Leanne's Fishless Cycle

[leannethenewbie]

Hello... thanks for reading

My Tank:

Volume: 27 Litres

Filter: Rena Internal Filter with; pre-filter sponge, coarse sponge and Rena Cleaning Blocks (along with 5 Biochem stars) all media is new.

Temp: 29c exactly!

SeaChem Prime Water Conditioner

API Freshwater Master Test Kit

Kleen off Household Ammonia


Tap Water

Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
PH: 7.8 with High PH test. (Perhaps slightly lighter that 7.8 - I tested using the lower PH bottle first and it was a definite 7.6)

Notes/Questions:

Why 10 nitrate in my tap water? Is this a bad thing?

Thanks


The Fishless Cycle Begins


Day 1 -First day of adding ammonia to get it to 4-5ppm (Friday)

Time: 7pm
Temp: 29c
Ammonia: 4.0
PH: 8.8
Amount of Ammonia added: 0.6ml

__________________________________

Day 2 sat

Time: 7pm
Temp: 29c
Ammonia: 4.0
PH: 7.8
____________________________________

Day 3 sun

Time: 7pm
Temp: 29c
Ammonia: 4.0
PH: 7.8
______________________________________________

Day 4 mon

Time: 7pm
Temp: 29c
Ammonia: 4.0
PH: 8.0
_____________________________________________

Day 5 tues

Time: 7pm
Temp: 29c
Ammonia: 3.0
Nitrite: 0.25
PH:7.8

Notes/Questions:

I did a 30% water change, I have too. Evaporation in my tank is terrible so to keep the levels up I have to do a water change every 5 days.
Is this going to be a problem during the cycle? I will be doing a change every 5 days when the fish are in it too.

______________________________________________

Day 6 wed

Time: 7pm
Temp: 29 c
Ammonia: 2.0
Nirite: 0.50
PH: 7.8
______________________________________________

Day 7 thur

Time: 7pm
Ammonia: 2.0
Nirite: 1.0
PH: 7.8
______________________________________________

Day 8 fri

Time: 7pm
Am: 2.0
Nitrite: 1.0

_____________________________________________

Day 9 sat

Time: 7pm
Am: 0.50
Nitrite: 2.0

_____________________________________________

Day 10 sun

Time: 7pm
Am: 0.25
Nitrite: 5.0

_____________________________________________

Day 11 mon

Time: 7pm
Am: 0
Nitrite: 5.0 (darker)

Notes: Added 0.6ml of ammonia

(after added
Am: 4.0
Ni: 5.0 (darker)
______________________________________________

Day 12 tues

Am: 0.25
Nitrite: 5.0 +

_____________________________________________

Day 13 wed

Am: 0
Nitrite: 5.0 +

Notes: added 06ml ammonia

after: Am: 4.0
_____________________________________________

Day 14 thur

Am: 0.25
Nitrite: 5.0

Notes: added 0.6 ml
_____________________________________________

Day 15 fri

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +

Added 0.6 ml am
______________________________________________

Day 16 sat

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +
Na: 160

added 0.6 ml
______________________________________________

Day 17 mon

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +

added 0.6 ml

______________________________________________

Day 18 tues

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +

added 0.6 ml

My ammonia is def processing in 24 hours.

______________________________________________

Day 19 wed

Am:0
Ni:5.0 +

added 0.3ml

______________________________________________

Day 20 thurs

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0+

added 0.3ml
____________________________________________


Day 21 fri

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0+

____________________________________________

Day 22 Sat

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0+

____________________________________________

Day 23 Sun

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0+

____________________________________________

Day 24 Mon

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0+

____________________________________________

Day 25 Tues

Am: 0
Ni 5.0+

PH: 7.8
____________________________________________

Day 26 wed

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +

(I should point out that I am adding 0.3ml of ammonia everyday!!)

_________________________________

Day 27 Thurs

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +

Nitrate: 10 ?

