Fishless Cycle Diary

[waterdrop]

(hope that means -added- back to 3ppm )

 

[Jonty]

(hope that means -added- back to 3ppm )

I don't know where it came from!

Nah, it's added

 

[waterdrop]

 

[Jonty]

Wooo tested - Nitrite and Ammonia both off the charts! I went to my LFS and came back with 10 lovely Piranhas and 4 angel fish - they recommented it. It looked a bit full so I put 2 angels in an old goldfish bowl....












He he had you all scared

 

[Jonty]

Day 13 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.1ppm
Nitrate 5ppm ???
PH 7.8

I'm going to take your advice WD and ignore the nitrate reading...

The nitrite is between the 0ppm baby blue and the lavender 0.25 - hence the 0.1ppm - at least it's going down

-added- ammonia back up to 3ppm

 

[waterdrop]

 

[Jonty]

Day 14 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm (what the hell?!?)
PH 8.0

Again, I'll ignore the Nitrate treading as I haven't got any live plants or anything and haven't done a water change...

However - Nitrite is 0!

Ammonia back up to 3ppm

 

[Jonty]

Day 15 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
PH 8.0

I'm even double-checking that I'm using the Nitrate, not Ammonia test! I think I've developed some Nitrate eating bacs...

Should I start doing 12 hour checks now the Nitrite is going down to zero in 24?

I put the ammonia back up to 4ppm - should I put it to 5?

 

[waterdrop]

yes and yes

 

[Jonty]

Wow - feels like I'm getting closer to the finish line...

Didn't see your post WD, but I woke up in time to do this test:

13 hours after Ammonia add

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.0

 

[waterdrop]

I agree Jonty, looks like your bacterial growth is progressing nicely. Be aware that the N-Bac population can prove to be very frustrating at this point as they often get very close to the 12 hour zero but stick at "not-quite 12 hours" and it drives people crazy. If you stick it out it will be good in my opinion as it will pretty much guarantee no traces of nitrite showing up later after you have fish. But its also been argued that if you do not fully stock initially (which is the case for most, as people usually have cards/neons or some other "wait 6 months" species on their list anyway) then you don't necessarily need to get the 12-hour-nitrite-zero to be rock solid.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Jonty]

Day 16 - was out, couldn't test

Day 17 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.0

 

[Jonty]

Day 17 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.2

Bumped ammonia back to 5ppm

 

[Jonty]

Day 18 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.25ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.0

Now that Ammonia's down to zero in 12 hours, should I add every twelve now? (assuming there's not a spike)

 

[waterdrop]

No, you still wait until the 24 hour mark to add ammonia. Looking good!

~~waterdrop~~