My Fishless Cycle Log

[yasinullah]

Hiya,

Started the cyling process yesterday here are my tap water stats:

pH: 7.8
Nitrates: 10 - 20 ppm

I added the ammonia, and about 50mls of tetra safestart, darn doesnt look like its doing anything yet, might try asking LFS for filter squeezings.

Day 0 - 7: Tested the water 30mins after adding NH3
pH: 8.2
NH3: 4.0ppm

Day 8 & 9:
NH3: 1.0ppm
Nitrite: ~ 0ppm

DAY 10, 12hrs
pH: 8.2
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm < very strange surely if ammonia processed then should be spiking?!?!
Nitrate: 40ppm maybe more, very hard to tell because colours look so similar, will check again in morning, tap water normally has around 10-20ppm

DAY 11 24hrs test is a little irrelevant because I hadn't dosed up ammonia correctly,
pH: 8.2 appears to be dropping slightly though
Nitrite: 1.0ppm - yay nitrites! w00t.gif

DAY 12 12 hours
pH: 8.0 - 8.2
Nitrite: >1.0 - finding the colours a little hard to distinguish

DAY 12 24 hours
pH: 8.0 - 8.2 - definitely dropping still, colour becoming fainter
NH3: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 5.0ppm

DAY 13 12hrs
pH: 8.0 - 8.2
NH3: 0ppm <<<< dosed up to 4ppm
Nitrite: 5.0ppm

DAY 13 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5.0ppm

DAY 14 same as usual didn't jot down the results!
DAY 15 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5.0ppm

DAY 15 12hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5.0ppm

DAY 16 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm <<< topped up to just over 2ppm
Nitrite: 0.0ppm <<< had to test twice!! =D
pH: 7.8 - 8.0 has remained around this value since 1st ammonia drop

DAY 16 12hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0.50ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 17 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm <<< topped up to >2ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 17 12hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 18 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm <<< topped up to >2ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 18 12hrs
NH3: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 19 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 19 12hrs
NH3: 0.5ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm

DAY 20 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0.5ppm
pH: 7.8 - 8.0

DAY 20 12hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: >80ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 21 24hrs
Nitrite: 0ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 21 12hrs
NH3: <0.5ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 22 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm <<<< added 2.5ml= ~4ppm
Nitrite: 0 - 0.25ppm
Nitrate: >80ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 22 12hrs
NH3: <0.25ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: >80ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 23 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm <<<< added 2.5ml= ~4ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: >80ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 23 12hrs
NH3: 0.5ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 24 24hrs---------------------DAY 24 12hrs
NH3: 0ppm-----------------------------NH3: 0ppm <<<< added 2.5ml= ~4ppm
Nitrite: <0.25ppm-----------------------------Nitrite:
pH: 7.6 ---------------------------------- pH: 7.6


DAY 25 24hrs---------------------DAY 25 12hrs
NH3: 0ppm-----------------------------NH3: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm----------------------------Nitrite: >5ppm
pH: 7.6 --------------------------------- pH: 7.2

messy water change!

DAY 30 12hrs---------------------DAY 30 24hrs
NH3: <1ppm-----------------------------NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: >5ppm----------------------------Nitrite: 1ppm
pH: 7.6 --------------------------------- pH: 7.6

DAY 31 12hrs---------------------DAY 31 24hrs
NH3: <1ppm-----------------------------NH3: presumably 0..
Nitrite: >5ppm----------------------------Nitrite: 0.25
pH: 7.6 --------------------------------- pH: 7.6

DAY 32 12hrs---------------------DAY 32 24hrs
NH3: 0.25 - 0.50 ppm--------------------NH3: 0
Nitrite: >5ppm----------------------------Nitrite: 0 - 0.25 ppm
pH: 7.6 --------------------------------- pH: 7.6

DAY 33 12hrs---------------------DAY 33 24hrs
NH3: ~0.25ppm--------------------NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: >5ppm----------------------------Nitrite: 0ppm
pH: 7.6 --------------------------------- pH: 7.6

DAY 34 12hrs---------------------DAY 34 24hrs
NH3: 0.25ppm------------------------NH3:
Nitrite: 5ppm----------------------------Nitrite: ppm
pH: ------------------------------------- pH:

DAY 41 <<<< large water change, pH had dropped to 6.4


DAY 42 24hrs
NH3: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5 ppm
pH: 7.6

