Fishywishies Fishless Cycle

[PDSimon]

If you want to check your ammonia reading, dose a known volume of water with ammonia and see what it comes up on your test kit. Say you dose 5ppm on your tank, dose the bucket or whatever with 5ppm and see if its the same.

To be fair, it doesn't matter that much just as long as you know whether its going up or down. The only readings you ever need to be certain of are 0 readings

 

[Liverbird36]

If you want to check your ammonia reading, dose a known volume of water with ammonia and see what it comes up on your test kit. Say you dose 5ppm on your tank, dose the bucket or whatever with 5ppm and see if its the same.

To be fair, it doesn't matter that much just as long as you know whether its going up or down. The only readings you ever need to be certain of are 0 readings

That's VERY reasuring to know. Thanks for letting me gate-crash your thread FishyWishy

 

[FishyWishie]

No worries and thanks PDSimon ive had umpteen people peering at it lol

 

[PDSimon]

It also helps to know what your pH is on the fishless cycle, as if it goes below 6.4 it will stall.

Personally I hold the tubes up to a desk lamp against a white desk, I think you just have to get to grips with the differences which you will notice over time... It's difficult even for me doing hundreds of bloody tests

 

[Liverbird36]

No worries and thanks PDSimon ive had umpteen people peering at it lol

lol lucky you !! no ones interested in mine.

 

[FishyWishie]

Bah replied instead of editing i fail

Not much happening at the moment ammonia dropped slightly to 4 yesterday where it remains

 

[FishyWishie]

Ammonia down from 4ppm to 2ppm graph updated.

I tested for nitrite tonight the drops sank to the bottom the top was blue but the drops sat on the bottom went purple now the nitrite test is as dark if not darker than 5ppm ?

 

[PDSimon]

Hi Fishy, 1ppm of ammonia = 2.7 ppm of nitrites

so 5ppm = 13.7ppm so its normal to already have quite a lot of nitrites

 

[FishyWishie]

Ah cool i have 2ppm ammonia approx reading so 5.4 nitrite which tallys with colour im seeing.

Many thanks once again.

 

[FishyWishie]

Ammonia down to 0.5 few more days and ill be able to top it back up feels like things are starting to move

 

[FishyWishie]

Checked and recorded all measurements tonight looks like things are progressing ?

Ammonia 0.5ppm Nitrite 5+ppm Nitrate 20ppm PH 7.6

 

[PDSimon]

Feel free to bring it back up to 5ppm. if its 0.5, just add 4.5ppm. (but don't bother if its too late now)

As soon as it starts processing 5ppm within 24 hours start adding 3ppm of ammonia. This reduces the overall nitrogen added to the water

Not quite into the second stage yet tho so keep it up

also the nitrates occuring are a good sign that the nitrite is being processed already (quite a good sign)!

 

[FishyWishie]

Top Ammonia up from 0.25 to 5.0 added 12ml approx as from 0 - 5 took 12.76 seems to have dropped quite a bit from 5 to around 2-2.5 (although i did test a few hours later due to being out) Ill check tommorow see what the drop is so i know if it really has dropped quick or if the ammonia didn't go right up to 5 on redose. It did however look darker than 4.0 while lighter than 8.0 so as far as its possible to see it was ok.

 

[JoshuaA]

The way I'm checking colours is standing the test tube on its end next to the colours to match it is this correct ? Obv if i lie the test tube on its side against the chart all the test appear darker.

I know its a dumb question just wanted to make sure im not doing it totally wrong and getting bogus results.

For the record I usually get the glass test tube and place over the colours with natural but not direct sunlight. Which ever colour matches/blends the best I go with, then I move the vial to the side and compare it to the colours with a white background. Usually they're the same but you notice a slight difference. I always round up though!

 

[FishyWishie]

Things seem to be going well i will have a problem soon tho I fly to turkey on tuesday for 2 weeks cycling my tan in the sun Now ive asked my neighbour to test my tank for me and he says not a prob however im worried hes going to make a fist of it lol

What the safest way to make sure he doesnt ruin the entire cycle ? Get him to test daily and trust him to do it or something else ? I know its bad timing but tank was delayed a few weeks after ordering which has meant ive not even had it runnning a month pre holiday.