Fishless Cycle Log

[OldMan47]

It looks very much like you need a water change to bring up your KH. At less than 1 degree of KH, you are begging for a rapid pH crash. The slightest bobble will move that pH down to 6.0 or less.

 

[Diesel Trout]

Updated end of day 20.

Did a 50% water change which brought the KH up from 1 drop to three. Tap water takes 5 drops to neutralize. Tomorrow I will pick up some baking soda to help bring up the pH.

 

[OldMan47]

The baking soda will also raise your KH so it is not such a bad idea.

 

[Diesel Trout]

Just a thought about the results I am getting (i.e. stuck nitrite, low nitrate)...

The test kit I am using was purchased about 5 years ago when I set up my first 15 gallon tank. Why do I still have this kit? Because I never did regular tests on this tank (same original fish in with only few losses). Anyway, will a test kit's effectiveness diminish as the chemicals age? Should I be investing in a new kit? It seems some of my results are valid (ammonia).

Thanks.

 

[OldMan47]

Most tests have a rated shelf life of 3 to 4 years only. I have an ammonia kit that has expired but seems to give decent readings. I suppose it depends on the kit.

 

[Diesel Trout]

Day 22 updated.

Worried that my test results might not be accurate due to the age of the test kit, I sprung for a new API Master Test Kit. Well the nitrate results still seem to be the same, and the nitrites, well, I'm not sure. It appears that it is still in the 1-2 range (by eye) but photos show different (looks darker). If I could only figure out how to upload a photo you would know what I am talking about!

 

[Diesel Trout]

First photo taken with flash:

Second photo, no flash, macro on:

Same sample, different shots.

What are my nitrite readings? First one looks like 1.0, second one looks like 5.0!

 

[OldMan47]

The flash shot looks like a 2 ppm and the other might be even higher. Instead, try standing with your back to a strong light, I like sunlight from a window, and hold the tube against the white part of the card. The slightly grey background in your second picture is distorting the color. That is why the nice wide white strip down the side of the card, it gives a consistent background to judge the color.

 

[Diesel Trout]

The flash shot looks like a 2 ppm and the other might be even higher. Instead, try standing with your back to a strong light, I like sunlight from a window, and hold the tube against the white part of the card. The slightly grey background in your second picture is distorting the color. That is why the nice wide white strip down the side of the card, it gives a consistent background to judge the color.

You mean like this? Same settings as photo 2 above.

Don't have any strong sunlight right now. Have been using overhead florescent light and white background for all previous tests.

 

[OldMan47]

That one is showing its color better than your second picture and I am leaning in the direction of only 1 ppm but hard to tell without good lighting.

 

[Diesel Trout]

Day 23 updated.

Nothing new here. Ammonia is apparently being processed in less than 24 hours (closer to 12) but neither nitrates or nitrites have taken off. Maybe they won't? Is that even possible?

Getting a bit annoyed otherwise.

 

[OldMan47]

I am not seeing a sky blue nitrite sample on your tank. You have some nitrites that need to get processing to get you any nitrates.

 

[jmkgreen]

For me that's >= 5ppm.

Tip: Hold the test tube half against the colour blocks and half against the adjacent white. Your eye will get a better idea of both the correct colour and the colours you are testing against.

 

[Diesel Trout]

Days 24 and 25 are updated at the top of this thread.

I think I have been under-estimating the amount of ammonia I was adding. With the new test kit is seems clearer that I was not achieving 4-5 ppm so I increased the dosage a couple of days ago. Still metabolizing within 24 hours and today it looked like nitrates have gone up (closer to 10 than to 5). As for nitrites I guess it really doesn't matter at this point until, like OldMan stated above, I am seeing blue sky (or at least on my way in that direction).

 

[Diesel Trout]

Days 26 and 27 updated.

Well it seems something is different today. From day 26 and less than 10 ppm of nitrates, suddenly on day 27 the nitrates have shot up to 80! This is good news right? Maybe my increase in ammonia has had an effect? Should I now decrease the ammonia level or should I maintain?