My Fishless Cycle

[tommyg123]

Day 12

Ph= 8.0
Am= 0ppm
NO2= 1.6 (but not 100% sure as the colours all look the same)

how long does it take for my NO2 to drop to zero then?
And once its at zero does this mean after a big water change i can start adding fish?

thanks

 

[gaz gun man]

Day 12

Ph= 8.0
Am= 0ppm
NO2= 1.6 (but not 100% sure as the colours all look the same)

how long does it take for my NO2 to drop to zero then?
And once its at zero does this mean after a big water change i can start adding fish?

thanks

when you can process 5ppm of ammonia AND nitrite in 12 hours, you are pretty much cycled. Most people then carry on feeding with ammonia for a week to strengthen the bacteria.

 

[tommyg123]

havn't been online much heres the last two days results.

Day 13
Ph= 8.0
Am= 0ppm
NO2= 1.6
(action to be taken= add 3ml Ammonia)


Day 14
Ph= 7.5
Am= 0 ppm
NO2= 1.6
(action to be taken= add 3ml Ammonia)

Any reason why my ph has dropped (havn't added anything new to the tank)

Thanks for reading

 

[tommyg123]

Day 15..

Ph= 7.5
Am= 0
NO2= 1.6
NO3= 110

(Added 3ml of ammonia)

 

[waterdrop]

OK, time to start adding more stuff to our info Tommy. First, remind us of what your tap water stats are (do you have any nitrate(NO3) in your tap water?) and also remind us of your tank size.

More importantly, now we need you to start telling us on each set of stats you post whether it represents the tests that were done 12 hours after ammonia was added or 24 hours after ammonia was added. We're not interested in the time of day or that the time is off my small amounts. Ideally its nice if people establish two test times 12 hours apart, like 8am/8pm or whatever, and stick to those.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[tommyg123]

ok waterdrop,

My tank size is 63 litres (13 gallons)

Just tested the NO3 on my tap water and it has come back as 5, so yes abit of nitrate.

Also the tests i done today was at 12.00ish so i'll retest it tonight at 12 and post results again for you to check over.
And stick to 12 hour test times from now on.

Thanks alot for your help mate

 

[tommyg123]

Ok 12 hours after last test...

Ph= 7.5
Am= 0
NO2= 1.6
NO3= 110 (not 100% sure)

I dont add anymore ammonia until 24 hour mark.

does my results mean anything yet, like how long left? lol

thanks

 

[tommyg123]

(24hours after ammonia was added)

Ph= 7.0
Am= 0ppm
NO2= 1.6
NO3= 110

(add 3ml ammonia)

anyone know how long till i could start to get some fish?

 

[tommyg123]

12hours after ammonia added.

Ph= 7.0
Am= 0ppm
NO2= 1.6
NO3= 110


Also going to LFS tomorrow to get some plants aswell.

 

[waterdrop]

OK, so you're at day 16, which might be 1/4 or 1/2 the way through the process if you're lucky. You look to have had a start to your "nitrite spike" phase, which is a good sign. Your nitrates are awfully high and just lately things don't necessarily appear to be moving much so I'd say you have the option of doing a water change if you'd like. What you do is a 90% water change (with a gravel clean as that's good practice for what you'll have to be doing forever after get fish, lol) and then recharge with ammonia to 5ppm and later run a set of tests. This should help to pull your nitrates down a bit and your pH up a bit hopefully.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[tommyg123]

Ok..
I did a 90% water change this morning and results after.

Ph= 8.0
Am= 0 (before i did water change)
NO2=1.6
NO3=110

(Added 3ml ammonia)

How are those results looking?

 

[waterdrop]

You did a 90% water change and got no change in your NO2 or NO3??

Are you sure the tests aren't expired? (API hides the expiry date in some number on the bottles.. there's a thread about is somewhere... ) Are you sure you're performing the tests as instructed?

If you think the numbers are legit, then I'd recommend yet another 90% change and surely you'll get some drop!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[tommyg123]

Im quite unsure as of why the NO2 and NO3 didn't drop myself.
I know the tap water is around 5 as ive already tested this before so what i'll do it another water change i guess and see what happens.

Also i did add some new plants but i dont think they would of done anything after the water change.

I'll do a water change abit later and then retest it after an hour or so and post the results here.

Just tested my tap water again..
NO2= 0.1
NO3= 10-20

 

[tommyg123]

Ok so i tested again 1 hour after water change and these are my results..

Am= 0 (12 hours)
NO2=0.5
NO3=110

 

[tommyg123]

Ok these tests were done 12hours after Ammonia was added.

Ph= 8.0
Am= 0
NO2= 1.6
NO3= 110

Why has my NO2 and NO3 gone back to what they were before? what is going on??