Aquaone 980

[pjandnoo]

This is the test I had after 12hrs this evening. Nice to see NitrAtes are moving up. The first two will be back to zero in the morning and I will add more ammonia then.

 

[OldMan47]

It looks like you have ammonia and nitrites around 0.50 ppm. You certainly do have some nitrates there too.

 

[waterdrop]

Yup, you're clearly in the 3rd phase and waiting for nitrite to be able to drop to zero ppm within 12 hours instead of more. Keep an eye on the pH. As the nitrate(NO3) gets higher and higher, the small percentage of it that is acid may suddenly drive your pH down to where the cycling process will stop. Very high nitrate also slows N-Bac development separate of the pH issue I believe. If the pH dropped below 7 I'd probably consider a large weekend water change.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[pjandnoo]

I checked the water again this morning and the ammonia was back to 0 (light yellow) and the nitrites back to 0 (light blue) I will test the PH later and like you said do a water change at the weekend if required.

Thanks Guys

Happy new year to you all by the way

 

[pjandnoo]

Day 31 - All clear again - added ammonia

Tested PH this afternoon 6.8 - 7.0??

Do you think I should do a water change?

 

[waterdrop]

Its up to you, looks like either way would still be ok. Personally, I've never felt it hurt the fishless cycle much in the 3rd phase to perform a large (90% - since smaller percentages have no meaning without fish in there!) water change and then recharge the ammonia back to 5ppm. For some beginners it seems to get them all messed up because then all the test feedback is confusing for a while but in my opinion it settles back out and usually the bacteria return to growing a little faster since the water change usually achieves the raising of the mineral content and the pH at least a bit and who knows what other stimulant it might add to the process.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[pjandnoo]

Thanks Waterdrop,

I think we will give a water change a go, at least it will allow us to get rid of the brown water and some of the bits we put in the tank when we set it up. Ah and a bit of practice with changing the water never goes a miss does it

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I actually have this idea that several gravel-clean-water-changes during the 3rd phase on weekends (even whether really totally needed or not) is a great way for a beginner to be working out the practical habits of how to accomplish it in their house with their equipment. There can be a fair amount of fuss to it and its an important weekly habit to establish. The trick is to always remember to dechlor, recharge the ammonia when your still fishless cycling and also the baking soda if you're using that to push the pH upwards.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[pjandnoo]

Day 0
Added 5ml ammonia
Day 1
4ppm Ammonia
Day 2
4ppm Ammonia
Day 3
2ppm Ammonia
Day 4
1ppm Ammonia
Day 5
0.25 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite
Day 6
0.00 Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 7
4ppm Ammonia - 0.50 Nitrite
Day 8
0.25 Ammonia - 1ppm Nitrite
Day 9
0.00 Ammonia - 0.25 Nitrite - 5ppm Nitrate - added another 5ml ammonia
Day 10
2ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate PH of the water is 7.6
Day 11
0ppm Ammonia - 1.00 Nitrite - 10ppm Nitrate - added Ammonia
Day 12
0.25 Ammonia - Drops went purple when they hit the bottom!! Spike?? Nitrate 40ppm.
Day 13
0.00 Ammonia - 5+ppm Nitrite and Nitrate 20ppm.
Day 14
0.00 Ammonia - 0.00 Nitrite (lightblue API test) and Nitrate 20ppm, so I added about 3ml of ammonia. I thought this was odd and retested later in the evening and not sure what had happened but the Nitrite had gone purple again.
Day 15
0.00 Ammonia - 5+ppm Nitrite and 20ppm Nitrate.
Day 16
0.00 Ammonia - 5+ppm Nitrite added ammonia
Day 17
0.00 Ammonia - 5+ppm Nitrite added ammonia
Day 18
0.00 Ammonia - 5+ppm Nitrite added ammonia
Day 19 (12hrs later)
Tested again and the ammonia was gone and nitrite still 5+
Day 19 1/2
Same reading as above added about 3ml ammonia. PH still 7.6ish
Day 20
Still the same readings.
Day 20 + 12hrs
Ammonia back to 0 Nitrite test was 0 light blue!! So added more ammnonia 3ml
Day 21
Ammonia back to 0 NItrite test was 0 light blue again.
Day 21 + 12hrs
Ammonia back to 0 Nitrite test was again 0. Added ammonia 5ml
Day 22
Ammonia 0 Nitrite test was instantly PURPLE!!! Grrr
Day 22 + 12hrs
All reading back to zero so added more ammonia. See what the scores are in the morning!!
Day 23
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 23 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Added ammonia
Day 24
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 24 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 25
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 25 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 26
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 26 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 27
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 27 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 28
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 28 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 29
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 5ppm+
Day 29 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 30
Ammonia 0.50 Nitrite 5ppm+ Nitrate 40ppm
Day 30 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 added 5ppm
Day 31
Ammonia and nitrite still clearing in 12 hours but PH dropping slightly.
Day 32
Water Change added ammonia and some mature media!!
Day 33
Ammonia 0.50 Nitrite 0.50 Ph 7.8ish Temp back at 29c
Day 33 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 34
Ammonia 0.25 Nitrite 0.25
Day 34 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 35
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25 Nearly there )
Day 35 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 36
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25
Day 36 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 37
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25
Day 37 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 38
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25
Day 38 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 39
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25
Day 39 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 40
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25
Day 40 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 41
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25
Day 41 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 42
Ammonia 0.25 (light green) Nitrite 0.25 (purple!!)
Day 42 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 43
Ammonia 0.25 (light green) Nitrite 0.25 (purple!!)
Day 43 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 44
Ammonia 0.25 (light green) Nitrite 0.25 (purple!!)
Day 44 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia
Day 45
Ammonia 0.25 (light green) Nitrite 0.25 (purple!!) PH TESTED 7.2 - 7.4 DEEP BLUE ON API TEST
Day 45 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia Nitrate was 20ppm
Day 46
Ammonia 0.25 (light green) Nitrite 0.25 (purple!!)
Day 46 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 ( 90% Water Change ) added ammonia after water change
Day 47
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.25 Purple
Day 47 + 12hrs
Ammonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 added ammonia

 

[waterdrop]

 

[pjandnoo]

The tank is cycling ammonia in 12 hrs now and nitrite in about 15-17 hours.

 

[razer121]

ooo! wont be long now mate

 

[waterdrop]

This one sure looks like it'll finish in less than 70 days! ..would be nice for once. You'll never know how hard it is for us old guys to look at all those +12hrs and make our minds see them as 24hrs

 

[pjandnoo]

Ammonia still reducing in 12 hours ;o), nitrite still reducing in approx 17 hrs. So near but yet so far! Soooo frustrating

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, you've got the classic "3rd phase sticking problem" where you're just waiting for the Nitrospira colony to get really big.

Note that at this point its quite good to analyze your stocking plan as to whether a significant portion of the overall stocking will be delayed and not included in the initial stocking. For instance, if one planned a huge neon tetra shoal, that would of course need to be delayed for 6 months and thus the initial stocking would be only partial. In that case one could consider cheating on the sticking problem. I would only consider something like this if the initial stocking were down around 50% of the inch guideline and of course its safest not to cheat at all.

~~waterdrop~~