Abi's Qualifying Week

[Mo1959]

Might be worth checking your PH. Mine kept dropping so low my cycle continually stalled.

 

[abih2005]

OMG. The pH is 6! It hasn't been lower than 6.5-7.5 in ages!!! What should I do?

 

[Mo1959]

Bicarbonate of soda seems to be one of the recommended solutions. There have been discussions on here about how much to add which you can hopefully find. It is also possible to add some crushed coral to your filter which also works.

I ended up getting so fed up with the problems with my cycle crashing that I'm afraid I have decided just to let my water be it's natural ph 6 and do a very careful fish in cycle. Got fed up looking at an empty tank for over 2 months, but as you are obviously so near the end of your cycle I think the bicarbonate of soda would probably be your best bet. Hopefully Waterdrop or OldMan will be along soon to advise.

 

[Mo1959]

abi, just found one of Waterdrop's previous replies about this. It is 2 teaspoons per 50 litres. Hope this helps.

 

[abih2005]

Brilliant - thanks for that

 

[Twinklecaz]

Brilliant - thanks for that

I wouldn't panic Abi it's probably just a blip. Add the Bicarb and see if it fixes the problem. If it is, your cycle should get back on track fairly quickly. I wouldn't worry anyway coz it's all been good till now and it's not like you're planning on stocking many fish on Friday. You'll still be fine with a few .

Remember to do your 95% water change (basically as much as you can, down to the substrate) the day before. Don't forget to make sure your filter stays wet in a bucket of tank water, you decholrinate all the new water and also if you do do it the day before then dose some Ammonia to the new tank to make sure the bacteria doesn't start to die. Then test before you go get your fish to make sure all is well.

 

[Gvilleguy]

Don't be discouraged - this happened several times during my cycle - I would add a bit of baking soda and the cycle would kick right back in!

 

[abih2005]

Added 2 tsp of bicarb' - pH is now 7.2-.7.6. Let's hope this sorts it out!

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, the ammonia stalling because of a pH crash is a very minor thing, even during the qualification week and doesn't mean that your filter isn't cycled - I don't feel it warrants starting the qualification week over.

A pH crash when you've not had one for ages is actually a good sign because it often happens as the biofilter kicks in to high gear, processing all those big ammonia doses all the way through to nitrate and the little 7% nitric acid component of the nitrate. Its just another good sign that you have a good biofilter going there Abi.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[abih2005]

Day five:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0.50

 

[Miss Wiggle]

don't panic, if your pH has righted itself then this will just be a little blip. bet you get double 0's tomorrow

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, MW's good at calling blips, bet she's right

 

[abih2005]

Hope so, fingers crossed for tomorrow!

 

[Twinklecaz]

Is it fish day Abi??

 

[abih2005]

No. Ammonia - 0, nitrites 0.50. It took me 8 days to get from 0.50 to 0.

I don't understand why the nitrites are playing up, I was so looking forward to getting the