Gelt's Fishless Cycle Log

[Gelt]

Tap Stats : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 0.25 | NitrIte 0 | NitrAte 10 | * No change or heavy flushing seen in 3 weeks , tested weekly.


Temp : 29C

Day 1 - 01.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 8.4 | Ammonia 4 ppm | NitrIte 0 ppm | NitrAte 10 ppm |1800 hrs
Day 2 - 02.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 4 ppm | *Not Tested* | *Not Tested* | 1740 hrs * Mature media added inc scrubbings.
Day 3 - 03.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 4 ppm | *Not Tested* | *Not Tested* | 1740 hrs 24 hrs after Mature media added, 29C stable.
Day 4 - 04.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 4 ppm | *Not Tested* | *Not Tested* | 1740 hrs - No change ...
Day 5 - 05.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia .25 | NitrIte 0 ppm | NitrAte 10 ppm | 2030 hrs,change to sand,29C,re-dosed 4ppm Ammonia
Day 6 - 06.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 4 ppm | *Not Tested | *Not Tested | 1800 hrs No change @ 29.5C
Day 7 - 07.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 2 | 1.0 | 20 ppm | 1800 hrs New 305 external seeded from u3 6 hrs ago !
Day 8 - 08.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 2 | *Not Tested | *Not Tested | 1700 hrs no change from 2 , 29.5C
Day 9 - 09.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 1 | 5+ | 40 ppm | 1700 hrs ..we have movement 29.5C
Day 10 -10.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0.25 | Off chart | 40 - 80 ppm | 1700 hrs ..No2 deep purple, reduction in ammonia and No3! slight PH drop again
Day 11 -11.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | *Not Tested | *Not Tested | 1800 hrs first Ammonia zero - Re-dosed to 4ppm Ammonia - @28.9C
Day 12 -12.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 2 | Off chart | 20 ppm | 1700 hrs Ammonia reducing quicker, Drop in N03 by about half?
Day 13 -13.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | Off chart | *Not Tested | 1700 hrs Re-dosed to 2 ppm Ammonia
Day 14 -14.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0.25 | Off chart | *Not Tested | 1700 hrs - now for the wait for N02 to fall
Day 15 -15.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | Off chart | *Not Tested | 1700 hrs - Ammonia Re-Dosed to 2 ppm
Day 16 -16.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | Off chart | *Not Tested | 1900 hrs - Ammonia Re-Dosed to 2 ppm
Day 17 -17.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0.25 | 4-5 ppm | 80 ppm | 1830 hrs - 50% Water Change @ 1600 hrs
Day 18 -18.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 2 ppm | 80+ ppm | 1800 hrs - Ammonia Re-Dosed to 2 ppm
Day 19 -19.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 1 ppm | 80+ ppm | 1800 hrs - Ammonia Re-Dosed to 2 ppm
Day 20 -20.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0.25 ppm | 80 - 160 ppm | 1800 hrs - Ammonia Re-Dosed to 2 ppm
Day 21 -21.04.11 : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 160 ppm | 2000 hrs - First double zeros! Ammonia re-dosed back up to 4ppm

