Fishless Cycle Diary-back From Hols :)

[ellena]

I see, thanks for explaining that WD And now my bacteria have names-awww!

29.4.09 14hrs
NH3-0.5ppm
NO2-1ppm
NO3-20ppm
pH-7.1

26hrs
NH3-0.5ppm
NO2-0ppm
pH-7.7

There was a plant that wasn't doing well and was going slimy. I took this out thinking it might be contributing NH3?
Added just over 1ml NH3
NH3-4ppm

30.4.09 12hrs
NH3-1ppm
NO2-1ppm
pH-7.1
Did water change to get pH back up and added 0.5ml NH3
NH3-2ppm
pH-7.6

 

[fatheadminnow]

Looking good, ans yes, decaying plants can produce ammonia.

Good thing you took it out.

-FHM

 

[ellena]

30.4.09 12hrs after adding 0.5ml NH3
NH3-1ppm
NO2-0ppm
pH-7.5

1.5.09 24hrs
NH3-still 1ppm
NO2-0ppm
pH-7.6

Maybe it wasn't the slimy plant that was keeping the NH3 up? I siphoned out all bits of it laying on the sand. Can't get pH up with a water change as my tap water is only pH 7. It got the NH3 down in 0 in 24 hrs fine the other day, but now it seems to get from 4ppm down to 1 OK, then struggles with that last bit

 

[fatheadminnow]

Sometimes doing a large water change will give it a kick again.

-FHM

 

[ellena]

Thanks, I'll do one tonight

 

[ellena]

1.5.09 36hrs
NH3-1-2ppm It's gone up!
NO2-0ppm
NO3-10ppm

75% water change added 1.3ml NH3
pH-8.5
NH3-4ppm

2.5.09 12 hrs
NH3-2ppm
NO2-1ppm
pH-right down to 7.2

My little bacteria did so well the other day and I was all excited we were on the final stretch. Now they've gone all rubbish on me. Am I going to have to keep doing massive water changes to keep the pH up? Should I try adding sodium bicarbonate?

 

[fatheadminnow]

If the pH drops down to 6.6, do a water change to bring it up.

Also, sometimes a large water change MAY "shock" the bacteria colony, and they will slow down on processes ammonia/nitrite for like a day.

This is prone to happen though. What we are doing happens naturally in the wild, so we are prone to minor swings like this once in a while.

Don't worry about it, you are looking good!

-FHM

 

[ellena]

3.5.09 41hrs
NH3-up to 4ppm +. Something in the tank is producing NH3 and I don't know what. I've run the gravel vac over the sand and removed all signs of rotting plant twice. All that's in there is the cambomba with a strip of foam and lead round it and the sand.
NO2-0ppm At least they're behaving
pH-up to 8.1 I presume from the extra NH3

Anyway, I found a LFS today willing to donate some media. So I have taken the ceramic tubes out of their basket and replaced them with ceramic balls from LFS. I've left the tubes in the filter at the back. Should this be OK? Filter seems to be running OK with them in, just a tiny buzz from them rattling together.

I still have the sponge in there from the little filter for my betta bowl at work. Do you think I could put some ceramic media in that? The sponge was in 2 halves, so I could put half back and replace half with ceramic?

 

[ellena]

YAY! NH3 from 4ppm+ to 0 in 8.5 hrs
Let's hope it lasts!

 

[ellena]

They've slowed down some, but NH3 isstill going down, which is the right direction
4.5.09 10 hrs
NH3-1ppm
NO2-1ppm
pH-7.3

20hrs
NH3-0.5ppm
NO2-0ppm
pH-7.6

I haven't added any more NH3-is that right? 'Cos its not all gone completely. Or should I add some after 24hrs if it's nearly gone?
Can't have them going hungry now!

 

[kbekll]

2 ways to do it


constantly top up

or wait till 0ppm then top up

 

[fatheadminnow]

If it is close to zero at 24 hours, I would add back up to 4-5 ppm.

-FHM

 

[ellena]

Well this morning
5.5.09 32 hours
NH3-now up to 1ppm
NO2-0ppm
pH-7.9

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i'm wondering if the filtration capacity i.e. media space in the filter isn't up to the full 4ppm of ammonia as it's a small tank and consequently often a small filter with it.

what are you planning on stocking so we can get a feel for the level of ammonia production you can expect.

I would try just topping it up to 2ppm for a few days and see what happens then.

 

[ellena]

Right, I'll have a look and see if there are any technical specs about the filter on the packaging.
At the moment, it has 2 baskets of media, one sponge, one ceramic. I also have the sponge from a small filter I'm planning on using for a betta bowl in there. And since the weekend, I replaced the ceramics with those from the LFS but left the old ones in there too.
I'm planning on having 10 endlers initially.
I could try cycling the betta filter in the bowl, but it's at work so I would never be able to do 12 hours readings on it. I've bought a master kit for work as I knew I'd have to do a mini cycle on it anyway.