So it begins

[Dajuyu]

What stock do you have in there ?

Am into variation of Sharks ..

Rainbow
Silver
Cigar
Red Tail
Irisdescent but this one is already remove to outside POND

 

[Jadzir]

Am into variation of Sharks ..

Rainbow
Silver
Cigar
Red Tail
Irisdescent but this one is already remove to outside POND

No wonder you have so much filtration.

 

[Jadzir]

Test results for today.
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 2-5
Wait until next test to see if nitrite drops ?

 

[Sunnyspots]

I think so. We might end up cycled on the same day . It must be a peninsular thing .

 

[Jadzir]

Day 26 of the cycle.
7 days after adding snack dose.
Ammonia =0
Nitrites = 0 ( did two tests to make sure)
Full dose of ammonia added.
All done following the fishless cycle guide on here and with advice from the members.
Getting closer now.

 

[Jadzir]

Ammonia and nitrate going down after the full ammonia dose.
Thought it seemed to be moving slowly so checked my pH. It had dropped to 6.6
Baking cupboard to the rescue with some bicarb.
pH now 7.6
Hopefully that will sort it.

 

[Jadzir]

So raising the Ph yesterday did the trick.
Ammonia and nitrite both at 0 today.
Full dose of ammonia added.

 

[itiwhetu]

So out of interest when does it end. And you are allowed to add fish.

 

[Essjay]

The end point is when you add enough ammonia to have a reading of 3 ppm and 24 hours later both ammonia and nitrite are zero. Because a lot of nitrate is made during this method of cycling (and in Jadzir's case, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda have been added to prevent a pH crash due to very low KH), once the double zeros have been measured, a big water change is done (and I mean almost all the water) then once it's reached the preset temperature you can go fish shopping.
In theory all the intended fish can be bought on the same shopping trip. But in practice it is better to buy less than this to give some 'wiggle room'. Some fish need a mature tank not just a cycled tank and these fish should be added later. Six months is the usual recommendation.

 

[itiwhetu]

How many more days is that away approximately

 

[Sunnyspots]

How many more days is that away approximately

That's the million dollar question! It is so unpredictable.

 

[Essjay]

In Jadzir's case, it could be tomorrow. In general terms, asking how long a cycle will take is a like asking how long is a piece of string.



Some places have very low KH in the tap water, and cycling creates a lot of acidic things (nitrite, nitrate) which can cause the pH to fall rapidly off the scale. The bacteria we want to grow in non-plant cycling stop multiplying at low pH so where tap water KH is low, we need to artificially boost KH for the duration of cycling only. If the pH does drop, as Jadzir reports, it stalls the cycle but now that she's boosted KH and pH again the cycle should complete quickly.

 

[itiwhetu]

I just hope at some stage Jadzir gets the tank that He/Her dreams of

 

[Jadzir]

I just hope at some stage Jadzir gets the tank that He/Her dreams of

No rush. Waiting for it all to complete the process. It will be finished before too long.

 

[Jadzir]

Tested today. Both at 0.
Took 24 hours less for the nitrite to drop this time.
Have added full dose of ammonia.
Back to the waiting game.