i thought I was done! What the..

[I Like Rare Fish]

What did you use to dose ammonia?

 

[Obsessed with fish]

If u add full dose of ammonia and after 24 hrs ammonia and nitrites read 0 then you are cycled. You then change 100% of the water to remove the nitrates. The bb does not exist in the water.. its in the filter.

also do what this guy sais

 

[Obsessed with fish]

What did you use to dose ammonia?

and what this guy sais

 

[Myraan]

Sorry my last post I wrote just before sleep so was maybe garbled.

My main point was - did you double check the 0.5nitrate result?

Maybe the true value was zero, a dirty tube, an extra drop here or there could effect colour.

 

[Slaphppy7]

What kind of test kit is being used?

It is very important to wait a full 24 hours after dosing ammonia before testing again.

 

[fishyfun&fans]

Listen to The Boss man @Fishmanic he knows the score here

 

[Mollyforever]

What did you use to dose ammonia?

Dr tims ammonia!

 

[Mollyforever]

What kind of test kit is being used?

It is very important to wait a full 24 hours after dosing ammonia before testing again.

Api master kit! being patient is so hard

 

[Mollyforever]

Sorry my last post I wrote just before sleep so was maybe garbled.

My main point was - did you double check the 0.5nitrate result?

Maybe the true value was zero, a dirty tube, an extra drop here or there could effect colour.

I tested it twice..

 

[Mollyforever]

Also I have carbon in my filter cartridge.. Would that cause anything in my situation

 

[TwoTankAmin]

No need to do a 100% wc. A big one is fine. That means at least 50%.

The bacteria do not need to be fed daily. You did not need the snack dose and you did not change enough water with 25%.

The bacteria live all over a tank, not just in the filter. It will be found in the greatest numbers where it gets the most of what it needs. In a bare bottom tank with little or no decor this will be mostly in the filter. They are happier living in the shade- so places like the top 1/2 inch of one's unplanted substrate, decorations etc..

Finally. Dr. Tim uses the nitrogen scale and most of us in the hobby are using the total ion scale. His ammonium chloride is designed to produce 2 ppm of ammonia-n (nitrogen). On an API type test kit that will read about 2.5 ppm. If you are increasing the dosing to produce 3 ppm according to the bottle directions and thus dosing 1.5 times the suggested amount, you are adding about 3.75 ppm. This means your cycle will take longer than needed.

 

[Mollyforever]

No need to do a 100% wc. A big one is fine. That means at least 50%.

The bacteria do not need to be fed daily. You did not need the snack dose and you did not change enough water with 25%.

The bacteria live all over a tank, not just in the filter. It will be found in the greatest numbers where it gets the most of what it needs. In a bare bottom tank with little or no decor this will be mostly in the filter. They are happier living in the shade- so places like the top 1/2 inch of one's unplanted substrate, decorations etc..

Finally. Dr. Tim uses the nitrogen scale and most of us in the hobby are using the total ion scale. His ammonium chloride is designed to produce 2 ppm of ammonia-n (nitrogen). On an API type test kit that will read about 2.5 ppm. If you are increasing the dosing to produce 3 ppm according to the bottle directions and thus dosing 1.5 times the suggested amount, you are adding about 3.75 ppm. This means your cycle will take longer than needed.

Omg thank you so much for the explanation. Okay so ammonia is still 0 and nitrite is 0.5 (didnt dose anything since the first post) So I will now go on and dose slightly lower amount of ammonia!! Thank you!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Sounds like you now have a grip on things once more.
That said, it might be worth noting that cycling is never, ever, 'done'...it is a continual process, throughout the life of the tank. A perpetual chemical motion machine.

When we say a tank is cycled, all we are really saying is that the beneficial bacteria are now able to manage any waste products, unaided by us.

 

[Rocky998]

just remember to change out all the water once you have proven you are cycled

WHAT!? A 100% WATER CHANGE!? What the heck... I'm no expert but ive never heard to do that, EVER

 

[Mollyforever]

Sounds like you now have a grip on things once more.
That said, it might be worth noting that cycling is never, ever, 'done'...it is a continual process, throughout the life of the tank. A perpetual chemical motion machine.

When we say a tank is cycled, all we are really saying is that the beneficial bacteria are now able to manage any waste products, unaided by us.

Aww thanks! Yeah the cycle never ends haha
I am very stoked that my fish can move into a bigger home soon