Fishless Cycle Diary

[Jonty]

Day 18 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.0

Bumped Ammonia back up to 5ppm

Day 19 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.0

Does this mean I start the 'qualifying week'?

 

[paulbr1]

Looking good you git - it took me 42 days with mature media, I did get a 0 Nitrite in 12 hours early but it went back up, hope it keeps up for you.

Paul. .

 

[Jonty]

Day 19 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 7.8

bumped ammonia to 5ppm

 

[waterdrop]

Looking good you git - it took me 42 days with mature media, I did get a 0 Nitrite in 12 hours early but it went back up, hope it keeps up for you.

Paul. .

Paul, ..took me longer than you.. very soft, acid water that kept crashing to low pH and all the while I was seeing people in other threads who were breezing through and finishing with obviously strong colonies in very short times. Its frustrating but the process just varies all over the place! -wd-

 

[Jonty]

Day 20 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.0

Day 21 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.25ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.0

 

[Jonty]

Day 21 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.2

Day 22 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.25ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.4

Is high PH a problem?

 

[waterdrop]

No, that pH shouldn't be a problem. Let's go a little longer before perhaps doing a water change to see if we can keep things clean for that last bit of N-Bac growth.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Jonty]

Day 23 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.2

 

[Jonty]

Day 24 - couldn't test

Ammonia back up to 5ppm

 

[Jonty]

Day 25 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0.5ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.4

Maybe I put in too much ammonia?

 

[Jonty]

Day 25 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.0

Day 26 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 7.8

 

[waterdrop]

Looks like you're knocking on the door again...

 

[Jonty]

Day 27 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.4

Day 28 (12 after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.4

 

[Jonty]

Day 28 (24 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 1ppm ??
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.2

Day 29 (12 hours after Ammonia add)
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.0

 

[waterdrop]

Don't fret! You're only at one month and its going to bounce around. That's why we have all the lore about patiently watching it and the "qualifying week" and all that final smoothing out...

~~waterdrop~~