Fishless Cycle

[waterdrop]

Yes, I agree with MW and OM47, you are looking pretty far along like a normal ammonia fishless cycle.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup seems like the filter maturer stuff worked to a reasonable degree. can't see any benefit over and above a normal fishless cycle though, doesn't seem to have speeded things up or anything and at a guess probably cost more than a bottle of ammonia?

doesn't matter for you of course wordy, what matters is that the cycle is progressing. but just for future reference for anyone else using this product.

 

[Wordy]

I got the Filter Start with the tank, so doing the amonia cycle cost me more!!

Anyhoo here are tonight's scores on the doors!

Fishless Cycle "Add and Wait" Method: 110L Tank - Day 4
Results 24 hours after 5ml amonia added to tank.

PH 7.6
Amonia 0ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

 

[waterdrop]

yup seems like the filter maturer stuff worked to a reasonable degree. can't see any benefit over and above a normal fishless cycle though, doesn't seem to have speeded things up or anything and at a guess probably cost more than a bottle of ammonia?

doesn't matter for you of course wordy, what matters is that the cycle is progressing. but just for future reference for anyone else using this product.

Would have been interesting to see API readings starting at the same time as filter-start was first added. I believe Wordy didn't get the test kit until quite a bit later, so there's no record of what kind of ammonia level would have been recorded with the recommended amount of filter-start put in there.

~~waterdrop~~
ps. latest reading looks good Wordy.

 

[Wordy]

Morning all & thanks Waterdrop

This mornings results

Fishless Cycle "Add and Wait" Method: 110L Tank - Day 5
Results 12 hours after 5ml amonia added to tank.

PH 7.2
Amonia 1ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

THe PH has dropped a little since the last dose of amonia, but I@ve read that it can happen when cycling your tank.

Thanks

 

[OldMan47]

The pH drop is not a problem as long as it doesn't go into the low 6s. If it does, a big water change with tap water will often bring the pH back up. Don't forget the dechlorinator if you do a water change.

 

[Wordy]

Evening all, here are todays results

Fishless Cycle: 110L Tank - Day 6
Results 12 hours after 5ml amonia added to tank.

PH 7.2
Amonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0.50ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

Fishless Cycle: 110L Tank - Day 6
Results 24 hours after 5ml amonia added to tank.

PH 7.6
Amonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.50ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

5ml Amonia added to tank.

Am I right in thinking that my tank is nearly there, with the amonia at 0.25 and nitrite at 0.50, 12 hours after the amonia was added?

Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

Its so nice when a cycler uses a good format like that to present readings!

Yes, it sure looks like you are into that last "stubborn" bit where the ammonia and nitrite both drop a lot (definately after the nitrite spike) but it drives you crazy because it'll keep doing this day after day and can't quite do it within 12 hours.

Just be patient with it. I promise you - it should go sky blue on the nitrite one day at the 12 hours and you will be so pleased - and it will probably then stay that way forever after that.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[backtotropical]

Very interesting thread, Wordy. Your results have suggested that my suspicions were correct about the new wave of 'filter maturers'.

I have a spare tank floating around which i think i'm going to do a similar experiment on. I'm considering using the new product from NT Labs.

NT Labs Start Ok

Retailling at around £8, it's substantially more expensive than a bottle of pure ammonia, but may be less daunting for the beginner aquarist, and is probably a lot more likely to appear on the shelf at the LFS than Homebase Ammonia.

It contains ammonia of some sort , filter bacteria (not so sure about this), dechlorinator , and a nitrite test kit , so it appears to have everything required for a successful cycle.

I also believe that Waterlife Biomature would work, but the NT Labs product is a handy little kit which includes everything you need. The waterlife product is basically ammonia in a bottle.

Waterlife Biomature

As Waterdrop has mentioned the sky blue test tube, I think now is a good time to, in line with the recent 'New to the Hobby' poetry, quote one of my attempts from a recent thread.

Ode to a Fishless Cycler

63 days with nitrite off the scale.
Nitrosomonas like a rocket, nitrospira like a snail.
Can't help but feel i've went completely off the trail.

Logged on to TFF to ask what to do,
Patience I was told, and i found that it was true,
when only 2 days later, the test tube went sky blue.

 

[waterdrop]

BTT the poet.
Know it.

(I can see we may have a hard time squelching you )

 

[Wordy]

Morning

Fishless Cycle: 110L Tank - Day 7
Results 12 hours after 5ml amonia added to tank.

PH 6.8
Amonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.50ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

Bit of a PH crash, but nothing a water change at the end of my cycle won't sort out I'm sure

 

[Miss Wiggle]

do the water change now or the cycle may stall, top back upw ith ammonia after the change.

good progress though, looks like you're nearly there.

 

[Wordy]

I'm at work now so i'll have to do it tonight.

What percent water change should i do?

Thanks

 

[Miss Wiggle]

do a 70% change then test the water 1 hr later, report back with your pH level and we'll let you know if you need to do anymore.

 

[waterdrop]

(ok,ok I'm not going to PANIC~)