The Missing Nitrite
- Thread starter macphyter
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Well, I wish I could say I'm all cycled and stocked with fish now, but I'm still struggling. I can't decide if there is something wrong, or if I just need to be a little more patient. Here's where things stand- I've reached the point in the cycling guide where I add a full dose, and check to see if its 0/0 after 24 hours.
When I dose it up and check it after 24 hours, I sometimes get 0.5 ammonia and 1.0 nitrite- In this case, I'll wait another 24 hours and the test turns out to be 0/0, so I dose it back up. Sometimes I get 0.25 ammonia and 0.5 nitrite- In this case, I give it the full amount again that same day. From a full dose, it takes more than 24 hours, but less than 48 hours to go completely zero. I've only been testing once a day, so I don't know the exact figure, but it must be around 36 hours. According to the cycling guide, it shouldn't be in this state for very long, but its been dragging out like this for over 10 days now.
My temperature is set to 78F, and my PH has been steady at 8.0, so there's no PH crash. Is there anything else I can do? Should I turn up the temperature? What if I stock it with fish now, and let the cycle finish on its own, while monitoring the levels to be sure?
Its just so close, but now my wife has resorted to taunting me with "Is it ready for fish yet" in a very mocking tone almost every day.
When I dose it up and check it after 24 hours, I sometimes get 0.5 ammonia and 1.0 nitrite- In this case, I'll wait another 24 hours and the test turns out to be 0/0, so I dose it back up. Sometimes I get 0.25 ammonia and 0.5 nitrite- In this case, I give it the full amount again that same day. From a full dose, it takes more than 24 hours, but less than 48 hours to go completely zero. I've only been testing once a day, so I don't know the exact figure, but it must be around 36 hours. According to the cycling guide, it shouldn't be in this state for very long, but its been dragging out like this for over 10 days now.
My temperature is set to 78F, and my PH has been steady at 8.0, so there's no PH crash. Is there anything else I can do? Should I turn up the temperature? What if I stock it with fish now, and let the cycle finish on its own, while monitoring the levels to be sure?
Its just so close, but now my wife has resorted to taunting me with "Is it ready for fish yet" in a very mocking tone almost every day.
macphyter said:
Its just so close, but now my wife has resorted to taunting me with "Is it ready for fish yet" in a very mocking tone almost every day.
I know how you feel, I got the same from my husband during my first ridiculously long cycle. Any time I would try to give him an update on progress he'd say "has it got fish in it yet?".
I'm currently cycling yet another tank and he's still saying the same thing
although now I'm pretty sure it's just to wind me upDon't put fish in - let the cycle finish! You've come this far. Just a bit more patience and you'll be done soon
Your temp is fine and you're wise to keep an eye on your pH. Give it a bit longer.
TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
Just one point- The directions for Dr. Tims product are not the same as in the cycling guide. There you dose the tank the first day, add the bacteria and on day 2 you dose 1/2 the amount as on day 1. You do this regardless of the readings. After this you do not dose any ammonia again until the have 0/0 at which point you dose the original amount again and it should clear in a day or less.
While dehlors do work instantly, the reason for waiting 24 hours to add the bacteria is that when they detoxify ammonia, this makes it less useful to the bacteria. Most of the ammonia detoxifiers dissipate in about a day. So by waiting a day you get more bang for your buck. Ideally you should have done a huge water change on the tank, added the dechlor and then the next day dosed the ammonia and added the bacteria. then the next day added the 1/2 dose of ammonia.
When using bacterial additives it is important not to mix the directions they supply with the cycling directions here. The ones here are written for folks cycling the old fashioned way. They do advise that when seeding bacteria you reduce the test intervals by a day.
The final thing is that Prime will interfere with ammonia test results until its ammonia neutralizers are dissipated, so false results are possible.
The really wild part of all this is that the amount of chlorine or chloramine one normally might get in tap water will not kill the bacteria once they are established in their biofilm. Chlorine will out gas before that could happen and chloramine will break down and produce low levels of both chlorine and ammonia. The chlorine part evaporates pretty quickly and the ammonia part feeds the bacteria. However, these chlorine/chloramine levels would be enough to harm fish. Amazing how the biofilm protects the bacteria.
While dehlors do work instantly, the reason for waiting 24 hours to add the bacteria is that when they detoxify ammonia, this makes it less useful to the bacteria. Most of the ammonia detoxifiers dissipate in about a day. So by waiting a day you get more bang for your buck. Ideally you should have done a huge water change on the tank, added the dechlor and then the next day dosed the ammonia and added the bacteria. then the next day added the 1/2 dose of ammonia.
When using bacterial additives it is important not to mix the directions they supply with the cycling directions here. The ones here are written for folks cycling the old fashioned way. They do advise that when seeding bacteria you reduce the test intervals by a day.
The final thing is that Prime will interfere with ammonia test results until its ammonia neutralizers are dissipated, so false results are possible.
The really wild part of all this is that the amount of chlorine or chloramine one normally might get in tap water will not kill the bacteria once they are established in their biofilm. Chlorine will out gas before that could happen and chloramine will break down and produce low levels of both chlorine and ammonia. The chlorine part evaporates pretty quickly and the ammonia part feeds the bacteria. However, these chlorine/chloramine levels would be enough to harm fish. Amazing how the biofilm protects the bacteria.
Well, it finally happened. My tank has finally cycled- 44 days after switching to hard water and 62 days overall. It processed a full dose of ammonia down to 0/0 in 24 hours. I had processed so much ammonia during this period, that of course my nitrate was sky high... I had to perform a 50% water change 3 times over 3 days in order to get the nitrate down to 20 ppm. This whole task was a serious test of my patience, and enduring the quitisssential question... "Is it ready for fish yet" from my family. My kids couldn't believe it when I said "Lets go get some fish".
Today I stocked it with one dwarf gourami, 6 neon tetras, 3 red wag platys, and 4 ghost shrimp. Seems about right for a 20 gal tank. At first they all hid in the shady corners of the tank, but after several hours they came out to explore. They seem to be happy enough, so we'll see how it goes.
TTA- thanks for all your advice, I could have never done it without the support on this forum. I feel like I've graduated from class or something.
I'm already thinking of a bigger tank now, but don't tell my wife!
Today I stocked it with one dwarf gourami, 6 neon tetras, 3 red wag platys, and 4 ghost shrimp. Seems about right for a 20 gal tank. At first they all hid in the shady corners of the tank, but after several hours they came out to explore. They seem to be happy enough, so we'll see how it goes.
TTA- thanks for all your advice, I could have never done it without the support on this forum. I feel like I've graduated from class or something.
I'm already thinking of a bigger tank now, but don't tell my wife!
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