Fishless Cycle Log - Add & Wait Method

[MarlinTiger]

Morning all,

Day 19 results are as follows:

pH 7.8ish - Back to the same colour as Day 15, cannot say it appears to be like anything on the chart, it is a pinkish/reddish colour, the closest match is the 7.8 (API Freshwater Master Kit) maybe it is just a fluctuation that happens from time to time? The tap water I have left standing is reading a definite pH 7.8 at the 48hr mark, so it has risen from the initial 7.4 and the same 7.4 at the 24hr mark.
Ammonia 0ppm - I have added enough to raie the level back upto 2ppm, I had not added any Day 18 to try to let the N-Bacs (if that is right?) to catch up.
Nitrites 5.0ppm - Still off the chart. Whilst I recognise the fact that I am still relatively early in the cycling process, it was suggested that a couple of water changes wouldn't do any harm (thanks to both Gvilleguy and Skins for their support)does anyone think it would be of benefit or am I just being a little too impatient?
Nitrates 5.0ppm - No movement at all as yet.

Hope everyone is ok and has a good day.

MT

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

You are doing fine.
Keep the ammonia dosing at 24hrs when it hits zero.
You dont need to do any water changes yet as the nitrate level is low and the ph is fine.
Im on day 44.

 

[Skins]

Morning all,

Day 19 results are as follows:

pH 7.8ish - Back to the same colour as Day 15, cannot say it appears to be like anything on the chart, it is a pinkish/reddish colour, the closest match is the 7.8 (API Freshwater Master Kit) maybe it is just a fluctuation that happens from time to time? The tap water I have left standing is reading a definite pH 7.8 at the 48hr mark, so it has risen from the initial 7.4 and the same 7.4 at the 24hr mark.
Ammonia 0ppm - I have added enough to raie the level back upto 2ppm, I had not added any Day 18 to try to let the N-Bacs (if that is right?) to catch up.
Nitrites 5.0ppm - Still off the chart. Whilst I recognise the fact that I am still relatively early in the cycling process, it was suggested that a couple of water changes wouldn't do any harm (thanks to both Gvilleguy and Skins for their support)does anyone think it would be of benefit or am I just being a little too impatient?
Nitrates 5.0ppm - No movement at all as yet.

Hope everyone is ok and has a good day.

MT

Hello MT,
Your doing just fine

Keith.

 

[Gvilleguy]

Yep - I don't have enough evidence to say "do a water change now". I got tired of seeing nitrites off the chart and did a 90% change at this point in my cycle, and it was probably just coincidence that it moved forward quickly from there. I hope to test that theory if I ever have more tanks in the future.

 

[MarlinTiger]

Mrong All,

Day 20 test results as follows:

pH 7.8ish - Same pinkish/reddish colour as Day 19, canno say it looks like any of the colours on the chart.
Ammonia 0ppm - Added enough to raise back upto the 2ppm level.
Nitrites 5.0ppm - Still off the chart.
Nitrates 5.0ppm - Still no movement.

Hope you all have a good day.

MT

 

[MarlinTiger]

Morning everyone,

Day 21 test results as follows:

pH 7.8ish - Still the same reddy/pinkish colour.
Ammonia 0ppm - Keep dosing every 24hrs to the 2ppm level.
Nitrites 5.0ppm - Still off the charts.
Nitrates 5.0ppm - Still no movement.

Have a good day all.

MT

 

[Skins]

Hello Martin,
Just looking back over your thread and noted in post 12 you say "Tank Temp. 31.3 - Stable", you could try tweaking it down to 29c and see if that gets your nitrItes moving. There are times when the fishless cycler will apply tweaks here and there hoping to speed the process up just that little bit more. I'm not saying your current temp is wrong but with 29c being the recommended heat may be by dropping your temp by 2c just may ruffle a few feathers within your tanks chemistry soup.

Keith.

 

[Gvilleguy]

Good suggestion from Keith on the temp. I didn't catch that.

 

[MarlinTiger]

Morning all,

Thanks to both Skins & Gvilleguy for their advice, I have taken it on board as you will see.

Day 21

After reading the replies to my post, I turned the tank temperature down from 31C to 29C, this was done 5hrs after testing & dosing 2ppm of Ammonia.

Day 22

Test results as follows, these where carried out 22.5hrs after dosing & previous tests and 17.5hrs after turning the tank temperature down from 31C to 29C.

