Have I Messed Up ?

[Zachary1941]

Hi,
Dont know whats happening..Since starting the fishless cycle its been going great..Have now got to the stage where NITRITES have spiked and now reading 0 at 12 and 24 hours.,,NITRATES are now reading 100....Water Ph has remained constant at 7.4...Now AMMONIA i have been bringing it up to 4 every day since it first dropped to 0 ..The last week it has read 0 at the 24 hour Mark add the normal amount ......and it reads 0.50 on the 12 hour mark.. So has been going well until yesterday...Took reading was 0 added the normal amount to 4 Took evening reading read 1.0...This morning AMMONIA was still at 1.0 all other reading perfect.. Have add AMMONIA to bring it back to 4 (Just to see if the evening reading Drops at all ) Have i messed up ? If evening reading unchanged shall i do a water change Regards Zac

 

[Zachary1941]

Hi,
Well while wiating for a reply.Have made a decision myself...Due to the family moaning about all that money spent and in 7 weeks all we get is to look at a tank of water and Gravel..have decided this evening to do a gravel clean,clean off the brown algae and change all the water...Put the fake plants in, turn the heater to a lower temp and tomorrow put a few starter fish...Have tried to explain to the family what we are doing but they want fish and to be honest so do i now..Fishless cycling is not for me...Even the neighbours ask every other day when are we getting fish and its got to the stage of taking the P....Felt i was very close to finishing the cycle however enough is enough...Have just taken my last lot of readings and now have Ammonia at 4...Nitrites at 0.5 water ph has dropped for the first time in 7 weeks to 6.4 So readings have all gone pear shaped.. Thanks for your help in the past Regards Zac

 

[Dogson]

I wouldn't be adding fish just now if your PH is unstable and now crashing (this does occurr within the cycle) IT does sound to me tho that you are bnear the end of your cycle if your nitrites are down too. Do a 70% water change and that should rectify the PH problem and nitrite readings. Dose it one more time and post back your results.

 

[Zachary1941]

I wouldn't be adding fish just now if your PH is unstable and now crashing (this does occurr within the cycle) IT does sound to me tho that you are bnear the end of your cycle if your nitrites are down too. Do a 70% water change and that should rectify the PH problem and nitrite readings. Dose it one more time and post back your results.

Hi Dogson,
Right did a 90% water change....dosed with tank conditioner....Also added 4 ppm Ammonia... readings are now this,


Ammonia 4 (Added this amount )

Nitrites 0.15 ?? Not purple not blue. But more Blue

Nitrates 20. (Was 80 before water change)

Ph .. 7.6 (Was 6.4. before water change)

Hows this sound now ..Should add while doing the water change removed filter basket with sponges and put in a bucket of old tank water that was removing.Also matched the temp as near as possible 83 Degrees.Hopefully Bacteria will be o.k. Regards Zac

 

[Dogson]

OK i'd leave it now for 12 hours, your nitrites may pickup again but your nitrates should remain fairly constant. I'm gonna change my water again tonight to try and get nitrites down as i've been at this stage for a week now, a ph crash like you had and nitrites off the chart! annoying but a must!

 

[Bobtastic]

Yeah, if your pH levels are crashing it will stall the cycle. You can either add some bicarb or change the water out.

I always wonder about the end of the fishless cycle. How many fish are you actually preparing the tank for? and I you decide to put the full about of available stock level in what happens to the bacteria that you have built up. Will it just die off again?

Surely you've generated some of the required bacteria by the time that you are processing Ammonia to Nitrites and then to Nitrates. Which will be able to keep a reasonable environment for the fish.

 

[Zachary1941]

Hi Bob,
My intentions are to stock tthe tank to about 50 % Of the total i could have ..As its approx 31 US gallons will add about 16 fish of a inch long.. for the first 6 months.. Then maybe a further 8...Since posting the last readings after the water change have now done another and got this... Ammonia 4. (this i added)

Nitrites 0.1

Nitrates 60 possible 80?

Water .. 8.2

Regards Zac... Be interested to see what i get on the 12 hour reading

 

[Dogson]

looking good although your PH is high but that will drop no doubt! the 12 hours one will be interesting! How long did you say your cycle had been going?

 

[Zachary1941]

Hi ..Now in its 7th week .. Zac

 

[Dogson]

So the tank should nearly be there. i'm only in my third week but I did add some mature media to mine so hoping things are nearly there post back then when you do your 12 hour test and we'll compare!