Dtaylor's Fishless Cycle

[dtaylor21184]

Ok just started my fishless cycle today so gonna keep a record on here

Tank size - 165l
Temperature - 28c
PH level - 7.5

Record

Day 1, 5th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia Added 4ppm Ammonia 4ppm
Day 2, 6th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm
Day 3, 7th June 2011 - 21.30 PH level increased to 8.0, Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm
Day 4, 8th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm
Day 5, 9th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm
Day 6, 10th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm
Day 7, 11th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm
Day 8, 12th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm
Day 9, 13th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm
Day 10, 14th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm
Day 11, 15th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 3ppm, Nitrite 0.25ppm, Nitrate 2ppm
Day 12, 16th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 3ppm, Nitrite 0.25ppm, Nitrate 5ppm
Day 13, 17th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 3ppm, Nitrite 5ppm, Nitrate 30ppm
Day 14, 18th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 3ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 20-40ppm
Day 15, 19th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 3ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 40-80ppm
Day 16, 20th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 1ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 17, 21st June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 1ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 18, 22nd June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0.5ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 19, 23rd June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 3ppm
Day 20, 24th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 4ppm
Day 21, 25th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 4ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 22, 26th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 5ppm
Day 23, 27th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 5ppm
Day 24, 28th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 3ppm
Day 25, 29th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 2ppm, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 3ppm
Day 26, 30th June 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 3ppm
Day 27, 1st July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm redosed ammonia 3ppm

12 hour tests

Day 28, 2nd July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0.5ppm, Nitrite 1ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 28, 2nd July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 29, 3th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 1ppm, Nitrite 0.5ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 29, 3th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 30, 4th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 1ppm, Nitrite 1ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 30, 4th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 1ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 31, 5th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 31, 5th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 32, 6th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 32, 6th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 33, 7th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 33, 7th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 34, 8th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 34, 8th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 35, 9th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Day 35, 9th July 2011 - 21.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm
Redosed 5ppm
Day 36, 10th July 2011 - 9.30 Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 160ppm

 

[dtaylor21184]

how do you edit your post?

 

[The chilly dipper]

how do you edit your post?

there will be an edit button near reply

 

[eaglesaquarium]

In the fishless cycle, you could add some baking soda to raise your pH to 8.4 or so. This is better for bacteria to grow.

 

[dtaylor21184]

how do you edit your post?

there will be an edit button near reply

yeah i thoough there should be but there definitely isnt an edit button on my screen i thought i was going mad the other day when i wanted to edit something so asked my OH who couldnt figure it out either

edited to add -just figured out why. i hadnt validated my account so hadnt got the option to edit done it now so we are all sorted lol

 

[dtaylor21184]

In the fishless cycle, you could add some baking soda to raise your pH to 8.4 or so. This is better for bacteria to grow.

good tip i think i have some somewhere so will add it now, any amount in particular

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I would add it about 1-1.5 teaspoons at a time, until you are at the desired level. Wait about 20 minutes or so between adding it and testing the pH. If you add too much, it isn't really a problem, but there is no reason to add too much. The nice piece is that the baking soda will also act as a buffer to keep the pH up as the cycle goes along. At the end, you'll do a massive water change to remove the nitrates and the baking soda and higher pH will go out with it.

 

[dtaylor21184]

I would add it about 1-1.5 teaspoons at a time, until you are at the desired level. Wait about 20 minutes or so between adding it and testing the pH. If you add too much, it isn't really a problem, but there is no reason to add too much. The nice piece is that the baking soda will also act as a buffer to keep the pH up as the cycle goes along. At the end, you'll do a massive water change to remove the nitrates and the baking soda and higher pH will go out with it.

ok i'll go do it now thanks

 

[dtaylor21184]

Should it be cloudy?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The baking soda will cloud the water for a little while, but it will clear up in no time.

 

[dtaylor21184]

increased ph level to 8.0

 

[dtaylor21184]

is this looking right so far?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yup.


The first drop of ammonia usually takes a few days to a couple weeks. Hopefully it will start to drop off quickly, and you will see some nitrites, and preferably some nitrAtes soon.

 

[dtaylor21184]

the wait for something to happen is killing me lol

 

[dtaylor21184]

is it normal for nothing to have happened by now?