My First Ever Fishless Cycle

[PDB-89]

just tested, Water change

28 / 7 / 09 pH ( n/a )
Hight rang pH ( 8.0 )
Ammonia Nh3 / Nh4+ ( between 0 and 0.25 really light green )
Nitrate No3 ( 20 )
Nitrite No2 ( 0ppm )

 

[PDB-89]

anyone?? do i need to do one?

 

[waterdrop]

tell me more?

'' use a large plastic cup to scoop out a few cupfulls and then replace them halfway through the week''

Well, my thought was just that trying to ask someone to use a gravel-vac for you while you were gone on vacation would be next to impossible, but getting them to just do some simple water changing might be a doable thing, depending on the person you had.

~~waterdrop~~
ps. and no, you don't need to water change yet, but you probably will after the next tests 12 or 24 hours from now perhaps

 

[PDB-89]

just tested

29 / 7 / 09

pH ( n/a )
Hight rang pH ( 8.0 )
Ammonia Nh3 / Nh4+ ( 0.25ppm )
Nitrate No3 ( 20 )
Nitrite No2 ( 0ppm )

 

[PDB-89]

today's test is it me or does it look like my tank is nearly cycled?? if it stay's like this for a few more day's???

30 / 7 / 09

pH ( n/a )
Hight rang pH ( 8.0 )
Ammonia Nh3 / Nh4+ ( 0ppm )
Nitrate No3 ( 20 )
Nitrite No2 ( 0ppm )

 

[toshapetriji]

Looks like you are nearly there.

Give it a few days to be sure though.

 

[Harlequins]

I have just read through all four pages ,but what i find strange is that you haven't had any nitrites showing,and it appears the only ammonia showing is since you've had the goldfish in,which obviously does go if you do a large enough water change,

I'm no expert but you don't appear to have had a nitrite spike has yet,you might be just lucky,i thought tanks had to go through an ammonia spike,followed by a nitrite spike?

Or this could be me just rambling on....

 

[PDB-89]

it my 1st ever cycle so i don't really no what go's on in the cycle from start to finish that why i asked dude??? but ill keep testing for another week anyway plus the gold fish will stay until I'm back from holiday as i would prefer my parents to feed goldfish instead of nice exspencive cichlids lol

 

[toshapetriji]

You have Nitrate present so you know that Nitrite is being processed. You have had ammonia present which has now gone so it´s fair to say that has been processed too.

I gave you almost half my mature media which was supporting a full load in a 125 ltr tank so I really think that your tank is cycled now.

Of course when you come to add your new fish you will have to add them slowly to allow your filter to catch up each time with the higher Bio load.

That´s my take anyway unless anyone has another theory.

 

[PDB-89]

ill start to stock it in about 3 weeks now after i get back from my holiday with the kid and misses so i hope that should be enuff time to sort it self out

just testing the tank now results up in 5 mins.....

 

[m00se]

ill start to stock it in about 3 weeks now after i get back from my holiday with the kid and misses so i hope that should be enuff time to sort it self out

just testing the tank now results up in 5 mins.....

You have someone to dose the tank while you're away? The bacs will die off otherwise...

 

[PDB-89]

my nan got me some gold fish..... lol so its a fish in cycle now and i got a big amount of used media off a member on here which help me out big time and as I'm only going for a week ill do a weekly maintenance on the tank the night before i go

Test results

31 / 7 / 09 pH ( n/a )
Hight rang pH ( 8.0 )
Ammonia Nh3 / Nh4+ ( 0ppm )
Nitrate No3 ( 20 )
Nitrite No2 ( 0ppm )

 

[OldMan47]

That sounds like a good plan PDB.

 

[PDB-89]

That sounds like a good plan PDB.

thanks buddy!

Today's tests

2/ 8 / 09 pH ( n/a )
Hight rang pH (8,0 )
Ammonia Nh3 / Nh4+ ( 0ppm )
Nitrate No3 ( 20 )
Nitrite No2 (0ppm )

 

[PDB-89]

Today's tests

3 / 8 / 09 pH ( n/a )
Hight rang pH (8,0 )
Ammonia Nh3 / Nh4+ ( 0ppm )
Nitrate No3 ( 20 )
Nitrite No2 (0ppm )