I think Essjay mentioned to raise the ammonia to 1ppm, I would do a bigger water change and then raise the ammonia back to 1ppm and then add the filter starter, you won't need water changes after that unless the ammonia and nitrite is way too high.
Two dead Bettas...
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
@Thank you - that’s my Saturday afternoon planned ?
I just remembered something I wanted to say! I have seen better results with TNC when I split the recommended dosage into portions and dose daily instead of just once every week. Your tank is 25L so you could dose 1ml of TNC 2-3 times per week.
Yes, for 1 betta in 25 litres is more than enough.
Use this method rather than ones you find on other sites. Scale down the amounts it says to use.
www.fishforums.net
Bear in mind that the method was written for a tank with no live plants or bacterial starters so with plants you may fine it goes a bit differently. The main thing is the tank needs to be able to clear a 1 ppm dose of ammonia to zero ammonia and zero nitrite in 24 hours to be cycled.
Use this method rather than ones you find on other sites. Scale down the amounts it says to use.
Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!
Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...
www.fishforums.net
Bear in mind that the method was written for a tank with no live plants or bacterial starters so with plants you may fine it goes a bit differently. The main thing is the tank needs to be able to clear a 1 ppm dose of ammonia to zero ammonia and zero nitrite in 24 hours to be cycled.
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
@Essjay - It’s a good thing there are no fish in the tank - I’m turning into a slightly deranged chemist and want to ‘see’ things happening!
Having been inspired by finding ammonia (0.25ppm) and thinking this is what I need to get things started I decided to try and “blend” methods.
I did a 50% water change to reduce Nitrates, add ammonia and filter start results: ammonia between 1 and 2 ppm, Nitrites 0 ppm and Nitrates between 10 and 20 ppm.
This morning, 16 hours into the 24, the ammonia has dropped slightly to 1ppm and the Nitrites are still 0.
I‘m anticipating that stage 1 (ammonia to Nitrite) may be starting and that this process will increase in efficiency as that section of BB activates. I was expecting the Nitrite reading to start increasing at the same time...as yesterday that isn’t happening. It’s going to be a long wait until 4pm this afternoon ???
?
Having been inspired by finding ammonia (0.25ppm) and thinking this is what I need to get things started I decided to try and “blend” methods.
I did a 50% water change to reduce Nitrates, add ammonia and filter start results: ammonia between 1 and 2 ppm, Nitrites 0 ppm and Nitrates between 10 and 20 ppm.
This morning, 16 hours into the 24, the ammonia has dropped slightly to 1ppm and the Nitrites are still 0.
I‘m anticipating that stage 1 (ammonia to Nitrite) may be starting and that this process will increase in efficiency as that section of BB activates. I was expecting the Nitrite reading to start increasing at the same time...as yesterday that isn’t happening. It’s going to be a long wait until 4pm this afternoon ???
?
It is quite possible that the reason you have no nitrites is because the plants are taking up the ammonia and turning it into protein inside the plants.
The main thing is that the tank can remove 1 ppm ammonia to zero ammonia and zero nitrite in 24 hours, whether it's plants or bacteria doing it.
The main thing is that the tank can remove 1 ppm ammonia to zero ammonia and zero nitrite in 24 hours, whether it's plants or bacteria doing it.
Have patience, nothing "good" happens "fast" in this hobby....you'll get there...@Essjay - It’s a good thing there are no fish in the tank - I’m turning into a slightly deranged chemist and want to ‘see’ things happening!
Having been inspired by finding ammonia (0.25ppm) and thinking this is what I need to get things started I decided to try and “blend” methods.
I did a 50% water change to reduce Nitrates, add ammonia and filter start results: ammonia between 1 and 2 ppm, Nitrites 0 ppm and Nitrates between 10 and 20 ppm.
This morning, 16 hours into the 24, the ammonia has dropped slightly to 1ppm and the Nitrites are still 0.
I‘m anticipating that stage 1 (ammonia to Nitrite) may be starting and that this process will increase in efficiency as that section of BB activates. I was expecting the Nitrite reading to start increasing at the same time...as yesterday that isn’t happening. It’s going to be a long wait until 4pm this afternoon ???
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
@Slaphppy7 - Fast??? I started “cycling” this tank as per my lfs on 6th March!!
Even I didn’t know that I had this much patience ?
Even I didn’t know that I had this much patience ?
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
@--Mike-- I’m not about “city” water, I think it might be different in NY?
Portsmouth Water supply my water, their website says my water is ‘moderately hard’
I use NT Labs “Tap Water Safe” which I believe removes chlorine etc.
@Essjay, just taken the readings at 24hrs, still no nitrates (probably the plant) and the ammonia is at 0.25 ppm ?
Although I’m now running out of order, the fish less cycling says to add another full dose of ammonia and wait another 24hrs... is this correct?
Portsmouth Water supply my water, their website says my water is ‘moderately hard’
I use NT Labs “Tap Water Safe” which I believe removes chlorine etc.
@Essjay, just taken the readings at 24hrs, still no nitrates (probably the plant) and the ammonia is at 0.25 ppm ?
Although I’m now running out of order, the fish less cycling says to add another full dose of ammonia and wait another 24hrs... is this correct?
Ignore the words used to describe hardness, water companies always make it sound harder than we, as fishkeepers, consider it. This is why we always say to look at numbers.
The two units used in fish keeping are ppm (which is the same as mg/l calcium carbonate) and dH (which is the same as German degrees). Yours is 281 ppm and 16 dH.
To be honest, that's a bit on the hard side for bettas, though most of the bettas nowadays can tolerate a wider range of hardness & pH.
I would add the full ammonia dose (1 ppm) and test again in 24 hours. Plants do change the way a fishless cycle progresses.
The two units used in fish keeping are ppm (which is the same as mg/l calcium carbonate) and dH (which is the same as German degrees). Yours is 281 ppm and 16 dH.
To be honest, that's a bit on the hard side for bettas, though most of the bettas nowadays can tolerate a wider range of hardness & pH.
I would add the full ammonia dose (1 ppm) and test again in 24 hours. Plants do change the way a fishless cycle progresses.
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
@Essjay - I’m going in circles...
On the 14th April at 18:30 I had readings of 0.25 Ammonia and 2ppm Nitrites (checking if things were moving).
On the 15th April at 08:00 (24hrs) I had 0 Ammonia and 2ppm Nitrites...I added ammonia and got to 1ppm - at this point Nitrites were still 2ppm.
Today, 16th April, at the 24 hour point I have 0 Ammonia and 0.25 ppm of Nitrates.
I‘ve got plants growing... especially the floaty ones with the red roots...
What next..? Another dose of Ammonia...? (To 1ppm?)
On the 14th April at 18:30 I had readings of 0.25 Ammonia and 2ppm Nitrites (checking if things were moving).
On the 15th April at 08:00 (24hrs) I had 0 Ammonia and 2ppm Nitrites...I added ammonia and got to 1ppm - at this point Nitrites were still 2ppm.
Today, 16th April, at the 24 hour point I have 0 Ammonia and 0.25 ppm of Nitrates.
I‘ve got plants growing... especially the floaty ones with the red roots...
What next..? Another dose of Ammonia...? (To 1ppm?)
Did you mean 0.25 ppm of nitrites or nitrate?
I would be inclined to wait till tomorrow, then add ammonia. And see what nitrite is before you add it. Just because you are dealing with smaller doses of ammonia than would be the case for a larger tank which would hold more fish.
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
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NannaLou
Fish Herder
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