Fishless Cycle :)

[Prime Ordeal]

Nitrite's still rising so you're not there yet. Just keep on doing what you've been doing, it'll get there.

 

[DBT85]

Thanks for keeping this log. I got some media from my LFS tank and put it in mine and nothing really happened until the last 2 days when my Nitrites went all purple but the Ammonia stayed green. I thought at first that maybe the media from the LFS actually did have some bacteria in it but it exactly matches your time frame so I know it was duff.

 

[Corrine]

Nitrite's still rising so you're not there yet. Just keep on doing what you've been doing, it'll get there.

Thanks again

 

[Corrine]

No change today .. luckily the nitrites aren't mega high so no water change needed ... Getting some filter floss from a mature filter in the next day or so (thanks to minnnt), so fingers crossed that speeds things up a bit ..

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Floss isn't the best carrier of bacteria but it certainly can't harm so let's hope it helps.

 

[Corrine]

BAD NEWS !! No change again today how frustrating !!

GOOD NEWS !! Added some mature filter media, so fingers crossed it will speed up now

 

[Corrine]

Last 4 days readings have been exactly the same why won't my ammonia budge ?? (Most people are re-dosing ammonia everyday by this stage )

 

[Prime Ordeal]

When you did your water change did you remember to use dechlorinator?

 

[Corrine]

When you did your water change did you remember to use dechlorinator?

I have done 2 water changes altogether.. day 13 & day 17, this is day 21.. (you can see them on the first post, if it helps ).. Yeah I remembered dechlorinator and matched the temperature.. .. Any ideas what has happened?

 

[littlenemo]

corrine looks like your having the same problems as me. i have a 200ltr tank with a sump. ammonia is dropping from 2 to 0 in about 10 hours now but my nitrites wont budge from purple. i was advised not to do any water changes while it was cycleing. but reading all this think prime really knows his stuff and i think i might do a massive water change. should od got gold fish lol

 

[Prime Ordeal]

When you did your water change did you remember to use dechlorinator?

I have done 2 water changes altogether.. day 13 & day 17, this is day 21.. (you can see them on the first post, if it helps ).. Yeah I remembered dechlorinator and matched the temperature.. .. Any ideas what has happened?

It certainly looks like the cycle is stalled corrine but this only usually happens if there is a large difference in the parameters of the new water or you forget to use dechlorinator. Which dechlorinator are you using and how are you dosing?

I also noticed that you had a pH drop, that could be down to a change in tap pH, could you test the tap water to see? A large pH change will definitely stall the cycle.

 

[Corrine]

corrine looks like your having the same problems as me. i have a 200ltr tank with a sump. ammonia is dropping from 2 to 0 in about 10 hours now but my nitrites wont budge from purple. i was advised not to do any water changes while it was cycleing. but reading all this think prime really knows his stuff and i think i might do a massive water change. should od got gold fish lol

lol its a nightmare.. im getting really fed up !

Yeah i've seen lots of threads that prime has helped out with, and they have been quick successfull cycles he gives you reasons to back up what he is saying which helps.. Although i have a basic understanding of the nitrogen cycle now ... i don't really understand the real science of it lol..

 

[Corrine]

When you did your water change did you remember to use dechlorinator?

I have done 2 water changes altogether.. day 13 & day 17, this is day 21.. (you can see them on the first post, if it helps ).. Yeah I remembered dechlorinator and matched the temperature.. .. Any ideas what has happened?

It certainly looks like the cycle is stalled corrine but this only usually happens if there is a large difference in the parameters of the new water or you forget to use dechlorinator. Which dechlorinator are you using and how are you dosing?

I also noticed that you had a pH drop, that could be down to a change in tap pH, could you test the tap water to see? A large pH change will definitely stall the cycle.

My tap water pH is 7.4, the tank water was a steady 8.0 prior to the water changes. Im using nutrafin aquaplus for water conditioner, I add 1.2ml to each 5l bucket prior to adding to the tank..

I'm gutted i've stalled my cycle somehow.. Will it go back to day 1 or will it kick in where it left of? Anything I can do to sort it?

edit- just tested my tap water straight out of the tap.. its 8.0.. so ive put it in a cup and will retest tomorrow .. last time i did this it dropped to 7.4

 

[Xraymark]

If me I'd redose up to 2mls and see what happens. Its maybe just stalled for a short period.

That or leave and keep testing every day.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

OK, your dechlorinator dose is very slightly low and shouldn't really be a problem but I would be tempted to raise it to 1.5mlL per bucket to be on the safe side. Can you smell any chlorine in the tap water?

Your bucket. Is there any chance it could have been contaminated when you made the water change? Could contamination have crept in from any other source?

Whether it goes back to day one depend on what's caused the stall, which at the moment isn't clear. If it's just the change of water parameters it should pick up soon, but then again I would have expected it to have picked up already by now.

Are you making sure your aeration is as good as you can get it?

Is the filter flow noticeably any less than at the start of the cycle?

BTW 5L isn't a bucket. I drink tea from mugs bigger than that!