__________________________________

Day 28 Fri

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0 +

___________________________________

Day 29 Sat

Am: 0
Ni: 5.0+

____________________________________

Day 30 Sun

I did a 90% water change. The added 0.3ml ammonia

After an hour reads:

Am: 2.0
Ni: 0.25
Na: 10

______________________________________

Day 31 Mon

Am: 0
Ni: 0.25 (near to 0 though)
Na: 80

______________________________________

Day 32 Tues

Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 160

______________________________________

Day 33 Wed

Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 160

added 0.6 ml Ammonia to get to 4ppm
____________________________________

Day 34 Thurs

Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 160

**Hooray I'm cycling 4ppm in 24 hours**

added 0.6ml ammonia
_____________________________________

Day 35 Fri

Morning

Am: 0
Ni: 0

I'm cycling in 12 Hours!!!!!! Yay!!!

Evening

Am: 0
Ni: 0
added: 0.6 ml

_______________________________________

Day 36 Sat

Morning

Am: 0
Ni: 0

Evening

Am: 0
Ni: 0

added 0.6ml
_______________________________________

Day 37 Sun

A.M
Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 160 +
PH: 7.8

PM
Am:0
Ni:0
added 0.6 ml
________________________________________

Day 38 Mon

A.M

Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 160 +

P.M
Am:
Ni:

_______________________________________

 

[drobbyb]

Hi Leanne!

OK, I wouldn't worry much about the nitrates in your tap water, 10ppm isn't much at all. The ammonia in your tap water is at an acceptable level, but not ideal. Since you are planning on doing a fishless cycle, this is fine since you are adding ammonia to your tank anyway

Prime is my water conditioner of choice. It is very concentrated and not only removes chlorine, but also will detoxify ammonia and nitrites, giving you an option should a problem arise with ammonia/nitrites after you have fish in the tank.

You also have my choice in test kits. The API Freshwater Master Test Kit is accurate, and inexpensive when compared to the test strips.

I am unfamiliar with that particular brand of household ammonia, but as long as it's free of soaps and scents it should work fine.

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

Hi leanne

I have noticed that you have not listed the Temp of your tank ? 84F/29C is the perfect "bacterial growing soup" as I just found out a couple of days ago myself. (Hope this helps)

I am a Newbie too and still have so much to learn.

Clint.

 

[leannethenewbie]

Ah ha! I new I'd forget something - thanks Clint

Hi Leanne!

OK, I wouldn't worry much about the nitrates in your tap water, 10ppm isn't much at all. The ammonia in your tap water is at an acceptable level, but not ideal. Since you are planning on doing a fishless cycle, this is fine since you are adding ammonia to your tank anyway

Thanks for letting me know about the Nitrate level...
I do find it interesting to know there's all this stuff in my tap water ... ummm perhaps I'll buy some bottled water for my summer fruits squash!!! ha ha!

I'll be adding ammonia to the water tonight ... silly work is getting in the way of my new fish related hobby!!

 

[leannethenewbie]

Can anyone recommend an air pump for my tank?

I need to get some action at the surface otherwise I'll get protein again! eeewww!


Thanks

 

[OldMan47]

The kleen off product is one we often see from people in the UK. It seems to be the right stuff from what I can tell from here.
Air pumps are often the subject of much debate. I find the Rena line of air pumps are quiet, which is important to me. Many people like the whisper product line but my own experience with the "silent" whisper pumps is that they are terribly noisy compared to my Renas. Since I found the Rena product line in air pumps, I have not experimented much with other brands. I do not mess with success. The Rena air pumps are working for me, the whisper brand are not, and I am not overly curious about other brands of air pump. The Jehmco air blowers seem to run almost silently if you have a few dozen tanks to supply, but they are for very big setups. They are not for the size most of us would want or need. I have seen them set up at fish shows to run several dozen box filters and air stones at one time and htey were very quiet in that arrangement.

 

[leannethenewbie]

I seem to moving in the right direction...

as the ammonia goes down the Nitrite is on the up!

