New to the forum

[AlexT]

I will get the ready

 

[777james777]

Great


Now add another 2.5 ml ammonia and fingers crossed it's zero again tomorrow. If it is, Friday is so close to fish shopping, don't add any more ammonia after that.

I have a good feeling it will work by tomorrow

 

[weekstonz]

Iv read a day or so… obviously I don’t want to turn it on 4 weeks before putting my fish in if it only takes a few days

 

[777james777]

@Essjay as I’m sure you can imagine I’m a little disappointed. We have a reading of 1ppm
I’m wondering if the “2.5ml” we’re adding may be a little bit much, I mean we based that fact right at the start when I put double in and got it a bit wrong so we halved it

 

[Aharries]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, but this stuff is a supply of live bacteria couriered out to your address directly from the suppliers on demand. I've tested it and it works well.

 

[777james777]

I have also tested

ph - 6.6
Ammonia - 0 - 0.25
Nitrate 10ppm

@Essjay

 

[Essjay]

That is so disappointing.

OK, so add some bicarbonate of soda like you did before, to boost KH and raise the pH. it completely slipped my mind that when you did that water change you removed some bicarb (ie KH)
Then add 1.5 ml ammonia and test ammonia after half an hour. If it's around 3 ppm, that's good.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Sorry matey, this is honestly the worst bit...that and dealing with disease/euthanising. Everything else is a joy in my opinion.

 

[777james777]

That is so disappointing.

OK, so add some bicarbonate of soda like you did before, to boost KH and raise the pH. it completely slipped my mind that when you did that water change you removed some bicarb (ie KH)
Then add 1.5 ml ammonia and test ammonia after half an hour. If it's around 3 ppm, that's good.

So another 2 flat table spoons of bicarbonate soda …
How long after this do I add the ammonia ?

Didn’t I raise the ph by doing a water change tho…?

Oh no I changed the water because I added ammonia straight after ..

But that’s what you’re saying to do now. I’m so confused

 

[777james777]

Sorry matey, this is honestly the worst bit...that and dealing with disease/euthanising. Everything else is a joy in my opinion.

I know I was so deflated when I got back and tested well I will just keep trying, I don’t think fish on Sunday will be possible
Is this correct ?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I know I was so deflated when I got back and tested well I will just keep trying, I don’t think fish on Sunday will be possible
Is this correct ?

not tomorrow, no.

 

[777james777]

@Essjay

I have added another 2 flat table spoons of bicarbonate soda and I will test the pH shortly.

However you have then said to add 1.5 ml of ammonia.

Last time I added ammonia (2.5ml) after the bicarbonate, I ended up doing a water change.

Can you please confirm what to do after I test the pH

 

[777james777]

pH back up now to 7.4-7.6 @Essjay

 

[Essjay]

The bicarb is just to raise the pH, it will only affect the cycle indirectly by stopping the pH falling.
Add the ammonia asap, then wait half an hour for it to mix in thoroughly, then test. This is to see how many ppm ammonia you've put in the tank, just in case that 2.5 ml got the ammonia level too high. So add a bit less this time and test to check it.

 

[777james777]

The bicarb is just to raise the pH, it will only affect the cycle indirectly by stopping the pH falling.
Add the ammonia asap, then wait half an hour for it to mix in thoroughly, then test. This is to see how many ppm ammonia you've put in the tank, just in case that 2.5 ml got the ammonia level too high. So add a bit less this time and test to check it.

Ok it’s in, I will test at 10pm for ammonia