Can I Have Some Reassurance On My Fishless Cycle Please

[Miss Wiggle]

excellent

 

[OldMan47]

Glad to hear you are getting there. I guess you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[sneezy]

Hi.

My ammonia had dropped to Oppm so I added some ammonia and it processed it in 36 hrs. Have now added ammonia again and will see how it goes. My nitrites are still sitting at 5.0 +.

Can i just ask, what ppm should I be raing my ammonia level to. I've been doing it to between 3 and 4 ppm. Is this too much?

Many Thanks
Sneezy

 

[rabbut]

I used between 4 and 5ppm when I cycled mine, but we always add more ammonia than a tank load of fish are likey to produce, so I think you are fine with the ammount of ammonia you are adding

Bet you are excited about the ammonia hitting zero, I know I was Nitrite usualy takes twice as long as ammonia to start being processed, so you should have seen it drop hopefully some time next week.

How is the pH holding out? Has it shown any signs of dropping yet? If so you need to get some Carbonate salts in there from somewhere. Baking Soda and crushed coral are two favorite sources for us aquarists. If the pH drops before nitrate hits 60ppm above your tap water's value, I'd use the coral. Anything less and I'd use the baking soda, as you won't need a permanant solution to keeping hardness up, so long as you keep on top of waterchanges

All the best
Rabbut

 

[OldMan47]

Actually you would be OK as low as 2 ppm while waiting to see your nitrites start dropping. At this point you are just keeping the ammonia converters alive and waiting on the nitrite converters to kick in.

 

[sneezy]

My PH is rising rather than dropping. It is currently sitting at 8.4. I'm assuming that it will settle once I do my big water change at the end.

 

[rabbut]

Probibly. It is quite unusual to have the pH to go up, rather than down.. Could indicate that you have good buffering capasity in your water, so some decoration in your tank is not fish safe. Do you have any ornaments Rocks e.t.c at the moment?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[sneezy]

I have just put in 2 rocks and 2 decorative airstones. I hope they are ok because I really like them and hubby is getting v.stroppy about the cost of fishkeeping lol

 

[rabbut]

What type of rocks? Can you get a picture?

Some rocks slowly disolve over time and release KH into the water. These rocks include, but aren't limited to, limestome, tuffa rock and ocean rock, though these are the most commonly available ones

If ever in doubt with rocks, do a vinegar drop test. Place a small drop of vinegar to the rock. If it rolls off, make ready for use. If it fizzes, forget the rock and find another. Using this mothod, you can get rocks free of charge form your garden and further afeld

All the best
Rabbut

 

[sneezy]

They are not great pics I'm afraid. Also I don't have vinegar. Is there something similar I can use?

Many Thanks
Sneezy

 

[rabbut]

They look OK to me, but you can never be sure without a drop test.

Anything extreamly acidic should work as far as I'm aware. Lemmon juce anyone?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[sneezy]

My tank is now processing 2-3ppm ammonia in under 16hrs. My nitrites are still sitting at 5+. My ph has fallen and is now at 7.8.

Looks like its just a matter of waiting for my nitrites to drop. Yay!!

 

[rabbut]

Still looking good. Just watch that pH, the drop could indicate that is is about to crash. If it has dropped again by this evening, add some baking soda to the water, or do a 50% waterchange, to hold it steady

All the best
Rabbut

 

[sneezy]

My ammonia is now processing in 12 hrs Yay!! Nitrites still 5+

My ph had a slight drop last night to 7.6 but held steady overnight. Do I need to treat it yet or wait to see if it crashes?

Dumb Q about Baking soda. All I can find is baking powder and bicarb of soda. Is it the bicarb I need to use?

Many thanks

 

[rabbut]

Bicarb of sada and baking powder have both worked for me. If the pH is holding steady, I'd leave it be for the time being. If it starts to slip, then add some of either. Bicarb would be the best though