Fishless Cycle Day 17, 2nd Phase

[ranjohns]

Fishless Cycle in 30 gal freshwater tank

set up:

Marineland Penguin Power Filter 350B
Marineland Stealth Submersible Heater 150-watt set at 78 F
Planted - 20 plants in Seachem Flourite
18 watt T-8 fluorescent lamp (high green spectrum spike) I'll upgrade this soon to a T-5 fixture and lamp.
Ammonia = 10% clear solution
Test kits used: days 1 through 8 I used API test strips; thereafter, an API Master test kit

2 days later = Day 1

Day 1 Jan. 18, 2009
Test 1 – 12:30 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 4 - 8
Nitrite –
Nitrate –

3ml Ammonia added; topped up to 4 - 8 ppm

Day 2
Test 1 – 6 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 4 - 8
Nitrite –
Nitrate –

4ml Ammonia added; topped up to ~ 8 ppm

Day 3
Test 1 – 12:30 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – 0
Nitrate – 0

4ml Ammonia added

Day 4
Test 1 – 12:30 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 4 - 8
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate – 20

4ml Ammonia added; topped up to 4 - 8 ppm

Day 5
Test 1 – 12:30 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 4 - 8
Nitrite – 1
Nitrate – 30

4ml Ammonia added; topped up to 4 - 8 ppm

Day 6
Test 1 – 12:30 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 4 - 8
Nitrite – 5
Nitrate – 80

2ml Ammonia added; topped up to 4 - 8 ppm

Day 7
Test 1 – 12 pm using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 4 - 8
Nitrite – 10
Nitrate – 200

No Ammonia added

Day 8
Test 1 – 9:20 am using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 2
Nitrite – 10+
Nitrate – 200

Test 2 – 10:20 am using API test strips
pH –
Ammonia – 2
Nitrite – 10+
Nitrate – 200+

no Ammonia added; topped to 2ppm

Day 9 switched to API Master Test kit
11:20am added 2ml ammonia

Test 1– 12:20 pm
pH – 7.6 to 8
Ammonia –
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate – 40

Test 2 – 1:20 pm
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate – 40

Day 10
2:20am added 2ml ammonia

Test 1– 3:20 pm
pH –
Ammonia – 0
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate –

Day 11
2:20am added no ammonia

Test 1– 4:20 pm
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – 0
Nitrate –


Day 12

Test 1– 5:20pm
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate –

6:20pm 4ml ammonia added

Test 2– 7:20pm
pH –
Ammonia – 2
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate –


Day 13

Test 1– 8:20am
pH –
Ammonia – 0
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate –

Test 2– 9:20am
pH – 7.6 - 8
Ammonia –
Nitrite – 0.5
Nitrate – 0 - 5

Test 3– 10:20am
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite –
Nitrate – 0 - 5

11:20 am 4ml ammonia added

Test 4- 12:20pm
pH –
Ammonia – .5
Nitrite – .5
Nitrate – 0 - 5

Test 5- 5pm
pH –
Ammonia – .5
Nitrite – .5
Nitrate – 5


Day 14

Test 1– 11:30 am
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – .25
Nitrate – 5

8pm added 2ml ammonia


Day 15

Test 1– 12:15am
pH –
Ammonia – .25
Nitrite – .25
Nitrate –

Test 2– 9:25am
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – turned purple right away
Nitrate – ~ 5

10am added 5ml ammonia

Test 3– 11am
pH –
Ammonia – 4
Nitrite – turned purple right away
Nitrate – ~ 5

Test 4– 11pm
pH –
Ammonia – 0
Nitrite – turned purple right away
Nitrate – 5 - 10


Day 16 Feb 2, 2009

10 to 11am 50% water change

Test 1- 2pm
pH –
Ammonia – 0
Nitrite – 1
Nitrate – 5

5pm added 2ml of ammonia



Day 17 Feb 3, 2009

Test 1- 10am
pH –
Ammonia – 0
Nitrite – turned purple right away
Nitrate – 5

 

[ranjohns]

Day 17 Feb 3, 2009

Test 2- 10pm
pH –
Ammonia –
Nitrite – turned purple right away
Nitrate –
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