Fishless Cycle...

[The Taffy Apple]

Good morning all, hope this thread finds you all well...

Day 9 of my fishless cycle today (100L, household ammonia, lightly planted) and my ammonia is still at 4ppm, that is not a problem, i'm not expecting to see a change for another few dyas, but what has me a little confused is my NitrIte reading...down to 1ppm today.

I have read endless other threads on fishless cycles, yet fail to find any with results like mine.

Does anyone have any suggestions/theories? I'm out on the golf course all day today (i know, i know, someone has to do it!) so apologies if i do not reply straight away.

Any help highly appreciated,
Terry.

 

[KittyKat]

The bacteria don't have to grow at the same rate your nitrite->nitrate bacteria have just grown faster than ammonia->nitrite. That does seem to be the general trend!

 

[The Taffy Apple]

The bacteria don't have to grow at the same rate your nitrite->nitrate bacteria have just grown faster than ammonia->nitrite. That does seem to be the general trend!

Thank you Kitty Kat, i was under the impression i should be seeing ammonia drop before nitrie decrease.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

# Quick Update#

Day 10- Amm=1.0, NI=2.0, PH=7.0. That was at 0830, at 1845 that day a handful of matue ceramic media and 2 'Eheim' mature sponges were added from a friend.
Day 11- Amm=0.5, NI=2, PH=7.0, NA=40--> re-dosed to 4ppm Ammonia.
Day 12- Amm=0.25, NI=2, PH=7.0, NA=40--> re-dosed to 4ppm Ammonia.
Day 13(am)- Amm=0.25, NI=2, PH=6.0, NA=80--> 40% W/C due to PH 'crash' + 1tbsp of Bicarb-Soda.(pm)- Amm=0, NI=2, NA40--> re-dosed to 4ppm Ammonia.
Day 14- Amm=0, NI=2, NA=40, PH=7.2--> red-dosed to 4ppm Ammonia

..So that's where i currently am, testing 12 hours after each time i dose but not re-dosing until 24hrs after. I am still yet to see a noticable drop in NitrIte, but sincerely hoping that the mature media that i added will speed things along but as always, prepared for a wait.

Thanks for reading, should anyone see anything wrong/strange/interseting then any reply highly appreciated.
Terry.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Day 15-Amm=0, NI=2, PH=7.6. Re-doses Ammonia to 4ppm.
Day 16-Amm=0, NI=0, PH=7.6 HOORAH! FIRST SIGN OF 'DOUBLE ZEROS'. Re-dosed to 4ppm Ammonia, tested 12 hours later- Amm=0, NI=0 !!!
Day 17-Amm=o, NI=0, PH=7.6. Redosed to 4ppm Ammonia.

So there we are, currently, processing 4ppm ammonia and nitrIte in 12 hours. Continuing to re-dose, going to do a large W/C tomorrow am as nitrAtes have gone up again (as expected).

Regards,
Terry.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Morning, also thought i'd try and merge my stocking plans in this thread, space an all.

I'm presuming i am at Stage 3 of the cycle, into a 'Qualifying Week' (plus 2/3 days more, no rush). Fish stocking can now become a little bit more of a reality.

I done what i read on here regarding stocking research, found a local little LFS hidden away (anyone from SA12 area, i can forward you the details) and took a list of 8 fish along for a gander. Got given a surprisingly good level of advice on fish types, water chemistry and water balance.

My main aim is to have a shoal of Cardinal Tetra, having them from juvenile and allowing them to grow. My main aim, that is. I found a great article confirming that they like a bit of a 'lived-in' tank, so they'll be going in no sooner than a month, maybe 2 (test results dependent).

So...
X-Ray tetra (Goldfinch)- Good for a recently new tank, my PH matches, temp. not a problem.
Glo-Light tetra- Not inclined to shoal as much (?), all parameters met.
Black Neon/Phantom/Widow- All parameters good,with the Black Neon liking slight Tannis water like mine, the Black Phantom being from his own personal tank out the back of the shop.

One 8/10 shoal of any one of those, monitor my results, then start looking at introducing Cardinals?

regards,
Terry.

 

[KittyKat]

I'd go straight for cardinals, if it was me.. but that is mainly because personally, I have never had any problems with adding neons or cardinals to a new tank as long as it has had plenty of plants in it and if I took my time to make sure the stock was good. Also, as you know, I prefer only one schooling species per tank

 

[The Taffy Apple]

I'd go straight for cardinals, if it was me.. but that is mainly because personally, I have never had any problems with adding neons or cardinals to a new tank as long as it has had plenty of plants in it and if I took my time to make sure the stock was good. Also, as you know, I prefer only one schooling species per tank

Hmmm... yes... i have read a few pieces on people saying that they have put Cardinals in a new tank. Without wanting to cause them any possible stress/injury, i think i will go with my original plan and get them as maybe my second stocking.

