Day #7 of a Fish-less Cycle...weird water parameters?

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dmpfishlover

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I am on Day# 7 of a Fish-less Cycle in my 55 gallon aquarium. The tank has a sand substrate and lots of driftwood and some stones. No plants so far. I tested the water this morning and some of the water parameter results seemed strange (at least to me they did). They may be normal fluxuations that are a normal part of the cycling process for all I know, or fluke results.... I have no idea!!!! So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to reach out and get the opinions of others. Below are the results of testing the parameters of the water in my tank during the cycling process:

What I think is strange is that the pH has gone up over the past three days, and the hardness has gone down. Is this to be expected? Or are these odd results? Perhaps it is just due to possibly inaccurate results? I use the API Master Test Kit, and API GH/KH Test Kit.

Parameter
Day 0* (5/24)​
Day 1** (5/25)​
Day 4 (5/28)​
Day 7 (5/31)​
Temperature (°F)
77.6​
77.5​
78.6​
77.6​
pH
7.6​
7.8​
7.8​
8​
Ammonia (ppm)
0​
3-4​
2​
2​
Nitrite (ppm)
0​
0​
0​
0​
Nitrate (ppm)
0​
0​
0​
0​
GH (ppm)
143.2​
143.2​
143.3​
125.3​
KH (dKH)
6​
6​
5​
6​
*Before adding Ammonia (Baseline parameters)
**After adding Dose #1 of Ammonia
 
I am on Day# 7 of a Fish-less Cycle in my 55 gallon aquarium. The tank has a sand substrate and lots of driftwood and some stones. No plants so far. I tested the water this morning and some of the water parameter results seemed strange (at least to me they did). They may be normal fluxuations that are a normal part of the cycling process for all I know, or fluke results.... I have no idea!!!! So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to reach out and get the opinions of others. Below are the results of testing the parameters of the water in my tank during the cycling process:

What I think is strange is that the pH has gone up over the past three days, and the hardness has gone down. Is this to be expected? Or are these odd results? Perhaps it is just due to possibly inaccurate results? I use the API Master Test Kit, and API GH/KH Test Kit.

Parameter
Day 0* (5/24)​
Day 1** (5/25)​
Day 4 (5/28)​
Day 7 (5/31)​
Temperature (°F)
77.6​
77.5​
78.6​
77.6​
pH
7.6​
7.8​
7.8​
8​
Ammonia (ppm)
0​
3-4​
2​
2​
Nitrite (ppm)
0​
0​
0​
0​
Nitrate (ppm)
0​
0​
0​
0​
GH (ppm)
143.2​
143.2​
143.3​
125.3​
KH (dKH)
6​
6​
5​
6​
*Before adding Ammonia (Baseline parameters)
**After adding Dose #1 of Ammonia

Yeah, water chemistry can fluctuate during a cycle - especially I our water's soft anyway. Tbh, I wouldn't bother testing the water chemistry (pH, GH and KH) while the tank is cycling, just concentrate on the water quality (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). Test it at the end of the cycle, when things have settled down.
 
Yeah, water chemistry can fluctuate during a cycle - especially I our water's soft anyway. Tbh, I wouldn't bother testing the water chemistry (pH, GH and KH),, and just concentrate on the water quality (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). Test it at the end of the cycle, when things have settled down.
I have just been testing the other parameters out of curiosity. I know that I should mostly be focused on Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Thanks!!!
 
Your KH looks to be high enough - it's under 4 where there is a risk of a pH crash - but it is worth testing pH every so often just to be on the safe side.

A pH crash won't harm the cycle, just stall it as the bacteria don't multiply below pH 6.5-ish
 
Your KH looks to be high enough - it's under 4 where there is a risk of a pH crash - but it is worth testing pH every so often just to be on the safe side.

A pH crash won't harm the cycle, just stall it as the bacteria don't multiply below pH 6.5-ish
Good to know!!! I will continue to monitor pH as well... So, should I wait another three days and then test the water again? I'm guessing that I should see some Nitrites by then? Or could it take another week before Ammonia goes down significantly and Nitrites start to rise?
 
Continue testing every third day to you hit the target of ammonia under 0.75 and nitrite over 2 ppm.

Have you added bottled bacteria, or mature media? If you haven't it can take a few weeks to reach the target - mine took 3 weeks.
 
Continue testing every third day to you hit the target of ammonia under 0.75 and nitrite over 2 ppm.

Have you added bottled bacteria, or mature media? If you haven't it can take a few weeks to reach the target - mine took 3 weeks.
I added bottled bacteria...I wish I had access to mature media, as I have a feeling that would speed things along more so than bottled bacteria. But at least I have the bottled bacteria in there. Thanks for the advice!!
 

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