boomer2000ctr
New Member
Test kits used: API Master Test Kit used for Ammonia, PH, NitrIe, and NitrAte. Mardel 5 in 1 test strips used for Total Alkalinity and General Hardness.
55 US Gallon tank.
Filters: Penguin 330 bio-wheel and Emperor 400 bio-wheel
Temperature: 80-84F
My Local Tap Water:
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
PH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 240ppm
General Hardness: 250ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 0ppm
Current Tank Water:
Ammonia: 1.0ppm
PH: 6.8
Total Alkalinity: 80ppm
General Hardness: 250ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm
I think I’ve been fishless cycling for about a month now. But just about 2 weeks ago I went into a re-cycle, my tank seemed like it was ready. I was getting the ammonia spikes and then the nitrIte spikes as well. So I did a 90% water change and added new water with out de-chloring the water, so I think I killed a good deal of the bacteria in the gravel. I did turn off the filters. I took me about 20 min to change the water. So about 2 hours after I did the water change I got some fish, then I tested the water and ammonia was at 0ppm and NitrIe at 5.0ppm. So I wasn’t able to return the fish to my LFS so I added the fish, and they were fine for about a week. When the fish were in the tank the ammonia was at 0ppm, but NitrIe was still at 5.0. So I decided to return the fish to my LFS, so then I did a 50% water change, this time I did de-chlor the water, and then I added some ammonia. So after few days the ammonia did drop to 0, so I added some daily and tested daily. NitrIe was still at 5.0 for about a week and a half, until now they dropped to 0, well when I test the water its not exactly light blue which means it’s at 0 it’s more at like a pale blue, but it’s not like a light purple which means is at 0.25. That’s according to the API master test kit. So now my ammonia seems to be locked at 1, it’s been like that for about 2 days now, and it hasn’t dropped. I haven’t added any ammonia since then. So until today I decided to test the NitrAte, PH, Total Alkalinity and General Hardness. So PH dropped about 0.4 points compared to my local tap water, and the Total Alkalinity dropped 160ppm. NitrAte are at 10. I really don’t know why some of them dropped, but I’m suspecting that maybe the ceramic bio-tube peaces I got about 2 weeks ago might have something to do with it, do they? I also have some live plants, I don’t know the name but they are like long grass. I have some of them in there and the rest are just fake ornaments. I also have some air stones pumping some bubbles inside the power filters. That’s about all that’s in the tank. The tank walls are getting covered in whiteish algae and some brownish algae. The tank lights are on 24/7. So I really don’t know what’s going on, what do u think? I think I should do a large water change and then let it sit for about a few days then see what my readings are, but I need some advice first. Well any help and advice would be great! Happy holidays! Thanks!
55 US Gallon tank.
Filters: Penguin 330 bio-wheel and Emperor 400 bio-wheel
Temperature: 80-84F
My Local Tap Water:
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
PH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 240ppm
General Hardness: 250ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 0ppm
Current Tank Water:
Ammonia: 1.0ppm
PH: 6.8
Total Alkalinity: 80ppm
General Hardness: 250ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 10ppm
I think I’ve been fishless cycling for about a month now. But just about 2 weeks ago I went into a re-cycle, my tank seemed like it was ready. I was getting the ammonia spikes and then the nitrIte spikes as well. So I did a 90% water change and added new water with out de-chloring the water, so I think I killed a good deal of the bacteria in the gravel. I did turn off the filters. I took me about 20 min to change the water. So about 2 hours after I did the water change I got some fish, then I tested the water and ammonia was at 0ppm and NitrIe at 5.0ppm. So I wasn’t able to return the fish to my LFS so I added the fish, and they were fine for about a week. When the fish were in the tank the ammonia was at 0ppm, but NitrIe was still at 5.0. So I decided to return the fish to my LFS, so then I did a 50% water change, this time I did de-chlor the water, and then I added some ammonia. So after few days the ammonia did drop to 0, so I added some daily and tested daily. NitrIe was still at 5.0 for about a week and a half, until now they dropped to 0, well when I test the water its not exactly light blue which means it’s at 0 it’s more at like a pale blue, but it’s not like a light purple which means is at 0.25. That’s according to the API master test kit. So now my ammonia seems to be locked at 1, it’s been like that for about 2 days now, and it hasn’t dropped. I haven’t added any ammonia since then. So until today I decided to test the NitrAte, PH, Total Alkalinity and General Hardness. So PH dropped about 0.4 points compared to my local tap water, and the Total Alkalinity dropped 160ppm. NitrAte are at 10. I really don’t know why some of them dropped, but I’m suspecting that maybe the ceramic bio-tube peaces I got about 2 weeks ago might have something to do with it, do they? I also have some live plants, I don’t know the name but they are like long grass. I have some of them in there and the rest are just fake ornaments. I also have some air stones pumping some bubbles inside the power filters. That’s about all that’s in the tank. The tank walls are getting covered in whiteish algae and some brownish algae. The tank lights are on 24/7. So I really don’t know what’s going on, what do u think? I think I should do a large water change and then let it sit for about a few days then see what my readings are, but I need some advice first. Well any help and advice would be great! Happy holidays! Thanks!
