Fishless Cycling Help Please

[Flubberlump]

Tonight: ammonia 0, nitrite 1.6, pH 7.

1 teaspoon of bicarb added.

 

[OldMan47]

The question about tap water KH vs tank KH is easy. Tap water KH tells you how much capacity the raw tap water has for offsetting acids in your water. Tank KH tells you how much of that alkalinity is left to deal with even more acidity. Since nitrites and nitrates show up in our tanks as acids, the tank KH is always less than the tap water values.
Bicarb adds to KH so it does wonders for KH in a tank that has lots of nitrites and nitrates. It also will not drive pH much over 8.2 so it is relatively safe to use.

 

[Flubberlump]

Brilliant thanks oldman47! I didn't realise that the KH just referred to how much capacity the water had for keeping the pH stable with rising ACIDS. It's always described as buffering capacity, or 'the ability the water has to keep the pH stable', so I assumed it worked both ways, so if the level of alkalines increased, the water would have the ability to offset these too to keep the pH at the current value.

It's also good to know that I don't need to worry about adding too much bicarb and sending the pH right up to the alkaline end of the scale!

It makes much more sense now, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Flubberlump]

This morning's readings were: pH 8, nitrite 0.8.

It must have been a fluke the other day when it got down to 0.1 at least it's staying within a readable level though and not going back off the chart. *touches wood*

 

[Flubberlump]

Tonight: ammonia 0, nitrite 1.6. Some of the 'nitrite bacteria' must have died during the stall. How annoying.

 

[Flubberlump]

This morning: pH 7.5, nitrite 0.8.

 

[Flubberlump]

Tonight: nitrite 1.6 *sigh*

Didn't bother testing the ammonia as I'm satisfied it's being processed in under 12 hours now.

 

[Welshweeks]

Hang on in there, I'm sure it won't be too long now.

 

[Flubberlump]

Thanks, hopefully not! It's just annoying that it was so close to finishing before the stall. Never mind. Will keep on testing lol. Some nitrite is deinitely being processed as it drops every day instead of building up. Hopefully it'll speed up soon.

This morning: nitrite 1.6, pH 7.5.

 

[Flubberlump]

Nitrite is still 1.6 tonight. I wonder why a few days ago I was getting nitrite readings of 1.6 after 12 hours, and 0.8 after 24, but nitrite was still 1.6 this morning.

Could anything be inhibiting the colony's growth?

 

[Flubberlump]

This morning's stats were: nitrite 0.8, pH 7. Added 1 teaspoon of bicarb.

I know the bacteria can't cope with a low pH, but can fluctuating pH cause problems? Mine is dropping over the course of a few days and then I'm bumping it back up with bicarb when it does.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

This morning's stats were: nitrite 0.8, pH 7. Added 1 teaspoon of bicarb.

I know the bacteria can't cope with a low pH, but can fluctuating pH cause problems? Mine is dropping over the course of a few days and then I'm bumping it back up with bicarb when it does.

Large, rapid changes of pH can and and often will stall a cycle. It would be safer to add one quarter of a teaspoon each day. Ideally you would also get the pH up to around 8.

 

[Flubberlump]

Ahh right ok. The ammonia is still being processed fine, and the nitrite isn't increasing, but it's just being processed at the same rate contantly, making me suspect that the bacteria aren't multiplying. I'll test the pH again when I test the nitrite tonight, and add less bicarb in future if and when required. Thanks Prime.

 

[Flubberlump]

Tonight: pH 7.5, nitrite 1.6.

Would it be a good idea to do a large water change to get the nitrates right down? Then I shouldn't have such a problem with the pH dropping?

 

[Flubberlump]

This morning: pH 7, nitrite 1.6, ammonia 0.