes possible. and change the minimum required.

 

[Country joe]

This may be good news, I did a nitrite test today, will do the bigger test tomorrow and it read, 2.0 so it's dropped from 4 to 2.

 

[Country joe]

Things still looking good,
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 1.0
Nitrate 20 ph 7.5
Kh 9
Gh 7
So I just need nitrite to go to nill, is that right ?