Chemistry Help

[Skins]

Woo-hoo! Today is day 19, and both NH3 and NO2 tested 0ppm this morning. I re-dosed because I am not quite ready to add fish, and I am assuming that I can continue to do that for as long a necessary. I should be able to add some fish in the next couple of days, and will do a down-to-the-substrate water change before adding fish. I purchased a Python off of Amazon a while back, and after playing with it for a while I can see why some folks look on it as an indispensable accessory.

Cheers...

Rem

Hi Rem,
Are you getting double zero's 12hrs after dosing, if so you are now in your qualifying week woo-hoo

 

[remdog]

Hi Rem,
Are you getting double zero's 12hrs after dosing, if so you are now in your qualifying week woo-hoo

Actually, I dose every 24 hrs. Today, however, I will check after 12 hrs and see what I come up with.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[Uriel]

You need to dose every 24 hours but test 12 hours after dosing.

 

[remdog]

You need to dose every 24 hours but test 12 hours after dosing.

Just what I plan to do from here on out. 12hrs will be up in a few hours and we'll see what gives.

Question: does the initial water change have to occur immediately prior to adding fish, or can it be done a few days beforehand?

Cheers...

Rem

 

[anon02]

You need to dose every 24 hours but test 12 hours after dosing.

Just what I plan to do from here on out. 12hrs will be up in a few hours and we'll see what gives.

Question: does the initial water change have to occur immediately prior to adding fish, or can it be done a few days beforehand?

Cheers...

Rem

If you do a large water change at the end of your qualifying week then continue to dose in order to feed your filter for a few days, you have the potential for building nitrate up to a level that would require another large water change before stocking

 

[remdog]

You need to dose every 24 hours but test 12 hours after dosing.

Just what I plan to do from here on out. 12hrs will be up in a few hours and we'll see what gives.

OK, Learned Ones...here's the deal. NH3 cleared in 12 hrs, but the nitrites did not. It took the whole 24 hrs for NO2 to clear. So...am I not there yet?

Cheers...

Rem

 

[anon02]

Quite a ways to go yet,you can dose on the 24 hour and test just for nitrite at the 12 hour

 

[remdog]

Quite a ways to go yet,you can dose on the 24 hour and test just for nitrite at the 12 hour

OK. If nitrite clears in a 12 hour period is the cycle complete at that point?

Cheers...

Rem

 

[anon02]

Quite a ways to go yet,you can dose on the 24 hour and test just for nitrite at the 12 hour

OK. If nitrite clears in a 12 hour period is the cycle complete at that point?

Cheers...

Rem

Once both toxins are reduced to zero off a full 5ppm dosing within 12 hours that is the first day of your qualifying week, that is where you keep on dosing 4 or 5 ppm ammonia each day just to be sure that the cycle is completed. Then on the final day of qualifying do a full down to gravel water change to clear out the large amount of nitrate that will have built up, one final test to make sure the nitrate is within acceptable levels (usually not more than 40ppm above your tap water supply) then you`re ready for stocking

 

[remdog]

Once both toxins are reduced to zero off a full 5ppm dosing within 12 hours that is the first day of your qualifying week, that is where you keep on dosing 4 or 5 ppm ammonia each day just to be sure that the cycle is completed. Then on the final day of qualifying do a full down to gravel water change to clear out the large amount of nitrate that will have built up, one final test to make sure the nitrate is within acceptable levels (usually not more than 40ppm above your tap water supply) then you`re ready for stocking

OK. I'll proceed as above. Thanks very much.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[remdog]

Piddle. For days now both NH3 and NO2 clear in 24hrs after dosing, but nitrites just don't seem to want to clear in 12hrs. I guess I just have to be patient.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[remdog]

Piddle. For days now both NH3 and NO2 clear in 24hrs after dosing, but nitrites just don't seem to want to clear in 12hrs. I guess I just have to be patient.

Cheers...

Rem

And I just checked NO3, which I haven't done in a while, and the level is somewhere between 80-160ppm (it's kind of hard to judge on the API chart).

Cheers...

Rem

 

[Skins]

Piddle. For days now both NH3 and NO2 clear in 24hrs after dosing, but nitrites just don't seem to want to clear in 12hrs. I guess I just have to be patient.

Cheers...

Rem

Your not alone, I'm sure my n-bacs are firing blanks.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, the frustration of the 3rd stage is nitrite not quite clearing in 12 hours. It eventually happens.

Yes, (for Doc7), you can "vamp" (just keep dosing ammonia) as long as you like. I've done it for months on quarantine tanks. Then, just remember to do the big water change before actually introducing fish.

~~waterdrop~~