My Cycle Diary

[paulbr1]

Hi,

I should be ok to start with - but you never know.

Using -

Juwel 260L
Homebase Ammonia (no bubbles)
Test kit for norm and high Ph, Amm, Nitrite and Nitrate
Also I have an established piece of media that I have cut and sandwiched between two of the Jumbo filters - hopefully will be a turbo Cycle.

10Mar figures

Ammo 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite .5
Nitrate 80+ difficult to exact
PH 7.3
..........................
11Mar figs - Day12

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 3
Nitrate - 80+
PH 7.2
..........................
12mar fig - Day13

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0 first double zero for 24 hours
Nitrate - 80+
PH 7.2
..........................
13mar - day14

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 5+
Nitrate - 80+
PH 7.2
..........................
14mar - day15

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0.5
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6 - ? checked twice
.........................
15Mar - day16

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .35 approx
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
16Mar - day17

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .35 approx
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
17Mar - day18..........Top of the World to you, it's my Birthday today.......

Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .25 approx
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
18Mar - day19
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .5 approx - I know it must be processing Nitrite but it is slower than the Ammo bac to grow
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
19Mar - day20
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .25 approx
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
20Mar - day21
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .5 approx
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
21Mar - day22
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - .25
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
22Mar - day23
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 7.6
.........................
23Mar - day24 8pm
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.8 - did a 20% WC
.........................
24Mar - day24a 9am
Ammo - 0.25
Nitrite - 3
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.8 hmmm.
.........................
24Mar - day25 8pm
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.8
.........................
25Mar - day26 8pm
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.8
.........................
26Mar - day27 8pm
Ammo - 0 - 13ml added
Nitrite - 0.25
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.8
.........................
27Mar - day28 8pm - PH down to 6.4, did a 50%WC
.........................
28Mar - day29 8pm Nitrite 5
.........................
29Mar - day30 8pm Nitrite 4
.........................
30Mar - day31 8pm
Ammo - 1 - 11ml added
Nitrite - 5
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.2 - OK so I had to do a big one - back at 7.4-5
.........................
31Mar - day32 8pm
Ammo - 0 - 12ml added
Nitrite - 2
Nitrate - 80+
PH - 6.6 -
.........................
1Apr - day33 8pm
Ammo - 0 - 12ml added
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - ?
PH - 7.6 -
.............................................................
So I was thinking of listing my figures differently - -
Day35
Ammonia was 0ppm in less than 12 hours
Nitrite was 0ppm in less than 18 hours - only checked at 14 & 18 hours, will try at 12, 15&18 tomorrow
Ph 7.6
Nitrate ? Didn't Check
.............................................................
Day 36
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0ppm @ 12 hours
.............................................................
Day 37
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0.25ppm @ 12 hours 0ppm @ 13 hours
.............................................................
Day 38
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0.25ppm @ 12 hours 0ppm @ 13 hours
.............................................................
Day 39
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0.25ppm @ 12 hours 0ppm @ 13 hours
.............................................................
Day 40
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0.25ppm @ 12 hours 0ppm @ 13 hours
.............................................................
Day 41
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0.25ppm @ 12 hours 0ppm @ 13 hours Sounds like De-Ja-Vous here
.............................................................
Day 42
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0ppm @ 12 hours
.............................................................
Day 43
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0ppm @ 12 hours
.............................................................
Day 44
Ammonia 0ppm @ 12 hours
Nitrite 0ppm @ 12 hours
.............................................................
Day 45
Ammonia 0ppm @ <12 hours
Nitrite 0ppm @ <11 hours don't know when it disappeared but I smiled...
.............................................................
Day 46
Ammonia 0ppm @ <12 hours
Nitrite 0ppm @ <12 hours

Thats five in a row, will check in morning..............

Paul.

 

[cooldude]

Increase temperature of tank to 86 degress F. This speeds up the process. Bacteria multiply faster at elevated temperatures.

I was able to cycle my tank in about 10 days, this was a planted tank. That may have helped.

[URL="http/aquarium-setup.blogspot.com/"]http/aquarium-setup.blogspot.com/[/URL]

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, you look to be off to a good start. Just let us know if you have any questions.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[paulbr1]

Edit - cleaned above

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, the trace of nitrite already is a hopeful sign that the mature media seeding may have lived and started taking. You definately don't need to bring the ammonia back up to 5ppm until the ammonia reading has dropped all the way to zero, which could be days or even weeks, but in your seeded case may be much sooner. Then, when it starts dropping from 5ppm to zero ppm faster, you don't need to recharge with ammonia until the 24 hour mark, even if it went to zero sometime within the 24 hours. Recharging whenever it gets to zero just pumps too much ammonia into the system.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[waterdrop]

(edit: double post due to server pause)
~~waterdrop~~

 

[paulbr1]

Just been reading through a few other Topics and read about filtration.

Q. my tank is 260L minus around 5-10L for the substrate (gravel) the pump inside the Internal filter is rated at 1000Lph and the media box is huge - Does anybody think it would be a good idea to change the pump, Jewel do a 1500L upgrade.

I would add a pic but can't seem to find the +pic button anymore!

 

[waterdrop]

1500lph would indeed put you right up at the recommended 5x turnover I believe with just a little over, to account for real world losses. However, there was just another thread current last night where we were discussing the bits of folly in picking out a turnover rate for another hobbyist than ones self. There are tanks that are successful on 3-4x, on 5x on 10x and more. Its just different schools of thought. It is true though that 5x is a quite popular recommendation for newcomers here in the "new" section and 10x is quite popular over in the planted section. Its good to be aware that one of the downsides to high flow rate can be fish looking like they're being blown around in a washing machine, but that can be countered by careful re-direction of outlet spouts. You can direct them back against a glass tank wall or other modifications.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[paulbr1]

Edit - cleaned above

 

[paulbr1]

Edit - cleaned above

 

[paulbr1]

Edit - cleaned above

 

[paulbr1]

Edit - cleaned above

 

[paulbr1]

One other thing, I did upgrade the pump to a 1500L from the orig 1000L so theoretically I should have around 6X filtration now.

 

[waterdrop]

The reality always works out to a little less than they say. Sounds like you're off to a good strong 5x at the least. 5x has certainly been good to me.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[paulbr1]

I have just read on another Cycle diary this -

Here's a summary of pH ranges and A-Bac/N-Bac growth:

pH below 5.5 = possible danger of bacteria die-off
pH 5.5 to 6.2 = cycling process stalled or stopped
pH 6.3 to 7.0 = slow beneficial bacterial development
pH 7.1 to 7.9 = faster beneficial bacterial development
pH 8.0 to 8.4 = optimal/fastest bacterial development
pH 8.5 to 8.9 = too high, slower bacterial development
ph above 9.0 = possible danger of bacteria die-off

(gee, it looks so official, doesn't it? don't hold me go it!)
~~waterdrop~~

Do you think it is worth upping the PH to between 8-8.4 for faster growth?

I know it is going well but I dont mind faffing around to speed things up and my big water change at the end will be put it back to 7.4-6 anyway, what do you think.