Cycle Results

[andrew84uk]

After buying some kit to do a fishless cycle I can conclude the the first results from this setup. Tank was setup 3 days ago and Nutrifin Aqua plus was added after fill.
- My First Tank -

Standard Tap Water Before - 9am 23rd Feb 2008
Added few fish flakes.
Temp: 28 Degrees Stable
Nitrate: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.2ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 9am - Before ammonia added 24th Feb 2008
Temp: 27 Degrees Stable
Nitrate: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 0ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 10pm - 1 hour after ammonia added - 25th Feb 2008
9am - Added Ammonia
Temp: 27 Degrees
Nitrate: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 6.0ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 9pm - 1 day after ammonia added - 26th Feb 2008
25% Water Change
Temp: 26 Degrees
Nitrate: 5.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.2ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 4.0ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 9pm - 2 days after ammonia added - 27th Feb 2008
0% Water Change
Temp: 26 Degrees
Nitrate: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.2ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 4.0ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 9pm - 3 days after ammonia added - 28th Feb 2008
0% Water Change
Temp: 26 Degrees
Nitrate: 5.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.2ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 2.0ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 9pm - 4 days after ammonia added - 29th Feb 2008
0% Water Change
Added 3 little live fern plants / Bogwood / Pebbles
Temp: 26 Degrees
Nitrate: 5.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.2ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 0.50ppm (Parts per Million)

Tank Water 9pm - 5 days after ammonia added - 1st March 2008
0% Water Change
Temp: 26 Degrees
Nitrate: 5.0ppm (Parts per Million)
Nitrite: 0.0ppm (Parts per Million)
pH: 7.2ppm (Parts per Million)
Ammonia: 0.50ppm (Parts per Million)

 

[rdd1952]

Have you added any ammonia yet? If not, they basically you are testing tap water and the tank isn't cycling. The only way to cycle the tank is to add an ammonia source to feed the bacteria.

 

[andrew84uk]

Just added ammonia, Yes. I will be doing another test in an hour to see if the ammonia has settled. Hopefully the ammonia levels will increase and then another test tomorro.

Regards,
Andrew

 

[doresy]

You must have the best tap water in the country! (mine has 40 ppm nitrate from the tap plus scum on my tea!)

Just add enough ammonia to bring levels up to around 6-8ppm and leave for a week then test again. If you test daily from day one you are just wasting your test kit.

 

[andrew84uk]

You must have the best tap water in the country! (mine has 40 ppm nitrate from the tap plus scum on my tea!)

Just add enough ammonia to bring levels up to around 6-8ppm and leave for a week then test again. If you test daily from day one you are just wasting your test kit.

Oh, come on! I live in the NorthEast UK! Scum of the UK lol. Unless we get good filter systems in the water.

OH, ok! Well I do have ammonia filters sitting under the gravel so I really think the reading after a week will be 0. I have not tested it yet after I added the ammonia (I added 2 teaspoon fulls about an hour ago)

 

[rdd1952]

Are you running undergravel filters? The problem with ammonia filters is that they remove the ammonia rather than allowing the bacteria to process it and build your bacteria colony. The media will eventually be saturated and not doing anything so the bacteria should be able to build at that point but it may take a while before the tank to actually start cycling.

 

[andrew84uk]

Are you running undergravel filters? The problem with ammonia filters is that they remove the ammonia rather than allowing the bacteria to process it and build your bacteria colony. The media will eventually be saturated and not doing anything so the bacteria should be able to build at that point but it may take a while before the tank to actually start cycling.

Yes, I do have the filters. Is it worth adding some Nutrifin Cycle? to give the system a kick start? or would it be worth removing the ammonia filters?

 

[rdd1952]

The Cycle is pretty useless as are most all of the non-refrigerated bacteria boosters. They won't hurt but most likely won't help either. If you can remove the ammonia filter without a lot of trouble, I would definitely take it out.

 

[andrew84uk]

The Cycle is pretty useless as are most all of the non-refrigerated bacteria boosters. They won't hurt but most likely won't help either. If you can remove the ammonia filter without a lot of trouble, I would definitely take it out.

Ammonia filter removed, tested water around 1 hour after ammonia was added and tests are added above.

 

[rdd1952]

Is 6 the highest reading on your chart? The reason I ask is that you don't want to get it too high as it can actually slow things. If so, just do a partial water change to lower it soome.

 

[andrew84uk]

Is 6 the highest reading on your chart? The reason I ask is that you don't want to get it too high as it can actually slow things. If so, just do a partial water change to lower it soome.

No my ammonia chart goes right up to 8ppm, seems ok so far.

 

[rdd1952]

You must have the same one I have. Unfortunately, I have a hard time distinguishing between 2 and 4, little on 4 to 8. And nitrat is impossible.

 

[andrew84uk]

Well I got a good eye for colours. My Test was darker than 4 but lighter than 8 so A prediction I made was around 6ppm. It could have been 7ppm or 5ppm but It's better to say half way since there is no fish. My next test in few days will reveal exactly if my cycle has started hopefully ammonia will go down.

 

[andrew84uk]

Added more results

 

[rdd1952]

Don't do any water changes unless your pH drops and you need to raise it back up. It makes it hard to tell whether anything has been processed or not. With a 25% WC, you would expect the ammonia to drop from 6 to 4 but you have nitrate which probably came from the tap water as that is pretty common in the UK.