Warehouses Fishless Cycling Log

[Whitey_144]

Day 10: Re-dosed up to 4ppm Ammonia last night, almost 24 hours later the Ammonia reads 2, so we're definately growing something in that filter! Nitrite 5+.

I have the API freshwater master test kit (liquid), and using 8 drops of Ammonia test liquid from 2 bottles every day is not going to last forever. I'm already wondering where is a good place to buy replacements for them? Anyone have any tips?

it lasts longer than you expect, also for ammonia and nitrate i fill up halfway and use half the amount of drops.

sometimes i do the proper amount of drops though, just to be sure

 

[Warehouse]

it lasts longer than you expect, also for ammonia and nitrate i fill up halfway and use half the amount of drops.

Great idea! I'll be marking the halfway point on the tubes later

 

[Warehouse]

Day 11: Decided to go for the whole range of tests today.

Ammonia = 1, Nitrite = 5+ PH = 7.6, PH High = 8.2, Nitrate = under 5, (don't know why it measured at 40 a few days ago, user error probably).

Thinking about the PH and PH High readings, is there any point doing the PH reading if the PH High is showing on the PH High chart? Shouldn't one be called PH High and the other PH Low, or have I missed something here?

Otherwise looking OK. I'll try and hold off the next ammonia dosage until this one hits zero. Can't wait to see anything other than deep purple on the Nitrite test tube!

 

[Skins]

Day 11: Decided to go for the whole range of tests today.

Ammonia = 1, Nitrite = 5+ PH = 7.6, PH High = 8.2, Nitrate = under 5, (don't know why it measured at 40 a few days ago, user error probably).

Thinking about the PH and PH High readings, is there any point doing the PH reading if the PH High is showing on the PH High chart? Shouldn't one be called PH High and the other PH Low, or have I missed something here?

Otherwise looking OK. I'll try and hold off the next ammonia dosage until this one hits zero. Can't wait to see anything other than deep purple on the Nitrite test tube!

I would only test pH with the low range, when fishless cycling you only need to worry about your pH crashing(going down).

Keith.

 

[Warehouse]

Day 12: Ammonia = 0.25 Nitrite = 5+

Ammonia now going down nicely, perhaps if I play a bit of classical music at the filter the N-Bacs will hurry up a little? Anyway, I'm going to let the Ammonia get to 0 before adding any more, (I read that it helps promote a healthier crop of A-Bacs if you let the Ammonia drop to 0 rather than be tempted to add more when at 0.5ppm and lower). However, it's very very tempting to "fiddle" with the tank in some way, so even as I write this out I'm trying hard not to add that Ammonia!! I thought giving up smoking was tough, this is mental torture .

 

[Warehouse]

Day 13: Ammonia as close to 0 as d***it, Nitrite over 5. Dosed Ammonia back up to 4-5 ppm.

Took another trip to the LFS today to check out some more fish. Definately going to be getting 5+ Panda Cory's, cherry shrimp and some tetra's, (possibly cardinals). Liked the Rasbora's but they didn't have the Hengeli variety to have a look at.

Got to do a bit more research on the royal red dwarf gouramis, platys, tiger barbs, zebra danios, guppy's, angels and the dwarf neon rainbowfish. It's not as though we're rushed for time though .

 

[Aqua Tom]

Day 10: Re-dosed up to 4ppm Ammonia last night, almost 24 hours later the Ammonia reads 2, so we're definately growing something in that filter! Nitrite 5+.

I have the API freshwater master test kit (liquid), and using 8 drops of Ammonia test liquid from 2 bottles every day is not going to last forever. I'm already wondering where is a good place to buy replacements for them? Anyone have any tips?

it lasts longer than you expect, also for ammonia and nitrate i fill up halfway and use half the amount of drops.

sometimes i do the proper amount of drops though, just to be sure

Err so how do you do half of five or three drops?

 

[Joshwainwright]

Now that sir, is a good question.

 

[Warehouse]

If 5 drops of nitrite treats 5ml of tank water then I'd drop it to 3ml and 3 drops rather than halfway as Whitey suggested.

Nitrite drops are not the issue though, it's the 8 drops of Ammonia test solution from the 2 bottles that originally concerned me with regards to running low, so I've marked the halfway point on the test tube, (and checked with my dropper that it's 2.5ml). That should get me through the cycle with Ammonia drops to spare. Once the fish are in and have been for a month, I'll get a new test kit ordered from EBay as those refills are so expensive.

 

[Joshwainwright]

£5.99

 

[Warehouse]

£5.99

Cheapest on ebay is now £7.30, the whole kit is £21.50.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Oh, I see. That's more than stupid.

 

[Warehouse]

Day 14: Ammonia = between 1 and 2, Nitrite = 5+

Notice that the new hang in tank thermometer is reading different from the stick on one by +2 degrees.

 

[Warehouse]

Day 15: Ammonia = 0.5 Nitrite = +5 PH = 7.6 PH High = 8.2

Last time I re-dosed it took 4 days to get the Ammonia to 0, now it's already at 0.5 just 2 days later, so those Ammonia crunching bacteria are definately coming on. The Nitrites Bacs are due to the party any time now, (stuck on the M25 apparently), so daily PH tests until they arrive are now going to happen. Unfortunately I've lost a lid to one of my test tubes which is a pain, I'm sure more test tubes will be cheap though.

Otherwise I took a gander to Maidenhead Aquatics on my lunch break today to check out the fish....again! I'm growing more and more fond of the Rasboras and the way they shoal and can't wait to get those Panda Cory's. Strange thing though was that one of the assistants there told me that in his experience the cardinal tetras were way more sensitive to new tanks than the neons, (which I also posted on another thread).

 

[Aqua Tom]

Strange thing though was that one of the assistants there told me that in his experience the cardinal tetras were way more sensitive to new tanks than the neons, (which I also posted on another thread).

Once again we have an example of bad advice from LFS. Cardinals are wayyyyy tougher in new tanks than neons (& look better imho anyway).

"Oh sir, sorry to here your Neons died, we have them on offer for 5 for a tenner if you want to restock". Kerching

It just goes to show that the way to choose fish is to go to the LFS armed with a pen & paper, take notes of what takes your fancy, then do your OWN research.


Tom