Mid Cycle Questions

[Sprizmo]

Yeah that’s the goal! Think it’s going as well as I could have done first time around.

 

[Sprizmo]

So another 4 days has passed. Most of the plants at the back of the tank started going brown so took them out as I don't think there was enough light getting through the top leaves. Spread out the remaining greener plants to hopefully make it more fruitful. As you can see from the results below, the ammonia has been at 0 for 3 days and Nitrites now getting down to almost 0.

		Date	Time	pH	Ammonia	Nitrite	Nitrate
Day 14	Friday	21/01/2022	19:30	7.4	1.00	2	40.0
Day 15	Saturday	22/01/2022	17:00	7.4	0.00	1.00	40.0
Day 16	Sunday	23/01/2022	13:45	7.4	0.00	2.00	20-40
Day 17	Monday	24/01/2022	19:30	7.4	0.00	0.25	20.0

Now when the Nitrites get to 0, do I dose ammonia again? Or is the tank cycled?
I've dosed Ammonia 4 times already, is there a limit?
Is the tank actually cycled if I dose with Ammonia and then 24 hours later the Ammonia and Nitrites are 0?

Thanks!

 

[Essjay]

Is the tank actually cycled if I dose with Ammonia and then 24 hours later the Ammonia and Nitrites are 0?

Yes.

You do need to add a 3 ppm dose of ammonia to confirm it can be cleared in 3 days.

 

[Sprizmo]

Yes.

You do need to add a 3 ppm dose of ammonia to confirm it can be cleared in 3 days.

Okay. 24 hours later and ammonia reads 0 and nitrites at 2. Fingers crossed it goes by Friday night!

 

[Sprizmo]

It's ready! I believe
Day 21 test results in and Ammonia and Nitrites down to 0.00 after 72 hours as per test results below.

		Date	Time	pH	Ammonia	Nitrite	Nitrate	Added to water
Day 18	Tuesday	25/01/2022	19:10	7.4	0.00	0.00	20.0	Ammonia 4ml
Day 19	Wednesday	26/01/2022	19:55	7.4	0.00	2.00	20.0
Day 20	Thursday	27/01/2022	19:10	7.4	0.00	0 - 0.25	20.0
Day 21	Friday	28/01/2022	19:35	7.4	0.00	0.00	20.0

Can someone confirm my thinking? If so I am off out tomorrow to get some fish!
Decided on 3 Blue Gourami's, 8 Celestial Pearl Danios and 1 Albino Bristlenose Catfish.

 

[Essjay]

The cycle is finished when the tank can clear a 3 ppm dose of ammonia in 24 hours. You added 4 ppm and it took 72 hours to clear so it may or may not be able to clear 3 ppm in 24 hours. The only way to be sure is to add another dose, enough to get 3 ppm and test 24 hours later.

 

[Sprizmo]

The cycle is finished when the tank can clear a 3 ppm dose of ammonia in 24 hours. You added 4 ppm and it took 72 hours to clear so it may or may not be able to clear 3 ppm in 24 hours. The only way to be sure is to add another dose, enough to get 3 ppm and test 24 hours later.

Oh. Your previous message said 72 hours so I assumed it was done.

 

[Essjay]

I must apologise. I should have said 1 day in that post. I must have had 3 in my mind from 3 ppm, then accidentally repeated the number for the time.

 

[Sprizmo]

Ah. So I can’t get fish tomorrow?

 

[Essjay]

That depends. That 3 ppm in 24 hours allows you to get all the fish to fully stock the tank. And it grows more bacteria than a fully stocked tank actually needs. You have almost that many bacteria, possibly enough for a fully stocked tank, but almost certainly enough for fewer fish than fully stocked. Tomorrow, if you were to get about half the fish you intend to get, it should be OK. Test the water for several days to make sure (always a good thing to do when adding fish to a tank). If there's no trace of ammonia or nitrite, it will be OK to get the next batch a few days later.

 

[Sprizmo]

Oh good. I was only going to get either the danios or the Gouramis and Pleco anyway to be certain it could cope.

Thank you sooo much for the help though, you’ve been very helpful!