Hurrah!

Any advice about the water change thing?


(although I am off the beginners centre to have a look as well!)

 

[leannethenewbie]

Thank you for the advice OldMan (i feel rude calling you that!)

I think I will stick with rena products - I've seen the Rena 50 , will that be enough air for a 24lt tank?

Thanks

 

[leannethenewbie]

Is my cycle diary okay to read?

No-one seems to be writing to me ...

 

[PDSimon]

Easy to read

What do you want people to write it seems to be getting on fine?

Ammonia is going down as its processed causing more nitrites to show up.

 

[leannethenewbie]

Easy to read

What do you want people to write it seems to be getting on fine?

Ammonia is going down as its processed causing more nitrites to show up.

I did think that..... no news is good news!

Thanks for letting me know it read well....

Just worried about the water changes being frequent (every 5 days) and while cycling is happening ?

 

[PDSimon]

Well I noticed you did one water change and didn't add any ammonia. The problem this causes is that when you add 5ppm, you're taking some of it out with the water change... So where it says 3 ppm one day and 2ppm the next day with a water change inbetween could mean that the ammonia is just in the water you've taken out. Whether this is bad as long as you keep it topped up i'm not sure

Can't you use some sort of lid?

I'm not sure if it would really have that much of an effect, information i've ready from waterdrop says waterchanges aren't necessary and only disturb the filter... But I can't imagine it makes that much difference as long as you keep your filter wet and the ammonia topped up but it might have an effect on the nitrike spike... I'm not sure. Hopefully one of the more experienced members will have some input as I'm fairly new

 

[leannethenewbie]

Unfortunatley no lid

However, even though after the water change my ammonia did drop, nitrites continue to rise... so the bacteria must be growing for this to happen? Otherwise - ammonia would have dropped and there would be very little nitrite?

I'm sorry , you'll have to bear with me... I'm not the brightest button in the box!

The tank is a really funny shape, so I couldnt put something on the top.
To keep the dust and muck out, I have fashioned a little card lid, which isn't suffcient for a permanent thing, it's only for use while I'm cycling.

I'm not sure whats worse - doing the 5 day water changes or letting the tank just evaporate??

In 5 days, it's about 3 litres lost ... ( I then take out 5 and re-add 8, hence the 30% ish - Thought that was what I was supposed to do?) Argh - information overload.



What if I was to 'top it up' to full with the 3 litres every 5 days, and put a tiny smudge more ammonia in if nesc? Like literally a 'drop' ( the size of an api test bottle drop) It would need to be 0.42ml

Not very scientific though!!

 

[PDSimon]

Ahhh! I just realised I was talking rubbish, the waters evapourating you're not taking it out! hahaha sorry, really tired.

I assume because of this, the ammonia stays in there but not entirely sure. nitrites rising is a sign yup

But why do you have to take out some to add more water?

edit: Sorry I'm probably confusing you but it's really simple. All your waitinf for is the ammonia to process within 24 hours (for the first third of the cycle). I don't think the water thing is much of an issue as long as the filter is still completely in the water. One of the more experienced members will probably add to it soon enough!

 

[leannethenewbie]

Ahhh! I just realised I was talking rubbish, the waters evapourating you're not taking it out! hahaha sorry, really tired.

I assume because of this, the ammonia stays in there but not entirely sure. nitrites rising is a sign yup

But why do you have to take out some to add more water?

edit: Sorry I'm probably confusing you but it's really simple. All your waitinf for is the ammonia to process within 24 hours (for the first third of the cycle). I don't think the water thing is much of an issue as long as the filter is still completely in the water. One of the more experienced members will probably add to it soon enough!

Hee hee... I know the feeling! It's Friday and Home time

I thought that if the tank was evaporating you couldn't just chuck de-chlor water to make it up, you had to take some out to put it back in???

I may have just totally made that piece of information up though!

Thank you for the help