Water Evaporation

[AlitaConejita]

Hi all

I'm on day 8 of cycling a new 10 gal tank (1st time I'm attempting to cycle a tank). Not surprisingly, nothing has really happened (ammonia between 2&4 ppm, 0 nitrites/nitrates).

My concern is that about an inch and a half of water has evaporated. Does it matter how much water evaporates? Should I add more water - if so, do I add more ammonia ... Dechlorinator?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thats quite a lot of evaporation for just over a week. But then again am from UK so not much evaporation happens anyway, too cold!
 
A few questions may help us to give some suggestions that may reduce water evaporation
 
Do you live in a hot area?
Air conditioning?
Open top tank?
 
You ammonia level is about spot on, so do not add any more ammonia, 3ppm is the recommended level for fishless cycles.
 
And yes, sometimes it take a little bit of time before seeing anything happen although a little surprising no changes to nitrites yet after 8 days, but if you put in 3ppm ammonia and very little bacteria, if any, then nothing has been converted to nitrites yet.
 
Have you added any bacteria, i.e mature filter media from an established tank, or from a bottle of Dr Tim's One and Only or Tetra Safe Start to help start off your cycling?
 
Think topping up with dechlorinated water may be ok, but I hope someone will confirm or negate that suggestion soon.
IMO should be ok since not much going on yet.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It shouldn't matter much either way... As long as its not affecting the filter's operation it should be fine.  Topping up with dechlorinated water is fine, but topping up is not necessary.
 
 
What's your pH?  kH?  temp?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Well topping up when its a little isn't a big diluter. The only worry during in cycling in this respect is using up the KH since the bacteria use the carbonates. KH also keeps the pH from dropping. So topping up will put some if this back in if it were in short supply.
 
But in term of the ammonia levels it would depend on what level of ammonia bacs there are. If the water evaporates but the ammonia doesn't, and none is consumed by bacteria, your test results should show more ammonia. The same amount of ammonia in less water results in a higher concentration of ammonia. So it is possible to have a situation where the evaporation rate and the early bacteria processing rates are close to the same. So you would see 0 change in ammonia when in fact is there are bacteria actually at work and reproducing.
 
Overall, topping up the tank is usually a good idea. Dechlor the new water of course. do not overdose the dechlor when you do.

 

[AlitaConejita]

I'm in Massachusetts and the temp today outside was 38F in the morning ... Cold enough that my HEATED little (2gal) tank was at 76 degrees even though it is set for 79 F and is usually around 80-82 F (I won't be leaving the window open tonight). But more normally the outside temps are in the 60s F.

The 10 gal I am cycling is in a different room that stays pretty warm. I don't have a heater in it (once it is cycled, I'll move the 55 watt heater I have in my 5 gal to it and move the 25 watt heater I have in the 2 gal to the 5 gal) before I bought heaters, my tanks were 72-74 F so I figured it would be OK to cycle the 10 gal without spending on a 3rd heater that I won't use after about a month or so. I guess I could buy a 3rd thermometer though since they're only a few bucks

Water parameters - the pH is between 7.4 and 7.6. I have the API master test kit for fresh water and on the regular pH test the water is a very pretty blue corresponding to 7.6 while on the high pH test the color is a brown-orange that corresponds to 7.4 *shrug* the test kit doesn't include something to test kH.

The 10 gal doesn't have a lid but the 2 gal and the 5 gal do have lids. The 2 gal takes half a gallon a week to keep the water level at the top and the 5 gal takes almost a full gal a week to keep it topped off. Maybe the air is really dry in my place?

 

[AlitaConejita]

Oh and I used dr Tim's "ammonium chloride solution for fishless cycling" the dechlorinator I use is ZooMed "Reptisafe instant terrarium water conditioner" (I have ADFs in my 5 gal and the reptile dechlorinator is cheaper than the fish one at my local pet store)

I didn't add anything else to the water.

 

[paradiddle]

Add a heater to your 10G, bacteria love warmer climates and this will speed up your cycle,
Many people find nothing happens for the first week at your temps, then you will notice a drop in ammonia and a rise in nitrites
 
Keep at it, either way your doing it the right way, by not using poor fish

 

[AlitaConejita]

I added a gallon of water to make up for the evaporation. I tested the water in the tank before adding the gallon and then two hours after adding the gal. Both times the nitrate test came out a bit orange but the nitrite and the ammonia levels haven't changed - what's going on?