Tank Temperature currently = 28.5C
pH ? - Still the reddy/pinkish colour, the colour doesn't match anything on the charts(High Range).I have tested using the Low Range and it is a Blue but much darker than the 7.6 reading.
Ammonia 0.25ppm - It appears that the dose of 2ppm yesterday hasn't been processed fully, this could either be due to the temp. being turned down or that it is only 22.5hrs since dosing took place. IMHO it most probs has something to do with the temp. rather than the time, as the tank was dealing with this amount of Ammonia, in a shorter timeframe, quite happily before the temp. tweak. But I feel that at least there is movement so something is happening, tbh not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing & what do I know anyway!?!
Nitrites 5.0ppm - No movement as yet, but feel as though it is ony early days since the tank temp. tweak and have to give it a little longer to see if it has helped move things along.
Nitrates 5.0ppm - Same as above.

I am considering a water change maybe over the weekend to see if this would do anything, I know I am still very early in the whole process and I can honestly say that I don't want to rush this, I know there are no shortcuts, but maybe by trying a few different things it may just help to prove or disprove some peoples theories. So I am open to all suggestions (except to stick my head in the oven or jump off a cliff)by those with far superior knowledge.

Cheers for reading.

Have a good weekend.

MT

 

[Skins]

Morning all,

Thanks to both Skins & Gvilleguy for their advice, I have taken it on board as you will see.

Day 21

After reading the replies to my post, I turned the tank temperature down from 31C to 29C, this was done 5hrs after testing & dosing 2ppm of Ammonia.

Day 22

Test results as follows, these where carried out 22.5hrs after dosing & previous tests and 17.5hrs after turning the tank temperature down from 31C to 29C.

Tank Temperature currently = 28.5C
pH ? - Still the reddy/pinkish colour, the colour doesn't match anything on the charts(High Range).I have tested using the Low Range and it is a Blue but much darker than the 7.6 reading.
Ammonia 0.25ppm - It appears that the dose of 2ppm yesterday hasn't been processed fully, this could either be due to the temp. being turned down or that it is only 22.5hrs since dosing took place. IMHO it most probs has something to do with the temp. rather than the time, as the tank was dealing with this amount of Ammonia, in a shorter timeframe, quite happily before the temp. tweak. But I feel that at least there is movement so something is happening, tbh not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing & what do I know anyway!?!
Nitrites 5.0ppm - No movement as yet, but feel as though it is ony early days since the tank temp. tweak and have to give it a little longer to see if it has helped move things along.
Nitrates 5.0ppm - Same as above.

I am considering a water change maybe over the weekend to see if this would do anything, I know I am still very early in the whole process and I can honestly say that I don't want to rush this, I know there are no shortcuts, but maybe by trying a few different things it may just help to prove or disprove some peoples theories. So I am open to all suggestions (except to stick my head in the oven or jump off a cliff)by those with far superior knowledge.

Cheers for reading.

Have a good weekend.

MT

Fingers crossed you see some nitrIte being processed over the weekend.

Enjoy your weekend, Keith.

 

[jonathand]

Hold out over the weekend!
My Nitrite was 5ppm since Jan 12th and finally dropped to 2ppm today, so i'm going to predict Monday for you based on yours being the 15th

 

[Skins]

Any more bets please

 

[guppi]

All I can suggest as my cycle seems to be going great is have plenty of bubbles giving a good ripple across the top of the water, mines aimed about a inch down. Hope this helps.

 

[Skins]

All I can suggest as my cycle seems to be going great is have plenty of bubbles giving a good ripple across the top of the water, mines aimed about a inch down. Hope this helps.

Nice one guppi
This is another one of those tweaks(be it, a quite important one)i was talking about in a previous post. Like Guppi is saying position your filters return nozzle so that it aggitates the waters surface thus supplying the bacterias with a richer oxygen supply. If you have any airstones place them in the aquarium as well. The warmer your water gets the more the oxygen levels become depleated so by making these tweaks gives it an extra boost.

Keith.

 

[MarlinTiger]

Morning all,

Jonathand, Skins & Guppi thanks for the comments and advice it is appreciated.

I can confirm that I have the filter return pipe set, so that it creates bubbles, I also have a small airstone, at the oposite side to the return pipe,in the tank, so I am hoping that I have sufficient air being injected into the tank water.

Day 23 test results are as follows:

Tank Temp. = 28.7C
pH ? - Still the reddy/pinkish colour that doesn't match anything on the chart. Starting to wonder if there is something wromg with the water quality?
Ammonia 0ppm - 48.5hrs after the previous dosing I added Ammonia to the tank to take it back upto the 2ppm level. Now here is a really weird thing, I have checked, in a separte bucket, that I am adding the right amount of Ammonia to take it upto the 2ppm level, however today, when I re-tested the water,some 10mins after dosing,the Ammonia reading was closer to the 4ppm level?!? I haven't a clue where the additional Ammonia is coming from.
Nitrites 5.0ppm - Still no movement.
Nitrates 5.0ppm - Still no movement.

So in summmary, pH & Ammonia are being weird, Nitrites & Nitrates are being stubborn!

Have a good one.

MT