Fishless Cycle Nearly Done - But Nitrates Vanished!?!

[stevewood]

I've been using the API liquid test kit over the past 8 days and adding pure ammonia (9.5% solution) using the "add and wait" method according to the guide on here. I've also been using matured filter media from my smaller tank which has helped speed up the process. Tap water is 0/0/0ppm for the three components and substrate is 2-3" deep granulite (1-2mm)

My ammonia levels drop from 4 to 0.25 in 7 hours, nitrates are dropping now too an average of 4/5 to 1 in a day or so and my nitrAtes were rising quickly over a three day period from 1 to 5 to 20. But now the reading has gone down to what appears to be 5ppm although the sample colour is a 'dirtier yellow' than the 5ppm shade. Could the Nitrate level have gone off the chart resulting in the wierd yellow colour i'm getting. Or is my once reliable Nitrate test solution all of a sudden playing up? I'm using it exactly as per the instructions.

I dont want to get home tonight, with 0ppm Ammonia 0ppm Nitrite and what appears to be 5ppm Nitrate for it to actually be about 200ppm and kill my fish!

The tank pnly has a few plants and i cant see these consuming that much nitrate.

Any help appreciated as always!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

nitrAte tests are notoriously dodgy, try doing a couple and see what you get, it is also possible that they've gone through the roof and are causing the test kit to have a paddy. how old is the test kit, they do have a shelf life so if it's more than a yr or so old you may find it's out of date.

but in essence you don't really need to worry too much over it. as long as your tank is processing the ammonia and nitrite then it's all working.

 

[rdd1952]

If it's an API kit, they can become inaccurate over time, especially if they aren't used much. Bottle 2 can clump up (the reason you have to shake it). This thread has more information on that. I think most all nitrate kits are the same so it would probably apply regardless of the brand.

You mention the "add and wait" method but also mention the nitrate killing your fish. Hopefully, you have stopped addin ammonia if you hae fish in the tank now.

 

[stevewood]

Sorry, just read back what i'd written and my english (and my brain) in that last sentance must have gone out of the window!

It should have read something like; I don't want to get home, add my fish with the ammonia 0 nitrites 0 etc...........

The fish are currently safely housed in my smaller cycled tank!

The test kit itself was bought about two weeks ago, although I have not checked for a date on it. I'll try diluting the test sample by 50% to see if that works, if not i'll assume (as long as ammonia and nitrite are both 0ppm) that it's safe to put the fish in.

Thanks for the advice/help.

Steve

 

[rdd1952]

There are products like zeolite and nitro-zorb that are supposed to remove nitrates. Are you running anything like that in your filter?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

well when you get to the end of the fishless cycle (i.e. ammonia and nitrite 0) you need to do a 70-90% water change anyway, so that would get rid of the nitrates if they are off the scale, don't panic oevr it but try a few more tests, try a diluted sample and make sure you test it after the big water change.

 

[stevewood]

Nope, just using a Fluval Plus 2 with the normal filter pad (not carbon), lights are on 5 on 2 off 5 on 12 off and i've not added any other products like snake oil (ooopps i meant cycle!!!!)

I suspect that the 2nd bottle has either not been shaen enough (although a minute each time when used daily should be enough) or the test is topping out over 180ppm (bottle no 1 turns the sample deep red alone, although i understand this is not realted to the result)

 

[rdd1952]

I suspect it's the lumps in the bottle. In just 8 days of cycling, I wouldn't expect the nitrate to go off the chart. Most of the tanks I've cycled took 3 weeks with the last 2 weeks adding ammonia every day 9sometimes twice a day) and they never got so high that the color reverted back to yellow.

 

[stevewood]

I think you're right.

I'm at the stage of adding ammonia every 8 hours now, but like you say the Nitrate should still only be within the 0-180ppm range.

Thanks for your help, i'll have a look tonight.

 

[stevewood]

Just to follow up on this. I shook the 2nd bottle like crazy for 5 mins tested 100% solution and got 5ppm. I then tested 50% solution and got 40ppm, so the reading should be 80ppm. I'll email api to see what they think as it seems strange. Anyway, the tank is cycled, 9 days at 88 deg f using mature media ammonia solution and the brilliant pinned topic on this forum. Please please please use the fishless cycle method. It's so simple, and fairly quick if you use fresh mature media.