Cycle Without No2

[wslinky]

I am currently cycling my 75g and have something really weird happening. I added water on 2/7 but didn't get my heaters till 2/14 so I waited till 2/14 to add any NH3. Here are my test results so far

2/7 (Tap) Water

NH3= 0
NO2= 0
NO3= 0
pH= 7.4
GH= 5
KH= 9
​

2/9 (Tank With Rocks)

NH3= .25
NO2= 0
NO3= 0
pH= 7.9
GH= Didn't Test
KH= Didn't Test
​

2/14 (Added Heater, Baking Soda, NH3)

NH3= 6
NO2= 0
NO3= 0
pH= 8.3
GH= 5
KH= >50
​

2/15 (Added MGSO4)

NH3= 4
NO2= 0
NO3= 5
pH= 8.3
GH= 23
KH= >50
​

2/16

NH3= 4
NO2= 0
NO3= Between 5 and 10
pH= didn't test
GH= didn't test
KH= didn't test
​

So my question is how could the NO3 be going up if I an still at 0 for NO2? I did add the Cycle bottled bacteria, could it be that since I added that on day 1 the bacteria are there and are able to keep up with the NH3 bacteria? Any thoughts?

I am going to let the NH3 drop to 0 then add more to let it go 1 more time to 0 and see what my test show then.

 

[Minni3]

Hm...wow wierd.

I got a similar problem with my tank that i'm cycling too...

Day 1
Amonnia: 5ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

Day7
Ammonia: 5ppm
Nitrites: 5ppm

LOL
Nitrates: 0ppm

 

[rdd1952]

Do you have carbon in your filter? If so, that's where the initial ammonia went. Carbon will absord it until it is saturated, usually in a day or so, causing the ammonia to drop slightly but then the ammonia will not drop again until bacteria form to start processing it. I'd say it is highly unlikely that the Cycle had anything to do with it.

 

[Minni3]

Who are you speaking to?

I took the carbon out of my filter btw.

 

[rdd1952]

I was actually referring to wslinky. Yours (Minni3) looks pretty normal provided you added more ammonia between day 1 and 7. The ammonia process bacteria are present and doing their job but the nitrite processing bacteria haven't developed yet. They take longer.

 

[wslinky]

Hm...wow wierd.

I got a similar problem with my tank that i'm cycling too...

Day 1
Amonnia: 5ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

Day7
Ammonia: 5ppm
Nitrites: 5ppm

LOL
Nitrates: 0ppm

That is normal, you need to wait for the Nitrites (NO2) to be broken down into Nitrates (NO3). Somehow mine is the opposite.

Do you have carbon in your filter? If so, that's where the initial ammonia went. Carbon will absord it until it is saturated, usually in a day or so, causing the ammonia to drop slightly but then the ammonia will not drop again until bacteria form to start processing it. I'd say it is highly unlikely that the Cycle had anything to do with it.

That makes sense with the drop in Ammonia (NH3) but my question is where did the Nitrates (NO3) come from since there are no Nitrites (NO2)

 

[rdd1952]

Not certain where they my hae come from unless you misread the results somewhere along the line. I guess it's possible that some got processed but since the ammonia isn't dropping, it's unlikely.