First Water Readings

[djceri_g]

Im currently cycling my 190L Juwel trigon. I did put too much ammonia and it weno off the chart and did a 30% water change

Day 3
Ammnia 8ppm (could be more!)
Nitaite 0

Day 5

30% water change to get rid of some ammonia

Day 7

Ammonia 8ppm! (could be more)
Nitrite 3ppm
Nitrate 5ppm

Day 8

Ammonia 8ppm
nitrite 2-4 ppm
NitrAte 10ppm

Does this look okay to you? I aint too sure! Should i try reduce the ammonia to about 5ppm

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's fine, it's started cycling as your getting nitrite and nitrate readings.

personally I'm not sure who came up with the figure of 5ppm for fishless cycling or why (perhaps someone can tell me if they know!) but I remember someone saying they'd cycled they're tank in a week and a half by adding prawns to the tank, the ammonia level was sky high and the cycle was really really quick. Of course it's only annecdotal evidence that using more ammonia makes it cycle quicker, but perhaps if you try it as well and some others do we can eventually confirm/deny that conclusion. Only one way to find out!

yours seems to be going pretty fast too so don't worry about reducing the ammonia unless you see any problems, if the cycle appears to stall (levels remain the same and don't move for several days) then by all means try and reduce the ammonia but if it was me I'd leave it well alone.

 

[djceri_g]

Good, thanks for the reply, will keep you up to date

 

[djceri_g]

this is the readings now, my tank seems to have back fiered!!

Day 10

amminia 8ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate oppm ?/?? have vanished

Day 12

Ammona 8ppm
Nirtite 1ppm
Nitrate o

WTF is going on? Is it because I put too much ammonia in the first fill? I havent been putting any ammonia since starting the cycle

 

[rdd1952]

You need to do a partial water change to get the ammonia reading where you know what it really is. It may be so high that is is preventing the tank from cycling. It did appear to start as you were beginning to see nitrite but the ammonia never dropped to a readable level. I don't have a clue where the nitrates went unless you have plants that are using them.

 

[djceri_g]

You need to do a partial water change to get the ammonia reading where you know what it really is. It may be so high that is is preventing the tank from cycling. It did appear to start as you were beginning to see nitrite but the ammonia never dropped to a readable level. I don't have a clue where the nitrates went unless you have plants that are using them.

maybey I did the nitrate test wrong? Or as you say plants, theres two in there. Think one of the spounges in my filter system has a nitrate removal one. Should I take away the carbon spounge?

 

[rdd1952]

If it has a nitrate removal sponge, that could be where it went. I don't particularly care for those but some people use them. I wouldn't remove either of the sponges yet as that is where your bacteria is. You don't want to set the cycling process back Once it is fully cycled, replacing a spongue will not be a problem as the bacteria can double again in a bout 24 hours.

 

[djceri_g]

If it has a nitrate removal sponge, that could be where it went. I don't particularly care for those but some people use them. I wouldn't remove either of the sponges yet as that is where your bacteria is. You don't want to set the cycling process back Once it is fully cycled, replacing a spongue will not be a problem as the bacteria can double again in a bout 24 hours.

I have a juwel record that has been running for 6 months and have fish in it. It has the same filter spounges as my new tank im currently cycling, would I be able to swap spounges to get the cycling faster?

 

[rdd1952]

Definitely. Moving a sponge from the other tank would introduce bacteria immediately. You could see the cycle finished in a matter of days.

 

[djceri_g]

Thanks everyone for the replies! Im so so chuffed! Just checked the water readings and all the ammonia seems to have disapered! Nitrite at approx 2ppm and Nirtate 5ppm! Its funny last night ammonia was very high. I have added some more ammonia not to see if it disaperars in 24 hours. When should i do a water chage.

 

[doresy]

If you do have a CARBON filter in there as you mentioned you should take it out

 

[djceri_g]

If you do have a CARBON filter in there as you mentioned you should take it out

even as my tank has cycled? should i still take it out?