I Need Help With My Testing Levels. Don't Quite Understand It :)

[Sammy-Boy]

Well i just recently bought the water tester kits, pH, Ammonia and Nitrite and i got a pH level of 8, Ammonia level of 0.6 and a Nitrite level of 0.3. Thats without doing anything to them. I got a Juwel Lido 120 ltr tank and im cycling it at the moment. I've been cycling it for nearly 4 days now, how long do you think i'll have to leave it for? Thanks Sam

 

[Lynda B]

Hi Sammy, some of this can be confusing, so don't worry.

How are you cycling your tank? I mean, by which method. With fish? Using ammonia?

 

[Sammy-Boy]

Just to make it easier for me and you pvt msg me your MSN please?

 

[1234-fishy-freind]

You need to wate untill all your readings are at 0 and your ph at a resonable level depending on what fish you want to keep.
When your readings are 0 you can add maybe 2-3 hardy fish, once those fish are added they will eat and poo causing your readings to rise, this is normal.
Eventually your readings will decrease back down the 0 and you can add more fish, take your time when adding fish though because if you add to many at once your ammonia ect will rise back up causing fish deaths.
What i mean by hardy fish is fish that can cope with the higher water readings. If your lfs is good they will be able to point out which ones are suitable.

 

[Lynda B]

Sorry, I only contribute to a thread publicly. There's no reason to make this a private issue.

Have a great day!

 

[Sammy-Boy]

Ok well, i don't really understand all this cycling stuff, and what LFS means etc.. i seriously need some help please people.

 

[CruX]

Well i just recently bought the water tester kits, pH, Ammonia and Nitrite and i got a pH level of 8, Ammonia level of 0.6 and a Nitrite level of 0.3. Thats without doing anything to them. I got a Juwel Lido 120 ltr tank and im cycling it at the moment. I've been cycling it for nearly 4 days now, how long do you think i'll have to leave it for? Thanks Sam

Each cycle takes a different ammount of time. Did you seed the filter or start from scratch?

I would reccomend you buy a NitrAte test kit as this is can indicate that the last stage of your cycle is complete.
You still have ammonia in there, but you have nitrIte in there which suggests the bacteria is building up that converts your ammonia to nitrite, so that part of it is on the way.

What you are looking for is an ammonia spike and then a nitrIte spike and both spikes returning to 0 in under 12 hours (I think, from memory) then you will see the nitrate raise. When the ammonia and nitrite have spikes and are returning to 0 in under 12 hours, you will find you have high nitrates, you then do a big water change and stock. I think you still have a way to go, but keep adding the ammonia and monitering the levels. I personally wouldn't bother with the PH until you are cycled.

 

[1234-fishy-freind]

lfs means local fish shop

 

[Sammy-Boy]

Ok thanks, anyone who can share me there msn please? I rather to say stuff in little bits, its easier to understand it then. Thanks Sam.

 

[Tommo]

When fish produce waste it is primarily in the form of ammonia, then it is broken down into nitrite by your filter bacteria and again into nitrate, each less toxic than the prevous form. wait until ammonia decreases to 0, then nitrite to 0, then nitrate to below 30, as it is less toxic.

pH is not particularly important at the moment.

 

[Sammy-Boy]

Ok thanks, how long do you roughly think it will take to go down to 0?