Water Chemistry And Fishless Cycling

[benzonar]

Does anyone know if having an extremely soft water tank can have an impact on the time it takes to carry out fishless cycling.

I have carried out fishless cycling before and it has a;ways taken about 3 weeks in total before the tank is fully cycled.

This time it is taking ages and the only real difference is that I am going for an extremely softwater tank. Ph is also quite low at 4.5

It is now 3 weeks and I am yet to have any raised levels of nitrite, the filter media was out of the water but in a sealed plastic bag for two weeks so no previous bacteria could have survived.

The ammonia is dropping, but no nitrite. Nitrate is quite high. Its got me flummoxed

 

[sylvia]

The ammonia is dropping yet you have no increase in ntirites? That's not possible - check your test kit is working alright... Or perhaps the problem is that the nitrite levels are still too low to be detectable.

Yes, BTW, pH does effect the rate/ability of bacteria to grow. It may well make things more difficult. Consider using tankwater at a higher pH and then, once the cycle is complete, gradualy lowering it - then, hopefuly, the bacteria will be established and the gradual drop won't kill them off.

edit: One more thing - perhaps the ammonia isn't actualy decreasing? I recall reading that ammonia becomes less toxic at a low pH - I imagine this is due to something like the dissociation of the NH3 being prevented (anyone know?) - perhaps test kits can't actualy detect it in this form (maybe try a different test kit - never realy bothered to look into just how test kits work and what chemicals they use lol - something new to research I suppose ).

edit2: should mention that this last comment was pure speculation

 

[benzonar]

Just found this article which may be of some interest.

It appears that the growth of nitrobacter and nitrosomonas are inhibited at any ph under 6.5. Also at the temp and ph my tank is currently at a ammonia level of 10mg would be considered safe (or at least non-toxic).

Will attempt to do a 70% water change this evening to bump the ph back up, its all the bloody bogwood I have in the new tank that is dropping the ph. Far too much humic acid!!