Test Results Help Needed Please.

[Ethan040]

Ive got a 10g tank ive been fishless cycling it with just used media from a good source im using a API master test kit and here are my results.

Ammonia: between 1.0 and 2.00ppm
PH: 7.6
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

What would i need to do next?

Thanks

 

[Kelsyann]

Okay you're off to a good start. Are you using pure ammonia to cycle? All you need to do now is wait until the ammonia goes down to 0 then add enough to bring it back up to around 4ppm then wait for it to go down again. Once you can add 4ppm of ammonia and have it and the nitrIte be 0 within 12 hours, you've completed your cycle! good luck!

 

[Ethan040]

Ive not used any pure ammonia just used media from friends.

The tanks been running for about 2 weeks with used media in it ive only just got my kit though the post though.

 

[fishyfeet]

Have you any fish in it, whats causing the ammonia, your tank should be cycled by now. di

 

[Ethan040]

No there's no fish in it there's a few tiny snails in there but that's it there is 2 small live plants and a moss ball also.

Any ideas what i should do next?

Thanks

 

[fishyfeet]

are you adding fish food, to keep the bacteria reproducing, di

 

[Ethan040]

No just a big dirty bit of used media and its been left.

Ive been waiting on the kit for a while now that's why ive only just done the test.

 

[fishyfeet]

so no i dont think your tanks cycled at all. i would start again, add a couple of prawns, a pinch of fish food a day, turn the heat up and test every couple of days, ammonia should rise to about 4, then nitrites should show and the ammonia start to drop, then nitrates show and climb whilst nitrites drop, then its ready for fish. The snails may help slightly, hense the ammonia reading. di

 

[355858]

you need ammonia to feed the bacteria from the mature filter otherwise it will die..

 

[fishyfeet]

you need ammonia to feed the bacteria from the mature filter otherwise it will die..

exactly and if it been hanging around i suspect most of it has died off, prawns and fish food will increase ammonia therefore restarting the process. di

 

[Ethan040]

Il start again then i can get more mature media so i should be ok.

 

[waterdrop]

You can choose between supplying the ammonia via measured amounts of pure ammonia to give yourself more clear feedback of the progress of the cycling process or you can have a more hands-off less controlled approach with prawns/shrimp or fishfood, which can also get a bit smelly. Its mostly just depends on your personality and curiosity level.

If you want to go the route of feeding your bacteria with ammonia, there's the business of finding just the "right" ammonia by looking at Boots, or other mop&broom sections of stores (assuming UK.) The members here can be a good help with this.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[fishyfeet]

yep get more filter media, and dont forget ammonia to feed it, depends if you're about to trawel round shops trying to find some, others seem to get it from boots, ive never brought it, and set up half a doz tanks without no problem with the shrimp/fishfood method, you can start it right now on a sunday evening, di