Eek! Help! Think I've Done Something Stupid!

[Curiosity101]

Nope, just leave it. It'll start cycling the ammonia soon.

 

[Angel47]

Thanks Curiosity101

However, I've got a confession

I looked back at my replies to see if there was something I could take the initiative on without keep bothering you guys and I saw your reply about topping up the ammonia if it is below 5ppm and using the calculator to work out what you need. So thats what I did I put in '1' as my reading was 4.0 for ammonia and the answer was 1.32 for a 125 litre tank so I've put that amount of ammonia in now

Have I done wrong?

I'm sorry. I must learn to be patient.

Maz

 

[Curiosity101]

Nope, that's fine. But short of just keeping the ammonia topped up when it dips below 5ppm you just sit n wait. lol.
It's a bit boring watching an empty fish tank with the filter etc running, but it's the best way in the long run.
I read something the other day that might be useful to you, during a fishless cycle algae can easy take over, so if you have a spare rug or blanket you can pop over the tank to stop any light getting in then it might be a good idea.

 

[Angel47]

Phew! Thank you so much for your advice. Its a real comfort to know that I can come on here and get some help as I go along.

I will get something to cover the tank to lower the chances of algae. The tank is in an alcove well away from the window too so hopefully I wont get too many problems. I will post my results tomorrow and put them on a new thread with a more sensible title so people know what I'm trying to do!!

Thank you Curiosity101, I will try to be good!

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, fishless cycling a dark tank that only has substrate is a good way to minimize the algae. You can use pieces of black plastic garbage bag taped onto the tank. Sometimes double layers are needed to make it really black.

You want to establish a time of day to add the ammonia (if its needed that day) and its best to pick a time such that it meets a couple of criteria: You want a time when you are likely to usually be home. It should ideally be a time when, 12 hours later, you will also be home. So, for instance, if you are likely to be home at 7am and 7pm then you could pick 7pm as your "ammonia add time." Let's say you add 5ppm of ammonia at 7pm one day. At 7am the next morning (this is later in the fishless cycle when you are testing -twice- a day) you test and find ammonia has dropped to zero ppm. You do nothing. Then at 7pm (your "ammonia add time") you add enough ammonia to get to 5ppm concentration. You only ever add ammonia once in a 24 hour period and you only add it at the "add time." And you only add it, of course, if ammonia reached zero ppm sometime during the previous 24 hours. The reason for this is to somewhat minimize the total amount of nitrogen going into the tank, as it will later result in greater amounts of nitrite and nitrate, some of which will be acidic.

None of this need be as precise as my paragraph makes it sound, it just helps people to lay it out that way we've found. During the first couple of weeks its good enough to just test once a day, at least until you get curious and maybe start getting some nitrite(NO2), after which you'll get curious to see if that's going up and up. After the ammonia is dropping to zero each day and the nitrite is getting higher, the next milestone is when nitrite(NO2) reaches the highest that the test can measure, the "nitrite spike", where it will stay usually for days at least.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Angel47]

Hi waterdrop! Thank you for your info. I will read it slowly again and digest it properly. I'm lucky regarding my tank really. Our front room has had an extention built on it at some point (it used to be the village shop) and hence the area where we sit and watch tv - and where I've placed my tank - never really gets sunlight as its set so far back from the window. Even on the brightest day I still have the main light on as it quite dark without it. I used to find this annoying but I'm quite pleased now! I have a blanket and I think that should be enough to make it very dark for the tank. There is a little wall light about 2 feet directly above the tank. Is this a problem?

7 in the morning and 7 and night would probably be the best for me during the week. But - don't laugh - would I have to get up at 7 at the weekend too or would and hour or so's difference not matter in the long run?

thanks Maz

 

[waterdrop]

Oh no, most of it is not a "by the clock" type thing. Only at the very end, when you're getting excited anyway, is it useful to do some fairly accurate 12 hour timings. And about the blanket, my concern was more that you be careful not to have a blanket draping over things that might somehow catch it on fire or that it might wick the water over the edge and onto the floor.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Angel47]

Aah, got you! my plug set up is in the tank cabinet on a shelf. It has to be here as its the only way I could make drip loops of the cables. Other than that it would be on the floor and lower than the tank so that won't do.

I will pop a black bag across the front and secure it with some sticky velcro. That comes off easily enough so I can remove it when all is ready and it wont leave a mark.

Thank you very much for your help. I will be posting my cycle results on a dedicated thread from tomorrow as I'm sure there aren't enough cycle threads for you guys to check already.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for their help

Maz