10 Days Into Fishless Cycling

[stef_uk]

Well im now 10 days into my fishless cycle and things have been going as expected upto now.

I added my 2nd dose of Ammonia yesterday to take the levels up,but i added too much and it leapt up to 8ppm.Its back down today to 2ppm but now my Ph has dropped from 7 to less than 6 overnight.
My Nitrites are at at least 5ppm and have been for 2 days now, and my Nitrates have dropped from 20 yesterday toless than 5 today.

Does this sound about right or have i messed up?

I go away in 10 days for 2 weeks and im trying to cycle before i go.I can get someone to add Ammonia daily for me while im away,but they can only call once a day.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

well the ammonia and nitrite are dropping so therefore the bacteria are there and are completing the nitrogen cycle for you. sounds liek they are beign processed relatively quickly so i think you're not far off done, just keep it up and monitor things over the next few days.

watch your pH though, if it drops below 5.5 you could have problems as the bacteria can't live at that low a pH

 

[stef_uk]

Thanks Miss Wiggle.

Do you think i should do a small water change to try and bring the ph back up?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

are you getting the lowest reading on your test kit?

what's the pH of your tap water.

it could be a good idea just to be on the safe side

 

[stef_uk]

I've just tested my ph in both the tank and out of the tap.
Tapwater is an even 7 and has always been good, Tank water is still looking like its less than 6,theres hardly any colour to the tested water..it actually looks like i havent put enough drops in its that pale.


Edit: just a thought but could the bogwood i have in there be dragging the ph down further? its been in there since i started.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

do a 30% water change then, remember to test your ammonia a short while afterwards and add more if appropriate as you'll ahve taken some out.

 

[stef_uk]

I'll do that now.

Sorry for yet another question,but,do you think i should take out the bogwood i have in?

I only bought it as a hidey place for whatever i put in,but i might go for something else as a shelter.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

wouldn't bother, if it's been in since the start it would have started pulling the pH down before now if it was going too. If the pH has been stable until now then it's not the culprit. it's highly likely it's the overdose of ammonia caused the pH crash, it's been known to happen.

 

[stef_uk]

Thanks for your help.

I'm now going to see just how easy it is to do a water change in a 260l tank!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

easy peasy!!

invest in a cheapy powerhead and a hose pipe, hook up the powerhead to one end of the hose, put the other end down the sink or out onto your garden, plug the powerhead in and watch the water drain out. unplug the powerhead and pull it up out of the water (or it'll carry on siphoning anyway), plug the other end into your tap and turn it out, sit around while it fills back up

 

[stef_uk]

easy peasy!!

invest in a cheapy powerhead and a hose pipe, hook up the powerhead to one end of the hose, put the other end down the sink or out onto your garden, plug the powerhead in and watch the water drain out. unplug the powerhead and pull it up out of the water (or it'll carry on siphoning anyway), plug the other end into your tap and turn it out, sit around while it fills back up

Thanks for the info! I never thought of that. Ive got the Juwel filter that came with the tank that i could use. Better than a mouthful of tank water from sucking on the end of the hose!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

ha ha yup!

 

[stef_uk]

Do you know just how good you are Miss Wiggle?

I hope youre prepared for me picking your brains in the future!

If this cycling is anything to go by it'll be pretty often! lol

 

[Miss Wiggle]

lol, bless ya. i just have a boring job so lots of time to kill. don't really know much aside from the basics

 

[stef_uk]

Just finished my water change.Suprisingly easy for my first go.

Ammonia levels have hardly changed,only down to about 1.5 from 2.

Ph must of been lower than i thought,as even after the water change its only up to about 6.4


I'll be keeping a close eye on the ph over the next 24 hours just to make sure it doesnt drop off the scale again.