Kmur's Cycle Journal

[kmur]

Well, since my cycle has rather halted (processes all ammonia in about 24 hours but nitrite seems to find its way back to zero,) I decided to run a full battery of tests today. My pH has plummeted down to 6.5 (eek!) Since my tap water has a naturally very high pH, I intend to do a large water change (70% or so) and hopefully that will bring it back up to the sweet spot. My nitrates have also begun to climb, so the water change can't hurt. Hopefully this water change will jump-start my cycle! Here's my chart for the day.

Also, since it isn't notes - These tests are at 8AM every day. Is there is a -something, then that number is how many hours after the previous test that the second test took place.

 

[Skins]

The same happened to me today, pH crashed so did a 90% water change and now its back up to 7.2 FEW!!!!

 

[Dan-CR4]

yes i would do a water change, my ph crashed when i was cycling, all i did was do a large water change and got back on track ok.

 

[Timmy_Bee]

some people use bicarbonate of soda to raise pH during a cycle. Ask Waterdrop about how much to use. Or as you say, do a water change

 

[Skins]

some people use bicarbonate of soda to raise pH during a cycle. Ask Waterdrop about how much to use. Or as you say, do a water change

As T_B rightly said you can use sodium bicarbonate where you dose 1tsp per 50ltr

 

[Timmy_Bee]

why do i get the impression my brain is twisted and 'bicarbonate of soda' isn't quite right....

Anyway - soldium bicarbonate as Skins says is the same stuff

 

[Skins]

why do i get the impression my brain is twisted and 'bicarbonate of soda' isn't quite right....

Anyway - soldium bicarbonate as Skins says is the same stuff

If you do buy some bicarbonate of soda just make sure the only ingredient is sodium bicarbonate, i got mine from sainsbury.

 

[kmur]

Actually did a complete water change - I wanted to move the tank upstairs, and I figured now was a good a time as any. Set it up again, added ammonia. Now the pH is at my tap water's pH - about 8.3. Is that too high? I figure it will naturally drop a bit, I just don't want to destroy bacteria or anything

 

[Skins]

Your right in the sweet spot

 

[kmur]

Well, I think I made my tank mad.

Yesterday, after the move (filter was switched off but submerged in original tank water for about 45 minutes,) set everything back up. Added ammonia (3ppm. was aiming for four, just did my bath wrong a bit.) and water conditioner. It was processing from 4ppm to 0ppm in about 24 hours. There were about 21 hours between that test, and this morning:

Yesterday:
Ammonia: 3PPM
Nitrite: 0.1PPM
pH: 8.3

Today:
Ammonia: 1PPM
Nitrite: 0.5ppm
pH: 7.5

Not nearly has fast of an ammonia drop, and still a huge pH drop. Guess I will have to go with the bicarbonate route.

 

[Skins]

Hello Kmur,
I would not worry to much about your pH yet, when it dips below 7.0 then think about bicarb.
Your not alone with weird things happening in your cycle, you may well find in a couple of days once things have settled down you will be back on track.

Skins.
P.s WD might be along shortly, he's better at explaining things than me.

 

[waterdrop]

This is the first time this has started to look like a recognizable fishless cycle beginning. Did we ever test some of the black water extract just put in tap water to see what kind of readings we get from that?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[kmur]

This is the first time this has started to look like a recognizable fishless cycle beginning. Did we ever test some of the black water extract just put in tap water to see what kind of readings we get from that?

~~waterdrop~~

I just checked it in fresh tap water after a 5 minute wait, and it made no immediate difference. I am letting some tapwater with blackwater extract sit and will test it later today and tomorrow morning to see if there are any long-term effect. My betta tank, who had a 90% water change a week ago, it at a pH of 6.5.

 

[waterdrop]

How's it going kmur?

 

[kmur]

How's it going kmur?

Things appear kind of stuck. I was just trying to be patient and wait it out for a week or so and see what happens, and then come back for more advice

Not on anyones advice, just on my own hopes that 'changing it up a bit' might spur something along, I started dosing 3PPM every day at the same time, rather than 4PPM roughly every 2 to 3 days. This hasn't made any change. Here is my journal as of today.

I've also had a nasty snail outbreak, but I don't think that can have much effect; I've just dropped my light times much lower and kept a close eye on my plants; No algae is present at all, so I figure the snails won't have much to go on for long!

Any advice would be appreciated, but best I can tell, things are going roughly correctly and just VERY SLOWLY. At this point, I'm thinkin' I might not get fish until tax return time!

Though it does look like it's processing nitrite pretty well, which is weird. I was thinking about dosing 4PPM every 24 hours like you would a little later in the cycle, and seeing whether it just starts accumulating like mad, or if the bacteria 'catches up.'