Fishless Cycle Log

[coldcazzie]

thanks man!

 

[Gr44]

Hey Cazzie,

How is it going, what are the latest results??

Question for you;

Do you have the Nitrite/Nitrate the right way aruond in your previous posts? You say the Nitrate is '2 ppm' but the smallest recording on my API test kit is 20ppm?? If it's actually the nitrite that is 2ppm then jobs a good'un!!

All the best!

 

[coldcazzie]

Day 14 (6.9.09)
10.30am: Ammonia: 4ppm. Nitrite: 0.25ppm. Nitrate: 2ppm. pH: 7.6+

Woohoo finally some nitrite showing!!

And no I haven't mixed them up - my nitrate colour chart shows 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160ppm. And it's currently somewhere between 0 and 5, so I estimate about 2. But I have had these test kits a while, so maybe the newest versions have a different colour chart with them? They've changed the packaging to the blue it is now and changed the test tubes since I bought my NH3/NO2/NO3 test kits, so maybe they changed the colour charts too.

 

[glolite]

Nitrate kits lose their effectiveness quickly, more so than nitrite and ammonia testing kits. I suspect your nitrate would be more like 20 to 30. Might be worth investing in a new one.

 

[coldcazzie]

Nitrate kits lose their effectiveness quickly, more so than nitrite and ammonia testing kits. I suspect your nitrate would be more like 20 to 30. Might be worth investing in a new one.

I may very well do that soon. For the moment I'm not too bothered about the nitrate readings, it's the ammonia and nitrite I'm interested in. But I will put it on the list of things to buy!

 

[coldcazzie]

Day 15 (7.9.09)
9:30am: Ammonia: 2-4ppm. Nitrite: 0.25ppm (but slightly darker than yesterday). Didn't test nitrate or pH.
1pm: Cut a small chunk off one of the fine sponges in the Juwel filter, cut up into 12x 1cm cubes, then added to QT filter, inbetween the gravel and the sponge. Hoping this will aid filter somewhat. Will test levels again in morning.

 

[OldMan47]

If those pieces are from a mature filter, it will be an enormous help in moving your cycle forward.

 

[coldcazzie]

Yes they are from my Rio 240, it has stabilised since it's mini cycle so thought it would be worth it (and has been running for about 3.5yrs so...very mature!)

Day 16 (8.9.09)
7:30am: Ammonia: 2-4ppm. Nitrite: 0.25ppm. Nitrate: 2ppm. pH: 7.6+

Was hoping I might see some change since adding the extra media yesterday but nevermind!

 

[Gr44]

Cazzie, mine seemd to take about 48hours (I did test the Ammonia last night quickly and it was 2+ppm) so hopefully yours will drop nicely tomorrow

Fingers crossed !

 

[coldcazzie]

Day 17 (9.9.09)
9:45am: Ammonia: 2-4ppm. Nitrite: 0.25ppm. Nitrate: 2ppm. pH: 7.6.

No change again.

Not only that but I had to remake the filter (again! - is about the third time!) as it decided to vomit half the gravel all over the bottom of the tank overnight. No sooner had I done it, it started spitting it back out again. Starting to get annoyed with it and wondering if I should give up and buy a box filter.

Tbh, I'm also starting to wonder if I should bother at all, skip the whole QT thing (and basically have extra filter sponge ready in my Rio filter just in case I need to quar anything) and put fish straight in my Rio. I know they should be quarantined but Im running out of time... it's gonna take me 7 weeks minimum to stock and I've only got 8 weeks left before I'm due!

*sigh*

 

[OldMan47]

If you are losing material from the filter, you need a filter bag to hold that material. They are just a mesh bag with a draw string to allow you to contain loose material.

 

[coldcazzie]

Would a snippet from a pair of tights tied over the end with an elastic band do the job? That's what I was thinking.

 

[OldMan47]

That ought to work Cazzie. I tend to think in terms of what I have on hand, tights are not among them.

 

[coldcazzie]

That ought to work Cazzie. I tend to think in terms of what I have on hand, tights are not among them.

PMSL you mean you don't wear tights?! Tsk tsk!

well I did that this morning and it has worked so

Day 18 (10.9.09)
9:50am: Ammonia: 2-4ppm. Nitrite: 0.5ppm. Nitrate: 5ppm. pH: 7.2.

Definitely something starting to happen - nitrates have gone up and pH is dropping so YEY!

 

[OldMan47]

That sounds good but keep an eye on the pH. If it gets below about 6.2 we will need to deal with it.