Fishless Cycle Log

[m00se]

Thought I'd keep a fishless cycle log, mostly just for my benefit so I know what's going on, and thought I might as well do it on here, in case anyone has any good advice for me at any point. When I started my first tank I didn't know any better and did a fish-in cycle

I have started with mature media (gravel and filter from another tank) and some water with bottom-of-tank-gunge from my other tank in so hopefully that will give it a nice good kickstart.

Tap water stats:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
pH 7.2

Anyway, here goes

Day 1
Added Ammonia @ 10pm to take tank to 5ppm

Day 2 (10pm)
Ammonia 5
Nitrite 0 (maybe slightly purple-y but hard to convince myself so calling it 0)
Nitrate 40

Day 3 (10am)
Ammonia 2
Nitrite 0.25-0.5 (somewhere between the two on the test card)
Nitrate 40

Day 3 (10pm)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40
Added ammonia to bring tank to 5ppm

Day 4 (10am) (ish)
Ammonia 1
Nitrite 2
Nitrate ~50

Day 4 (10pm)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate ~50
pH 7.6
First 24h double 0!
Added ammonia to bring tank to 5ppm

Day 5 (7am) - bloody work!
Ammonia 1
Nitrite 2
Nitrate 50
pH 7.6
Getting there...!

Day 5 (7pm) - shifting times due to work
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 50
pH 7.6
That'll be a <24h double 0 \o/
Added ammonia to bring tank to 5ppm

Day 6 (7am)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 80
pH 7.6
So close!

Day 6 (7pm)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 80
pH 7.6
Added plants, plugged homebrew CO2 into powerhead Venturi, perfomed 60% water change, then added ammonia to bring tank to 5ppm

Day 7 (7am)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40
pH 7.6

Day 7 (7pm)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40
Transferred over fish, waited for them to stop freaking out, took picture

 

[youngfisher]

Glad to see its processing already.

YF

 

[OldMan47]

It looks to me that you have a nice successful clone going there m00se. A few more days and you will be at a place where you verify that it is not just chance that moved you along so well. I would guess that by Wednesday you will either be there or be very close.

 

[m00se]

It looks to me that you have a nice successful clone going there m00se. A few more days and you will be at a place where you verify that it is not just chance that moved you along so well. I would guess that by Wednesday you will either be there or be very close.

Thanks, I hope to be. Be really nice to get a good clone going, I've done everything I could think of after reading through these forums - loads of little tips!

On another note, it literally just dawned on me that I'm going away for a week next Saturday! Obviously if it's cycled properly by midweek I'll transfer in my existing fish and leave them alone for the week, possibly with a feeding block. However, if my tank hasn't cycled by then, what would be my best bet to keep it ticking over for the week I'm away? A feeding block should give a steady trickle of ammonia over the time I'm away, shouldn't it? I don't have anyone who can add ammonia regularly for me

 

[OldMan47]

If you have a cycled filter on an older tank and are moving all of the fish, just move the filter over with the fish and your cycle is done. You would need to do a huge water change to remove any remaining ammonia or nitrites first. After that you just have a new filter to bring along, and by the looks of it that is also moving nicely.

 

[waterdrop]

Yup, agree, that sounds like a good plan. -wd-

 

[m00se]

Ammonia and nitrites gone today already. Topped up the tank to 5ppm just now, will see how it goes in the morning. Looking good though, right?

 

[OldMan47]

Sounds like you are on track for a nice clone there m00se.

 

[m00se]

There's my first 24h double-zero!

 

[OldMan47]

Good going. In another day or two you may be at 12 hours.

 

[m00se]

Changing testing times to 7/7 due to shift pattern change. Processing in under 24h now. How much less will remain to be seen in the morning

 

[waterdrop]

 

[m00se]

So close!

 

[waterdrop]

...well, yer about at deadline if you want to call it a 1 week cycle there mOOOse, lol

 

[m00se]

Yeah. I figure if it's processing in about 15 hours or so (as I guess it probably is), then should I be ok to transfer over my current stock plus the filter from the old tank? The fish from this tank is obviously far from maximum stock for the new one...