DAY 43 12hrs---------------------DAY 43 24hrs
NH3: 1ppm---------------------------NH3: 0 - 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm----------------------------Nitrite: 5 ppm
pH: 7.6 -------------------------------------

DAY 64 AM - Ammonia <0.25 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 65 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 65 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 66 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 66 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 67 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0 - Nitrate 10 - 20ppm
DAY 67 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 68 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0 - Nitrate 20ppm
DAY 68 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 69 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite >5.0
WATER CHANGE
DAY 69 PM - Ammonia 3.0 - Nitrite 0.50 - Nitrate 15ppm - pH <7.8

DAY 79 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 0.0 (last ammonia addition was about 36hrs ago) Nitrate: 40ppm 1.5ml NH3 added
DAY 80 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 2 - 5ppm pH: 8.2
DAY 80 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite >5.0 2ml NH3 added
DAY 81 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
DAY 81 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 0.25 2ml NH3 added
DAY 82 AM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 5.0
+16hours Nitrite 0.25
DAY 82 PM - Ammonia 0.0 - Nitrite 0 2ml NH3 added

Questions,

I've read on here the bacs favour a pH around 8? is 8.4 fine?http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=293573#

The water's starting to cloud up, since the water warmed up overnight, its slightly white-ish, noticeable on the glass, I do have sand as a substrate and i did wash it thoroughly though, is this normal during cycling, the slight white cloudiness?

Lastly I now check daily for ammonia, and top up when it falls to 0ppm, normally about a week?

Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

Hi yasinullah,

Nice to see you've started your own Fishless Cycle thread!

Sounds like you're off to a good start. Yes, the whole range of 8.0 to 8.4 is considered to optimal for growth of the two species we want. The whitish water and whitish/grayish films you are seeing are totally normal in a new tank. They are caused mostly by the presence of "heterotrophic" bacteria (different from the beneficial ones we want in the filter) and they are just eating up some organic things they find in the new water. They'll go away eventually.

Besides the pH 8.0 to 8.4 range, other things that we feel will optimize the beneficial bacteria growth are a temperature of 84F/29C, the presence of some minerals in the water (meaning just that hopefully your tap water is not completely "soft," the presence of a small amount of iron in the water (again, most normal tap water will have enough of this,) and also, eventually when you get towards the end of the cycle, that the water is not too terribly high in nitrite or nitrate. Other than that, its mostly just extremely boring work, assuring that the ammonia is periodically raised back to 4-5ppm when it has dropped all the way to zero ppm in the previous 24 hours and making sure that not too much ammonia gets put in (you don't want it getting up to 7 or 8ppm, just down around 4 or 5ppm.)

Of course, the ammonia needs to not have dyes, fragrances or surfactants (bubbles go away in 2 or 3 seconds when shaken rather than foaming) and no other things need to be going in to the tank unless discussed here with the members. Bacteria in a bottle products will probably be useless but actual mature media obtained from a mature aquarium is by far the best known speed-up of the cycling process because it seeds the correct type of bacteria to begin with.

It takes typically a week or two weeks before the first dose of ammonia drops to zero and we've even had a couple of cases where it took 3 weeks. After that it should dropping to zero more quickly and that's when you can start taking a peek at the nitrites(NO2) and seeing if some of those are starting to appear. Remember, you only ever add ammonia once in 24 hours (at your "add point", a regular time of day) and only if your ammonia dropped to zero sometime in the previous 24 hours.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[yasinullah]

thanks waterdrop

now day 6, stats for pH and Ammonia have remained the same, but no changes are to be expected until 1 week - 2 weeks I've read so going to have to be patient

 

[yasinullah]

DAY 8:

Ammonia: 1.0ppm

woohoo ammonia finally dropping, now down to 1.0ppm
forgot to check pH will start checking that regularly now, and nitrites i start checking now i think?

went to lfs y'day. to check if he'd give me some mature media, and he just redirected me to the stress zyme stuff, and bio balls products. wasn't happy with that but oh well, spose will just have to rely on nature!

feels great that ammonia now dropping, the nitrite drop however seems to be much trickier, based on what I've read in other cycle diaries

thanks

 

[waterdrop]

yeah, start chkng nitrites...

 

[yasinullah]

DAY 10, good news and bad? news

pH: 8.2

NH3: 0ppm

Nitrite: 0 ppm < very strange surely if ammonia processed then should be spiking?!?!

