Rye's Fishless Cycle

[Ryefish]

Finally got everything to get this going.
Last night i tested the de-chlored tap water, stats were:

PH 7.5, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 5.0ppm

Is that normal for there to be Nitrates in the tap water?
I dosed 1ml of Biomature last night when my tank was the right temp

I tested tonight - which i suppose is Day 1 and got:
Ammonia 4.0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm (do i need to test the PH every time?)

I dosed another 1ml of Biomature. I think i can start adding the Bacterlife tomorrow if the ammonia readings are still high, but i need to check that.


Cycle Diary:
Day 0 (Tap) - PH: 7.5, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 5.0, Temp 26C - Notes: Added 1ml Biomature
Day 1 - PH: unknown, Amm: 4.0, Ni: 0, Na: 0, Temp: 26C - Notes: Added 1ml Biomature
Day 2 - PH: unknown, Amm: 6.0, Ni: 0, Na: 2.5, Temp, 25C - Notes: Added 2ml Bacterlife.
Day 3 - PH: 8, Amm: 8.0, Ni: 0.1, Na: 0, Temp: 24C - Notes: Added 2ml Bacterlife. Turned up the heat.
Day 4 - PH: 7.8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 2.5, Temp: 26C (80F) - Notes: Added 2ml Bacterlife.
Day 5 - PH: 8, Amm: 4, Ni:0, Na: 5, Temp: 26C (80F) - Notes: Added 4ml of Bacterlife
Day 6 - PH: 7.8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 5, Temp: 80F - Added 4ml Bacterlife
Day 7 - Ph: 7.8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 5, Temp: 80F - Added 4ml Bacterlife
Day 8 - Ph: 8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 5, Temp 80F - Added 4ml Bacterlife



NEW CYCLE DATA - Temp 80F
Day 1 - Ph: 7.4, Amm: 0.5, Ni: 0.25, Na: 10
Day 2 - PH: 7.4, Amm: 5, Ni: 0.50, Na: 20 - Added gravel before reading was taken
Day 3 - PH: 7.4, Amm: 4, Ni: 1.0, Na: 20
Day 4 - PH: 7.4, Amm: 3, Ni: 2, Na: 20
Day 5 - PH: 7.2, Amm: 1, Ni: 1.0, Na: 20
Day 6 - PH: 6.6, Amm: 0.25, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0
Day 7 - PH: 6.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 20 - carried out a water change, PH after is 7.4, Topped ammonia back up to 4.0ppm
Day 8 - PH: 7.2, Amm: 1, Ni: 5+, Na: 20
Day 9 - PH: 6.4, Amm: 0.25, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0
Day 10 - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0 - carried out a water change before testing, Ammonia topped up to 5
Day 11 - PH: 6.8, Amm: 0.5, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0
Day 12 - PH: 6.6, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0 - Adding Bi-carb to up PH to 8 and ammonia topped up to 4
Day 13 - PH: 8, Amm: 0.25, Ni: 5+, Na: 5
Day 14 - PH: 8.2, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 5 - Ammonia topped up to 4ppm
Day 15 - PH: 7.9, Amm: 1, Ni: 5+, Na: 160+
Day 16 - PH: 7.9, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0 - Ammonia topped up to 4ppm
Day 17 - PH: 8, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up
Day 18 - PH: 7.8, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 5.0 - Ammonia topped up
Day 19 - PH: 7.6, Amm: 0, Ni: 5+, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up
Day 20 - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0.25, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up
Day 21 - PH: 6.9, Amm: 0, Ni: 0.25, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up - Added Bi-Carb
Day 22 - PH: 8.0, Amm: 0, Ni: 0.25, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up
Day 23 - Ph: 7.8, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up
Day 24
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 5
PM - PH: 7.8, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 160+ - Ammonia topped up
Day 25
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0.5
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 80 - Ammonia topped up
Day 26
AM - PH: 6.8, Amm: 0, Ni: 5, Na: 80 - Added Bi-Carb
PM - PH: 7.8, Amm: 0, Ni: 1, Na: 60 - Ammonia topped up
Day 27
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 1
PM - PH: 7.9, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 80 - Ammonia topped up
Day 28
AM - Amm: 0.25, Ni: 0.75
PM - PH: 7.4 Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 80-160 - Ammonia topped up
Day 29
AM - Amm: 0.25, Ni: 1
PM - PH: 7.2, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 80 - Ammonia topped up
Day 30
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 1
PM - PH: 7.0, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 160 - Ammonia topped up, Added Bi-Carb
Day 31
AM - Amm: 1, Ni: 0.25
PM - PH: 7.9, Amm: 0, Ni: 0.25, Na: 160 - Ammonia topped up
Day 32
AM - Amm: 0.25, Ni: 0.50
PM - PH: 7.8, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 160 - Ammonia topped up - 90% water change
Day 33
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0.50
PM - PH: 7.2, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 60 - Ammonia topped up
Day 34 - Fish-in cycle! - added 2 Galaxy Rasbora
AM - Amm: 0 Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.0, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 35
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.2, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 36
AM - not tested
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 37
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 38 - added 2 galaxy rasboras
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 39
AM - Amm: 0.25, Ni: 0 - 20% water change
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 40
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 42
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 15
Day 43
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.2, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 15
Day 44
AM - not tested
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 20
Day 45
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0
PM - PH: 7.4, Amm: 0, Ni: 0, Na: 15
Day 46 - not tested
Day 47
AM - Amm: 0, Ni: 0