As always Kittkat, thanks for the input..
Terry.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Good morning all.. after 2 days of 12 hour Double Zero's, i have now started dosing to 4ppm daily and adding 1ml to make it 1ppm overnight.

A pretty big W/C is planned this afternoon, NitrAtes have (obviously) gone through the roof ! Ensuring i dechlorinate, test and re-dose, the beneficial bacteria seem to have enjoyed a water change or two, something i intend to include in a thread i seen last week at some point.


I intend to continue dosing to 4ppm daily and to 1ppm overnight, monitoring PH and NitrAte, possibly turning the temp down to 26/27 degrees C. At the moment, 'fish-day' could be a week tomorrow (friday) due to work commitments, i hope to use this time to finally decide on what fish to get.

Regards,
Terry.

 

[KittyKat]

Any particular reason for dosing overnight?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Any particular reason for dosing overnight?

I simply thought it wouldn't do any harm. I have read a reply or two about people that have cut the dosing down to 2ppm maybe twice a day at the end of the cycle...have you heard/experienced anything of the sort?

Also, my tank is lightly planted at the moment ( 4 plants including Java Fern, Java Moss, 'Eustralis Stellata' and one more i don't know the name of), so maybe i shall have to think about a couple more plants for the Cardinals (?).

Anyway, 40% W/C just completed, NitrAtes down to 40ppm, re-dosed to 4ppm.

regards,
Terry.

 

[waterdrop]

I would tend to think that splitting up dosing would create a more continuous level of ammonia over the initial 12 hours and would thus lessen to positive effect (if any) of pulsing. Pulsing is not well understood but is supposed to quicken colony growth by exposing the bacteria to regular "starvation" periods each day.

As far as what we've observed over the years of fishless cycling threads here though, I'd say the process overall is pretty robust and as long as we're doing the basics these subtleties are not a big deal.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[KittyKat]

Any particular reason for dosing overnight?

I simply thought it wouldn't do any harm. I have read a reply or two about people that have cut the dosing down to 2ppm maybe twice a day at the end of the cycle...have you heard/experienced anything of the sort?

I haven't heard of anyone doing this, but I imagine a constant (smaller) supply of ammonia could work much better than the single doses by this point because it will be closer to what happens in nature.

Also, my tank is lightly planted at the moment ( 4 plants including Java Fern, Java Moss, 'Eustralis Stellata' and one more i don't know the name of), so maybe i shall have to think about a couple more plants for the Cardinals (?).

I would be interested to know how you get on with the Pogostemon stellata (Eusteralis), it is normally quite a demanding plant!

Cardinals (and most other fish, for that matter) will definitely benefit from more plants. I suggest you go by Tropica's undemanding plants list, I would recommend Crypts and Hygrophilas.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Thank-you. I shall troll through a few pages of the forum later, see if i can find the thread that mentioned dosing to 2ppm at this stage.

The 'Eusteralis' seems to be doing well (i am certainly no sub-horticulturist, going on LFS advice only). I have had to 'clip' 2 main stalks which shot up (coincidentally at the same time NitrAte went up). I have the option of moving this (and most others) into a relatives much larger, more established planted tank should they get a little too much (wishful thinking!).

More plants will certainly be an option in later weeks, i have found a LFS with lovely plants on sale, a few which were mentioned in your link, appreciated.

Tonights water test will be a big step for me, being only the second time i have W/C'd a larger amount due to NitrATe then re-dosed ! Fingers crossed.

regards,
Terry.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

I would tend to think that splitting up dosing would create a more continuous level of ammonia over the initial 12 hours and would thus lessen to positive effect (if any) of pulsing. Pulsing is not well understood but is supposed to quicken colony growth by exposing the bacteria to regular "starvation" periods each day.

As far as what we've observed over the years of fishless cycling threads here though, I'd say the process overall is pretty robust and as long as we're doing the basics these subtleties are not a big deal.

~~waterdrop~~

Thankyou WD, as my 'Qualifying Week' may actually be a 'Qualifying Ten Days'- i am inclined to use the time for a more 'regular' dose of Ammonia to the tank, surely it cannot hurt the process? Stall, maybe, but that can be rectified if i catch it...