When ammonia drops but not nitrite and other cycling issues

[enricosonic]

You'll probably end up running an acidic tank where the latter stages of the nitrogen cycle aren't an issue. Ammonia exists as less toxic (almost harmless) ammonium, and if you're planted and not overstocked, everything will take care if itself.
You'll need to keep a close eye on your pH during the early stages until you get a feel for how its running.

Or, and depending what fish you want to keep, you might want to look into buffering your water by adding salts that raise the KH. This will ensure growth of nitrosomonas bacteria and keep the cycle stable.

I’ll definitely be on the acidic side. I’m planted and was planning on adding 2-3 angelfish, some kuhli and/or yoyo loaches and oto catfish, assuming they’d be suited to my parameters.

 

[Essjay]

Those fish are suited to soft acidic water. If the pH is below 7.0 when there are fish in the tank, any ammonia reading will be in the ammonium form (our testers register ammonia and ammonium). But there is no safe form of nitrite.

For cycling treat this is being dose #2, so test every second day and wait until you've had zero ammonia and zero ammonia again 2 days later. I would also test pH every time you test for ammonia & nitrite then you'll spot a downward trend. There are things you can add to keep the pH up during cycling, and the big water change at the end will remove it all ready for fish. If the pH keeps dropping, ask about stabilising pH.

 

[enricosonic]

There are things you can add to keep the pH up during cycling

I have Seachem Neutral Regulator I bought for another tank. I haven’t used it based on the idea that is was nothing but a temporary fix for a larger problem. You mean use it if needed here because the big water change at the end will rid my tank of it anyway?

 

[Essjay]

You can do all sorts of things to water chemistry during a fishless cycle because you get rid of it all before getting fish

In this case, you need to raise your KH to stop the pH dropping and put inorganic carbon into the tank for the bacteria. Looking at Seachem Neutral Regulator, it says it precipitates calcium and magnesium to soften water and it removes chlorine. It doesn't say anything about KH.
If you have any baking soda (not baking powder) in the kitchen, you can use that during cycling. That's sodium hydrogen carbonate and it will increase both KH and pH. Try 1 tablespoon per 12 gallons - dissolve it in a container with a bit of tank water then pour into the tank. Still keep an eye on the pH and if necessary, add a second dose if the pH starts to drop again. (If there isn't any in the kitchen, it's in the home baking section of the supermarket)

 

[enricosonic]

You can do all sorts of things to water chemistry during a fishless cycle because you get rid of it all before getting fish

In this case, you need to raise your KH to stop the pH dropping and put inorganic carbon into the tank for the bacteria. Looking at Seachem Neutral Regulator, it says it precipitates calcium and magnesium to soften water and it removes chlorine. It doesn't say anything about KH.
If you have any baking soda (not baking powder) in the kitchen, you can use that during cycling. That's sodium hydrogen carbonate and it will increase both KH and pH. Try 1 tablespoon per 12 gallons - dissolve it in a container with a bit of tank water then pour into the tank. Still keep an eye on the pH and if necessary, add a second dose if the pH starts to drop again. (If there isn't any in the kitchen, it's in the home baking section of the supermarket)

I know my way around a kitchen more than around a fish tank - I have baking soda!

 

[enricosonic]

After adding the baking soda the pH reads about 6.8- 7. I wonder why it dropped as much as it did and I think having several large pieces of driftwood may not be a great idea for my tank.

 

[Essjay]

Nitrite and nitrate are both acidic and as there's lot of them made during a fishless cycle they can use up low KH quite quickly.

 

[mbsqw1d]

If you are planning on keeping fish that prefer acidic conditions, you might try and raise your kH without altering your pH too much. Using Seachem’s Alkaline and Acid buffers together, you can raise kH without significantly altering your pH. These would have to be used at every water change.

Some people however, use pure RO water (0 kh) without buffers as they want an acidic tank.

 

[enricosonic]

Thanks for the info as usual. Today pH is 7.2, ammonia .50 ppm and nitrite between 1.0-2.0 ppm.

Tank is pretty cloudy, I don't know if this is bacterial bloom or what. I did move a plant and stirred up the gravel a bit but it wouldn’t explain this much cloudiness.

 

[enricosonic]

A GH/KH test kit arrives tomorrow.

 

[Rocky998]

A GH/KH test kit arrives tomorrow.

Great news!

 

[enricosonic]

A GH/KH test kit arrives tomorrow.

Make that Saturday on the GH/KH test kit.

Tank was/is pretty cloudy, quite a bit less so today. Ammonia is essentially zero, pH 7.2, nitrite never seems to deviate in my tank... 2.0 ppm. Nitrate? About 30 ppm.

I'm going to do a 90% water change, then add each and every brand that claims to "instantly cycle" my tank. Piss off if you don't agree.

The last sentence was in jest.

 

[Rocky998]

I wouldnt recommend "every" brand as you say lol... But maybe get something like that... The water change will be helpful in decreasing the nitrites. Are you sure that the nitrites are at 2ppm? It could be 5ppm+ as I know the API test thing shows them with almost the same color

 

[enricosonic]

Please don’t ask me to determine shades of purple/blue anymore. I might hurt someone.

 

[Rocky998]

Please don’t ask me to determine shades of purple/blue anymore. I might hurt someone.

Maybe this color sheet will help?