Argh What Happened To My Cycle?

[Kelsyann]

Okay, 30 gallon tall tank fishless cycle. Been going for about a month now. I'm using an API freshwater master test kit. I started off with one mature filter cartridge and one new one. I'm using 2 filters. So I've been doing the "add and wait" method of cycling with the pure ammonia. Everything was going as it should, I had the ammonia spike, then it dropped, added more ammonia. then nitrItes went way up, off the charts for about 2 weeks. Whenever the ammonia went down to .25ish I'd add more to raise it back to 5.0ppm. Now overnight nitrItes have gone down to zero, this happened 3 days ago. The dropps turned clear light blue and didn't change for the 5 minutes I left it sitting there. But now ammonia is back up. The only thing that may have changed is that I added a live plant and some little snails that were taking over my 1o gallon.
So my question is 'is my ammonia supposed tp have another spike while nitrIte stays at zero?'

 

[gaz gun man]

have you checked your PH? If so, what reading do you get?

 

[Kelsyann]

It was 7.6 last I checked about 5 days ago. I'll go check it again now.

 

[Kelsyann]

pH dropped down to about 6. thats bad right?

 

[snowflake311]

I had a similar problem. How much ammonia have you been adding since you saw everything was at 0?

When you have off the chart Nitrates you will see a low PH. The bacteria that converts nitrites to Nitrates some how make the water more acidic. So what are your NitrAtes at?

The reason My cycle when crazy was because I was only feeding the tank 1.ppm Then when my nitrites showed up I started adding more. Well this throw everything off. I was getting ammonia nitrites and nitrates all higher then I wanted. So I did a water changes to bring the ph back up this did not help SO I added Baking soda to bring it up. The Bacteria will not grow if the ph is low.

Once I got the Ph back to 7.4 I started only adding 1.ppm only when my ammonia was at 0ppm. after a few more extra weeks of waiting it is all back to normal and my fish and in it and doing well. But since I only fed the tank with 1ppm I have to stock my tank slowly witch is ok because I quarantine all fish for a week before adding them. So I have some Corys in quarantine. After a week of checking the water and making sure all if good in they go. Then off to buy more fish to quarantine.

 

[Kelsyann]

When I add the ammonia I add enough to raise the ammonia reading to 5ppm. My nitrAtes are only at about 10. So should I add baking soda to raise my pH again?

 

[snowflake311]

Yeah you need to get the ph up to 7.5-8.0 for the bacteira to get back to work. Check your nitrates I bet they are high. You might want to do a water change. Then add the needed amount of ammonia to bring to where you need it. Then see if that brings the ph up. If you see the ph drop in 12 -24hours or so add the baking soda. And keep an eye on everything.

 

[Kelsyann]

Actually nitrAtes are very low. About 10 ppm. I'll do a water change and add more ammonia anyway and see how it goes.

 

[Kelsyann]

A 50% water change did nothing, so I added baking soda and now pH is back up to its origional 7.6. I'll bemonitering it regularly to ensure it stays up.

 

[snowflake311]

A 50% water change did nothing, so I added baking soda and now pH is back up to its origional 7.6. I'll bemonitering it regularly to ensure it stays up.

Good keep the ph up and your tank will finish cycling in a week or 2 .