After 11 Weeks, The Cycle Is Finally Over

[ZoddyZod]

Hello!


*UPDATE* 7th sep - see latest reply.


*UPDATE* 16th AUG

Latest water stats in my most recent 'reply'




*UPDATE*

Checked my tap water and found it the same as my tank for nitrates (20) so took a tap water and tank water sample to work where I tested for ammonia with the API kit and then placed the samples into my light box there. Very faint difference with the tank showing ever-so-slightly greener.

Mystery solved......the tank hasn't started cycling at all yet!

Thanks for all the help and suggestions anyway.



I've had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite for 72hrs now (fish-in cycle).

Is there a lull between ammonia disappearing and nitrIte spiking? The thing is, I have never 'seen' any nitrIte in there at all. But to be fair, I have only been testing for nitiIte recently as I was waiting for the ammonia to drop off.

I guess another week of these readings and I should consider the tank cycled?

I did add a java ferm on some bogwood and a moss ball when I first set the tank up, these had been in tanks containing fish at the lfs. Maybe these have helped/contain colonies of bacteria?

Also been using Aqua Cycle (free with the tank) but know from reading here that may not have been a massive contributing factor.

Here's my most recent water stats for your boredom.....

Would appreciate any thoughts you might have?

 

[tropic_john]

I'd keep dosing the tnak for another 3-4 days before calling it cycled . Also, what test kit did you use for this to get such accurate readings i.e ammonia 0.37

 

[Curiosity101]

I don't trust those results.

No nitrites present at any point.

And the nirates over the past 4 days haven't risen at all despite no water changes.

For the first 4 days on there however it increased by 30ppm and that was WITH water changes.

What test kit are you using?

 

[jmkgreen]

Agree with Curiosity - no way do I believe those test results, they are just not natural.

Even if you were showing all the expected results you can claim only that the tank is cycled for your current bio load - does not apply to additional bio load which you must still add very gradually.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Also, what test kit did you use for this to get such accurate readings i.e ammonia 0.37

I knew someone would ask that

I'm using API Master, but the colour was between 0.25 and 0.5 so I made up a reading in the middle.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I don't trust those results.

What test kit are you using?

API master. I agree that going from 10 to 40 WITH water changes is an anomally. Could very well be that I did a poor colour match (although that seems difficult with the nitrAte colour card).

I was also concerned that my ammonia colour matching was not correct, so I have double checked by using tap and Brita filtered water and all three give exactly the same pale yellow. It was certainly greener before, and I was checking against tap to prove the colour difference then as well.

 

[Curiosity101]

Basically as soon as ammonia starts processing nitrites will be present.

It takes the nitrite bacteria awhile to catch up as they can only start reproducing once there are nitrites present.

I'm very confused about the nitrites...theres no way of messing up the test results for nitrites either.
Not saying you would! It's just that the with nitrate test it's very easy to get a false negative result.

I would keep testing for the following week, if you get a full week of 0,0 on ammonia and nitrites AND you see your nitrates slowly rising then you are cycled.
But the fact your nitrates aren't increasing anymore confused me.

What filter media do you have?

Does the nitrite test change colour AT ALL or is it the perfect light blue?

 

[ZoddyZod]

Even if you were showing all the expected results you can claim only that the tank is cycled for your current bio load - does not apply to additional bio load which you must still add very gradually.

competely agree with you. I know that any bacteria colony can only handle the current load, and addition should be made slowly over time. I am not rushing out to buy any fish, just wanted some more experienced eyes to glance over what I am seeing.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I'm very confused about the nitrites...theres no way of messing up the test results for nitrites either.
Not saying you would! It's just that the with nitrate test it's very easy to get a false negative result.

I would keep testing for the following week, if you get a full week of 0,0 on ammonia and nitrites AND you see your nitrates slowly rising then you are cycled.
But the fact your nitrates aren't increasing anymore confused me.

What filter media do you have?

Does the nitrite test change colour AT ALL or is it the perfect light blue?

I'm not getting a false negative for the nitrate, I should explain that when there is a " - " on the table, that means that I didnt test for it.

I have the Fluval U3 which came with a bag of Biomax (hula hoop shaped ones)

Nope the nitrIte result is perfect clear blue, not a hint of purple.

NitrAte is the bright red, and has been for three days.

.....I must admit that I struggled at first with the ammonia readings as the 'yellow' is not as obvious as the nitrIte blue, and the next two greens (0.25ppm 0.50ppm) are quite close in colour. Have been standing at my window for quite some time making sure I'm getting those right

 

[Curiosity101]

No I knew that the - meant no test done. I was just saying that there is no way you could be doing the Nitrite test wrong as the only one you could possibly do wrong is the Nitrate one. Which you clearly are doing correctly as you are getting a reading.

I'm stumped. You have no funky media in it or anything...Perhaps you just got lucky and already had some nitrite bacs in the water. So the catch-up time for them was almost instant?
It could happen.

Just keep testing, and make sure you see your Nitrates increasing over the next week.

 

[Rhindon]

.....I must admit that I struggled at first with the ammonia readings as the 'yellow' is not as obvious as the nitrIte blue, and the next two greens (0.25ppm 0.50ppm) are quite close in colour. Have been standing at my window for quite some time making sure I'm getting those right

I have the same problem with the ammonia readings. I've been marking it at 0.5 but it's not a perfect match for either of those two readings in my tank tests either.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I'm stumped. You have no funky media in it or anything...Perhaps you just got lucky and already had some nitrite bacs in the water. So the catch-up time for them was almost instant?
It could happen.

Just keep testing, and make sure you see your Nitrates increasing over the next week.

Well I will be very happy if I've somehow got lucky....fingers crossed!

I have the same problem with the ammonia readings. I've been marking it at 0.5 but it's not a perfect match for either of those two readings in my tank tests either.

I find it really hard to differnentiate between them. The only way I can tell if I get a 0 reading is as i said above....compare it to a tap water or even bottled water samples.

Maybe I'm a bit colour blind

 

[JenCliBee]

May have missed it and sorry if i have but what are your nitrate levels from you tap?

 

[arobinson1984]

Is there no hint of purple even when the drops first go in? That can happen on the master kit if the nitrite reading is off the scale, the drops sink to the bottom and go purple, then the whole solution goes back to blue.

I agree the ammonia test can be tricky to read sometimes, I tend to go outside the read the result, or match against tap water.

Are you following instructions properly or the nitrate test? shaking bottle 2 for 30 secs then test tube for 1 min? if not nitrate reading wont be accurate.

Andy

 

[ZoddyZod]

May have missed it and sorry if i have but what are your nitrate levels from you tap?

Good point, have only checked tap nitrAte right at the beginning, and with a strip . Will check that tonight.