Fish-less Cycle, days 1-33

Fish-in cycle, days 34+

Blue: PH
Red: Ammonia
Orange: NitrItes
Green: NitrAtes

 

[peter1979]

PH 7.5, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 5.0ppm

Is that normal for there to be Nitrates in the tap water?
I dosed 1ml of Biomature last night when my tank was the right temp

yeah it is normal, i had the same too. You will probably find that the nitrate is in your water due to run off of fertilizers used in agriculture. Fertilizers contain nitrate and this leaches through the soil into the water table and eventually into your water supply. It can fluctuate depending on weather, if it is raining a lot nitrate levels may increase.

Peter

 

[Ryefish]

ok thank you for that. It wasnt picked up when i did the test tonight so it must have worked itself out...

 

[Ryefish]

Day 2 -
Ammonia: 6.0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate:0 (the nitrate test was a tad bit more orange than it was yesterday, but not enough to be on the scale)
Added 2ml of Bacterlife. Testing the PH tomorrow. Tomorrows test is going to be exciting

 

[Ryefish]

"Tomorrows" test was not exciting lol. More of a 'hmm'
Day 3 -
PH: 8, Ammonia: 8, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Temp: hovering around 24

Dosing 2ml of Bacterlife again...

What do i do if my PH goes higher?

 

[Ryefish]

So it seems i haven't been recording things i should have been recording - like the tests being just that slightly bit more darker in colour than the previous day.

Editing the first post to keep a full record of everything and contain the 'real' data.

Todays test:
PH: 7.8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 2.5, Temp: 26C (around 80F) - finally got the heater to stop at a temp

 

[Ryefish]

Day 5:
PH: 8, Amm: 4, Ni:0, Na: 5, Temp: 26C (80F) - Added 4ml's of Bacterlife

 

[Ryefish]

Day 6 - PH: 7.8, Amm: 4, Ni:0, Na: 5, Temp: 80F - Added 4ml Bacterlife

 

[Ryefish]

Day - 7
Ph: 7.8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 5, Temp 80F - Added 4ml Bacterlife

 

[Ryefish]

Day 8 - pretty much same as yesterday
Ph: 8, Amm: 4, Ni: 0, Na: 5

 

[Ryefish]

The gravel i have in my tank isnt suitable
Its putting dust everywhere and is too small for the filtration system.

thinking i will have to turn off my tank and begin my cycle another week

 

[Ryefish]

ive turned off the tank and im throwing the water away.
If i get some more gravel and try again, can i add some water that has nitrite and nitrate readings? will this do anything to a cycle?

 

[Ryefish]

*sigh*
So, after a lot of drama and upset last night, my tank is now re-filled with clean de-chlorinated water, with some added 'bucket water' for some bacteria.
The LFS will have some larger, rounder and not-so-sharp gravel for me this afternoon. They disagreed with the information that i couldn't use the spare bag of gravel that i got (the sharper stuff), but i decided to get another bag instead. So, bag no.3 had better be good, because i refuse to buy any more gravel.

I have some stones and plastic tubing sat in my tank (has been there since the clean-out last night) which have been in with some fish for a while and should keep the new bacteria alive for a while *fingers crossed*

The tank stats last night where:
PH: 7.6, Amm: 0.50, Ni: 0.25, Na: 10, Temp 80F

Ive added some Biomature which upped the Ammonia to 4.

How long does it take for Nitrites and Nitrates to die off?


The tank yesterday (note the cloudy water and 'dust' everywhere)

and today

 

[waterdrop]

I thought that was a petrified longhorn steer!

 

[Ryefish]

LOL!!!

No, that is my miniature piece of Bogwood lmao! I've had it a few weeks now The shape fits nicely around the bubble tube which is why i bought it



I started again last night, and as my last post says i topped up the ammonia to around 4 or 5 this afternoon.
A few hours later and the readings are:
Ph: 7.4, Ammonia: 4/5, Ni: 0.50, Na: 20, Temp: 80F

The nitrites and nitrates have doubled in 7 hours

ETA: It was a right faff on but i managed to get some more suitable gravel. Ill show pictures tomorrow