Day 22 -22.04.11 1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 1 ppm | 160+ ppm | Now into 12 hrs testing phase first reading at 0700 hrs Ammonia re-dosed to 4 ppm
Day 23 -23.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0.25|0.25 ppm| high | yay getting there....
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 |0 ppm | high | Another double zero Ammonia re-dosed to 4ppm
Day 24 -24.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 |0 ppm | lots! | Another double zero
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 |0 ppm | lots! | Another double zero Ammonia re-dosed to 4ppm
Day 25 -25.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 |1-2 ppm | lots! | um maybe a fake reading yesterday at 1st 12 hrs test or n02 is stalling?
..........................1300 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 |0.25-.5 | lots! | 90% water change to be done at 1400 hrs, nice N02 reduction in 6 hrs tho,next readings at 1900 hrs
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 40 ppm| 90% water change done Ammonia Re-Dosed to 4 ppm
Day 26 -26.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 |0.25 ppm|80 ppm | just under 0.25 ppm for n02 but not quite 0
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 80 ppm|Ammonia Re-Dosed to 4 ppm
Day 27 -27.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm |80+ ppm | zeros again in 12 hrs
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm |80+ ppm | Ammonia Re-Dosed to 4 ppm
Day 28 -28.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 6.8 - 7.4 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 80-160 | zeros again unexplained PH drop to low of 6.8
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 8.0 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 80 -160| Bicarb added Ammonia Re-Dosed to 4 ppm
Day 29 -29.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 80-160 | munching along!
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 160 ppm| Ammonia Re-Dosed to 4 ppm
Day 30 -30.04.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 160 | day 4 of qualification starts, results as expected!
..........................1900 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.8 | Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | 160+ | Ammonia Re-Dosed to 4 ppm
Day 31 -01.05.11 0700 hrs : PH 7.6 - 7.8 |Ammonia 0 | 0 ppm | Lots | Large WC today 100% to remove N03,clean, scape and add plants

CYCLE NOW COMPLETE - Many thanks to all for helping with sound advice during this cycle - special mention to Kat, Waterdrop , BBB, Eagle and Raga for making this bearable!

 

[Gvilleguy]

Good start, Gelt. Looking forward to seeing how it goes for you.

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

Good luck.
Like your avatar!

 

[Gelt]

Day 3 no change as expected obviously still in 'watery soup mode'

 

[Gelt]

Day 4 as suspected No change, Ph steady , temp stable @ 29C ..... nothing major to report

G

 

[Gelt]

The Fishless cycling tank !

 

[Skins]

Nice tanks are the fluval roma range

Keith.

 

[Gelt]

Removed gravel,100% water change, double dose of declorinator,water temp matched, re-dosed Ammonia 4ppm - changed substrate to sand because i want to stock 8 cory when fishless cycle done...

Filter submerged in old tank water for duration of change, impeller checked all fine.

All parameters checked as cycle log *rolling edit at start of this post.


G

 

[Gelt]

Day 6 all stable, temp slightly increased to 29.5C , sand substrate looking great , got sand from here btw Play Sand very clean and no foreign objects!

G

 

[Gelt]

great.. Fluval 305 External set up and working now, only been on 5 hours and the water clarity is crystal clear, canister trays seeded with ceramics from Fluval U3 and sponge scrubbings seemed to be alot of bacteria and gunk on the media in the U3..Water test to come in about 2 hours..watch this space

 

[Gelt]

Day 7 - yes we have movement ...not alot Ammonia less that 2 ppm but not quite 1 .....rise in NitrIte to 1 and NitrAte to 20 ppm.....


305 is superb but looks the the U3 with mature media did all the work to begin with!

G

 

[Gelt]

Day 8 - update, water is super clear Fluval 305 running for about 30 hrs now ...no leaks good surface aggitation temp seems stable at around 29.5 C , Ammonia nochange from yesterday at between 2 to 1 pmm (more 2 tho).

No lighting or plant cycle.

G

 

[Gelt]

Day 9 - First day of some real movement - No2 nice deep purple but not instant indicating 5+ ppm, NitrAte now at 40 ppm , still waiting for ammonia to drop to zero before next doseage..

External Fluval 305 running like a dream, nice surface agitation.

Great...

 

[Gelt]

Day 10 - Things are definatley happening people! Ammonia drop again in 24 hrs, NitrIte instant deep, deep purple off chart, NitrAte between 40ppm to 80 ppm but nearer 40 i think, re-tested twice to confirm N03 results.

Any help or comments please?

G

 

[Gelt]

any need yet for me to raise PH based on the Day 10 results?


currently tested at 7.6 low 7.4 high..

Any thoughts welcome!