Fishless Cycle Log

[Diesel Trout]

Well after a couple mornings of sky high nitrite readings, this morning the NO2 was back down to 0.0! Perhaps my friendly little bacs aren't so friendly and they are just messing with me.

I think the only left to do at this point is return the hamster and start stocking fish.

 

[waterdrop]

darn, just when I thought I was getting a 72

 

[Diesel Trout]

Sunday morning. Day 126. Week 18.

Things seemed to have settled down for the most part. Ammonia continues to be fully processed after 12 hours but nitrite is still hanging around to the tune of 0.25 ppm. I know that eventually it will get there...

In the mean time I am waiting for some fish that I ordered a couple weeks ago (12 rummynose) when I was seeing morning double zeros. They were suppose to be in last week, and now they are suppose to be in this week (if they are available from the LFS's supplier). If they don't arrive I guess I will have to buy from the Petsmart. *shudder*

 

[waterdrop]

Your rummys are in psychic contact with your nitrites. Put your headscarf on tonight and think deep thoughts about the day when the rummys and the nitrites will bring this all to a satisfying conclusion...

 

[OldMan47]

Let's not go there WD. I have a hard enough time figuring this stuff out without variables of thought affecting the results.

 

[waterdrop]

well, you know he's under pressure because I want a nice tank to look at the next time I head up to the big railroad hotel in Banff and stop off for that beer at the dieseltrout pub.

 

[Diesel Trout]

well, you know he's under pressure because I want a nice tank to look at the next time I head up to the big railroad hotel in Banff and stop off for that beer at the dieseltrout pub.

Luckily the tank is located right next to the scotch bar!

Well I have decided that enough is enough and the fish are going in this Saturday, like it or not. If nitrite doesn't want to go away in 12 hours time, so be it. As I have mentioned before, I do not plan on stocking 5 ppm of fish waste right off the bat so I am sure the fish population I introduce to the tank will be fine.

As far as I am concerned, I have been doing everything according to what I have learned from you guys (WD and OM47) and this site. Everything checks out: the only variable that has not been ruled out is the ammonia I have been using. I think actual fish waste will make all the difference in the world.

So Saturday will be the day.

My question is regarding the water prep. If I do a big water change Friday night will the filter bacs be okay until the next morning? With the big sword in the tank I do not feel comfortable about doing a 90% change. Perhaps 2 changes would be better. If I do not dose some more ammonia will the filter bugs survive?

 

[OldMan47]

The filter bacteria will not be affected by the water change. Bacteria losses are fairly slow with no ammonia present so you should not lose much at all just being down overnight.

 

[waterdrop]

Agree. The big water change (or two if you want) always get people a bit nervous for their hard-won bacteria but its not a problem. Part of the whole plan is to prepare colonies that are robust enough even for a die-back much larger than what I suspect you'd have.

 

[Diesel Trout]

Well everybody, the fish are in!

Friday night I did the big water change, turning over about 80%. Took out rocks to wash algae off, wiped glass, syphoned gravel. Saturday morning I did a smaller change, about 25%, just to pick up some more crud that was displaced by the ornament clean-off.

At the Petsmart around noon, I managed to wrangle 10 rummynose and 6 black phantoms (3 male, 3 female). After about 4 hours acclimation time I dropped them in the tank. The rummys didn't seem to lose any colour from their snouts so I was happy to see that. After a short period of rummys in one corner and phantoms in the other, they gradually mixed. The phantoms actually school with the rummys! It's fun to watch them zip back and forth in front of the tank.

Today (Sunday) I scooped 6 julii cats from my LFS. Once in the tank they instantly set about combing the sand for treasures.

Also relocated this afternoon were the inhabitants from my 15 gallon: 2 coloured skirt tetras, 2 Flying Fox and 1 chinese algae eater. The skirts were nearly 6 years and the others 5 years in a plantless incandescent environment. What must be going through their tiny fish brains as they explore their new world?

The skirts set about as the dominators of the phantoms, and had no trouble exploring the whole tank. The CAE instantly hid, occasionally peaking out of his rock cave then scurrying back in. He is definitely the most confused/apprehensive of the bunch. The flying fox (I found out why they are called "flying" foxes) were everywhere, through the plants and rocks, sticking together like peas and carrots. I think they have upset the apple cart though as the rummys and phantoms have been hiding in the corner again.

Anyway, this cycle is officially closed! Thanks again to OldMan47 and waterdrop for EVERYTHING through all these many many days. Did I break the record for longest fishless cycle? Feel free to use me as an example!

I'm not going anywhere. I'll see you guys in other threads I am sure!

Cheers.

 

[rebrn]

glad to hear you are at the end You give hope to all the newbies (like myself) out there that it is possible, patience shall persevere You will have to post pics of your newly stocked tank.

 

[martinking]

Well congrats mate, I think you have taken my crown for the longest ever cycle!

 

[OldMan47]

Keep an eye out for RookieAqua trying to beat you both. Over 2 months and ammonia is still not processing. That is with two mature media donations.

 

[JustFrozen]

congrats

i second the call for pics!

 

[Diesel Trout]

Thanks everybody! It's been a long road but worth it in the end. Here are some bad pictures:

Foxes with phantoms in the back, a cory and the CAE:

http/img136.imageshack.us/img136/4016/foxes3.jpg

Some schooling in the corner:

http/img339.imageshack.us/img339/6839/schooling.jpg

The skirts together:

http/img412.imageshack.us/img412/7880/skirtsslate2.jpg

What do you think?