Cycling Tank Water

[MarkGabb]

hi all...
 
ive just setup a 100L tank and as im not on town water wanted to double check a few things....
 
current readings are
pH 7ish
cH 6dH
 
havent got any other test equipments yet...
just got tank up to temprature this morning, so no further steps have been taken
 
is there anything specific with cycling that i need to take into account being on tanks water?
i live 200km from the closest city, so pollution isnt an issue
 
thanks for any tips and advice

 

[attibones]

pH and water hardness are pretty much all you need to know. Cycling time can also be affected by temperature, so you'll want to keep an eye on that. Otherwise you should go ahead and start the cycle! Sounds like you've already checked to make sure your equipment is in proper order. 

 

[MarkGabb]

attibones, you are correct
 
i think ive read all the first 3 pages of guides from google on "Tropical fish care"  
the hardest part for me is amonia as its not a standard thing out here....i got a bottle of something called aquarium starter, but i need some more test equipment to work it out for sure....
 
exelent if thats the case ill see if i can find some amonia and testers and start tonight....

 

[MarkGabb]

I'm guessing my kh tester drops are out of date....I get no blue at all .... I get no blue and no yellow.
Admittedly I got the test kit from my boss who had it lying around for 2 years or so

 

[Flash_Fire]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/

 
To get a tank cycled in a reasonable amount of time, you need to make sure that, in addition to ammonia, the bacteria will also have:

• Lots of oxygen by keeping the surface of your water well agitated to let oxygen in.
• Inorganic carbon (as carbonates) by keeping your KH up. Do not let it drop below 3 dg (55 ppm).
• A good pH level by insuring it is above 6.5. The closer to 8.0 the faster the cycle will go. We do not recommend one alter their pH if it holds fairly steady anywhere between 6.8 - 8.5.
• An optimal temperature by having a heater set to between 75F and 85F. Lower tends to slow the cycle while higher won’t make things go even faster.

 
Kh and Ph can effect the speed of your cycle, but is otherwise isn't important until you start looking into what fish you want to stock in your tank. You'll want to get a liquid test kit, such as, API master freshwater kit to measure your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, to monitor your cycle. Additives, like Tetra Safe Start or like products, can speed you along as well. If you know anyone with an established tank, you could ask them for some media out of their filter and put it in your own to seed the beneficial bacteria.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Post #30 of THIS has some sources for ammonia in Australia. There is another member from Aus that just got some ammonia too, not sure if it was from a source on that other link or not, HERE is his journal.
 
Have you read the cycling article at the top of the page yet? I ask since you said you just read the first 3 guides on google which when I search what you wrote it didn't have that in the first 3 and it's a must read.

 
As has been said a liquid test kit will be needed and API is a popular brand. Make sure anything you get is not expired since you're having issues with your kh test kit. Does that have an expiration date on it?

 

[MarkGabb]

Yeah I've read the first 3 pages in this forum so I got it down pat. Re wrote instructions into my own shorthand as well. No expiry date. But it's all in german so who knows. About to head to the aquarium now do I'll find a good test kit while I'm there.

I'll be interested to see the gh result of my water. As being rain water stored in concrete tanks that have been in use for decades I would think there is alot floating around in there

Had to fish a tadpole out of the filter while filling the tank

 

[Gruntle]

Aquarium ammonia from ebay is the way to go, I received mine in less than a week, as did my friend.
 
API Master Test Kit is fairly cheap (IIRC under $30) and should do you for a good few years of testing.

 

[MarkGabb]

Awesome tips guys. Found a shop yesterday that sells the stuff so major bonus not having to wait. Put in first dose last night

 

[Gruntle]

I would like to know which shop you bought it from, as I found it very difficult to get ammonia in Australia except from ebay. Do tell, please?

 

[MarkGabb]

I would like to know which shop you bought it from, as I found it very difficult to get ammonia in Australia except from ebay. Do tell, please?

Gruntle, i live in gippsland, there is a small backyard place just outside of wonthaggi, and he stocks some. he was nice enough to give me a bottle....he said he also has trouble sourcing it and usually orders it in off ebay for when he uses it...
as its not a common thing for us i thinks about our only bet is ebay

 

[MarkGabb]

ok im wondering if there are wierd poperties in my water at home....
 
just tested twice....amonia has dropped to .7ppm and nitrite is sitting at .75....
this is about 20 hours after first dose....
 
admittedly i have tadpoles and frogs living in my rain tank all year round......
is there something im missing?

 

[MarkGabb]

so as of this morning the amonia nitrate nitrite ppm was 0.
should i redose?

 

[MarkGabb]

final check so this morning all stats sit at
pH 6.5 seems like it never changes
gH 4 drops
kH 3 drops
amonia 0ppm
nitrate 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
 
i dosed about 24 hours ago with amonia and bought the level up to just over 1 ppm

 

[Gruntle]

Dose your ammonia up to 3ppm and see what happens in 24 hours. If ammonia and nitrite are both zero, your cycle is complete and you just need a big water change (to reduce your nitrates) before adding fish.
 
If you have the API kit, you need to belt the living daylights out of the second nitrate test bottle and shake it til your arm is sore, then shake for a bit longer. The reagent in that bottle is a powder and very quickly settles to the bottom, so it's very difficult to get an accurate reading. If your tank is cycling ammonia through nitrite to nitrate, you should be getting a reading. I don't know the exact numbers, but since your cycle went so fast I wouldn't expect it would be be too high (I had to add about 7 doses of ammonia so my nitrates were over 180, but a water change fixed that).