Nitrate: 40ppm maybe more, very hard to tell because colours look so similar, will check again in morning, tap water normally has around 10-20ppm



about the nitrites, I tried with 2 diff nitrite test bottles, as I have 2 diff API master test kits, bought from separate sources, one manufactured in 2008 other in 2009. Normally use the 09 one which has previously shown nitrites to be slightly over 0ppm (slight tinge of purple) but clearly not 0.25ppm. Initially upon adding the nitrite test solution drops, the colour doesnt change, its remains its normal blue colour and sinks to bottom.

Am thinking mayb the Tetra Safestart is doing something
otherwise no idea what else is getting rid of the nitrites ? I have not added any carbon or nitrate removal sponge media, just the filter pad and 2 x juwel blue sponges. Substrate is sand, only other thing in the tank is a volcano bubble maker thing which I only turn on occasionally.


Thanks!

 

[waterdrop]

Day 10 is just too early for your nitrite spike. At first you'll have not only some A-Bacs in there but some N-Bacs too. The A-Bacs are processing ammonia, slowly, and its not yet enough to overwhelm the N-Bacs in there, who are eating it and turning it into nitrate(NO3). In the coming days the A-Bacs will process more and more and pretty soon the N-Bacs won't be able to keep up, so the -excess- nitrite will begin to rise and head towards or reach the spike.

Sometimes people don't even have the first dose of ammonia drop to zero in 2 or even 3 weeks, so you're moving along better than that.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[yasinullah]

ah that makes perfect sense, messed up on the dosing up the ammonia to 5ppm last night, wasn't too sure with the measurements, but sorted now.
I'm really confused why a teaspoon is considered 5ml (in terms of medicines) yet an API test kit tube's 5ml is a much larger volume, very strange!

thanks wd

 

[yasinullah]

yesterday's 24hour test is a little irrelevant because I hadn't dosed up ammonia correctly,

pH: 8.2 appears to be dropping slightly though
Nitrite: 1.0ppm - yay nitrites!


Day 12:
12 hours

pH: 8.0 - 8.2
Nitrite: >1.0 - finding the colours a little hard to distinguish

dosing up ammonia to 5ppm, as was 0ppm, off to check its upto 5ppm now

 

[yasinullah]

my dosing up to 5ppm didnt quite work, managed to get up to 2.0ppm or so, added another half ml and left it at that without testing, have a rough idea of how much i need to add now, so will do that tomorrow, as NH3 should have dropped to 0 again.

 

[yasinullah]

processed about 4.0ppm ammonia in 12 hours yaay! gonna cut back on amount of ammonia i add tomorrow to just over 2ppm, to keep nitrite levels from building too high, and see how that works out, as a lot of ppl seem to stall at this stage

 

[yasinullah]

processed about 4.0ppm ammonia in 12 hours yaay! gonna cut back on amount of ammonia i add tomorrow to just over 2ppm, to keep nitrite levels from building too high, and see how that works out, as a lot of ppl seem to stall at this stage

when is it best to start dosing back up to 5ppm of ammonia?

I'm currently adding >2ppm. I added at 10am yesterday and at 10pm I had 0 ammonia but still had 5.0 Nitrites, but 12 hours later this morning I had 0 nitrites. I just don't want to lose many N-bacs. anything to speed up the cycling process
Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

You don't need to ease back up to 5ppm adds until you are getting closer to nitrite being process down to zero in 12 hours. Right now it appears you may be on the back end of the nitrite spike and its just begun to be able to process nitrite to zero in barely 24 hours.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[yasinullah]

You don't need to ease back up to 5ppm adds until you are getting closer to nitrite being process down to zero in 12 hours. Right now it appears you may be on the back end of the nitrite spike and its just begun to be able to process nitrite to zero in barely 24 hours.

~~waterdrop~~

Hi waterdrop, thanks for the reply, will wait til its processing in 12 hours, looks like shouldn't be too long now , as last nights 12hr had a reading of about 0.5ppm

 

[OldMan47]

Should only be a couple more days before you are ready to dose back up to 5 ppm Yasinulla. By that time you may well be seeing zeros on both chemicals by 12 hours so it would be time to increase the dose for a few days before saying the cycle is done and starting your search for appropriate fish. Have you chosen what fish will be the first ones in your tank?