My Fishless Tank Cycling Log

[waterdrop]

 

[mayurkirti]

Can someone please help me read the nitrite level below? If I have to trust the instructions on the test kit then the nitrite is 0.25 -0.5ppm. But the drops turn purple at the bottom which also means that the nitrites are off the charts.

Tank water:

Liquid drops added:

After shaking the test tube:

5 minutes later:

10 minutes later:

random pictures I couldnt resist to add:

Ammonia test:

My ugly tank while doing the cycle:

 

[waterdrop]

Those pics of the nitrite test are just confirming that you're spiked and that your cycle is really doing quite well for only 11 days. The earlier fish-in really helped!

~~wd~~

 

[mayurkirti]

updated the log. Did a 85% water change and added ammonia expecting to raise the level to 2ppm. Forgot that the tap water already has ammonia in it. Ammonia tested close to 5ppm last night. Nitrite was off the chart even after 85% water change!!!! jeez

and no sign of nitrate yet.

 

[hakova]

I feel your impatience mayurkirti because I am on the same boat with you. I think I just had some shrinkage in the bacteria colony size for some reason, the tank cannot process 2.5 ppm ammonia in 12 hours anymore. I had 50 and 80% WC two days in a row to get the pH above 6.0, decreased the temperature to 81F, started DIY CO[sub]2[/sub] infusion and added 5x10 cm star moss attached to the rocks all at the same time, so I don't know what exactly caused it. The bottom line is, the moment you think you are getting close, there may be another thing happening unexpected. Gotta be extremely patient !

 

[mayurkirti]

dang. its happening in my tank too. I did a water change yesterday, raised ammonia to 5ppm. After 17 hours, I still had about 5ppm ammonia. After 24 hours I still have 0.5ppm!!! My tank used to process 5ppm ammonia within 12 hours. Not any more!

 

[hakova]

Maybe it has something to do with the tank volume being 10 gallon. You know how they recommend against having anything less than 30 gallons. Yet, there are beautiful pictures of nano tanks everywhere. You just gotta believe and keep your positivity I guess.

 

[mayurkirti]

Updated day 22 result. Ammonia is finally down to zero at 36 hour test. Will add more ammonia tonight.

 

[mayurkirti]

I think I am back in the game....I think. Added ~2ppm ammonia last night which disappeared within 12 hours. The only mistake: I should have added 5ppm to do a true test (oh friday night bliss).

Will do it tonight.

 

[yasinullah]

I too keep getting these ammonia blips during the nitrite spike, before and after the water change, but only at 12 hours, I also have a small tank (63litres) .
in my cycle so far A-bacs recovered quite quick after my dodgy water change (dunked the filter media in old tank water bucket, which I shouldn't have done!) So personally am not worrying much about them until nitrites start being processed again.

 

[mayurkirti]

Thanks yasinullah for your comment. Glad to here that someone else is in the same boat.

I have a good news today. Someone donated me a big filter sponge and a bunch of plants from their established tank.

I quickly drained all water from the sponge and rinsed it in my tank water before adding it in. I rinsed all plants under tap water and then rooted them in. I added more gravel into the tank and did a 70-80% water change during this process.

The readings right now are:

5PM:

NH3: 0.25-0.50ppm
NO2: 1ppm

 

[mayurkirti]

Updated today's results. Seems like nitrite is processing.

 

[mayurkirti]

My tank is cycled now (i think). I added a large filter sponge from an established tank last Sunday. I think I made 2 mistakes towards the end.

One: I adopted few guppies (8 fry and 2 adults) with their tank. When I brought the tank home, I realized that the tank is extremely filthy and cannot be used. I had to add all the fish to my recently (kinda) cycled tank. I wasnt sure whether my tank was cycled until few days after I had added the guppies. I happened to be fortunate there.

Second, since I added a very large sponge, I thought my guppies wont be able to provide enough ammonia to the bacteria in 2 filters and hence added 2ppm ammonia (might have even be 5ppm). It look longer than 24 hours to process all the ammonia in my tank after that. I have stopped adding ammonia after that.

I have been testing ammonia and nitrite since I have added the fish which are constantly 0ppm. I am just going to wait and watch now.

Thanks.
-Mayur