My Fishless Cycling Log

[Skins]

You're only (in practice) 7 days into cycling, I have often seen no change in ammonia before days 10-14. Also, you might not realise, but it is very likely you actually did have a very slight drop in ammonia: the dying plants would have released ammonia into the water.. yet the reading did not change!

(Also if the plants were "grass like", they were very likely not aquatic.)

Could you test nitrite? I noticed that you had some on the day you filled the tank... I do wonder if it is still there...

Thanks KK, hopefully I'll start to notice some drops soon. I don't think the grass was aquatic either, seeing how it reacted to the water, I'll deffinitely do some research before buying plants again.

I tested my nitrite and it was still 0.25ppm, should it still be there? The tank had been running for a week before starting the cycle (in which time I was adding the bacteria product that came with it) could this have affected the nitrite level?

There is a good chance the substance you added has had a influence on your nitrite level. I take it there is still no shift in your ammonia level, like KK said its still early days of your cycle but fingers crossed any day now

Keith.

 

[KittyKat]

Could you test nitrite? I noticed that you had some on the day you filled the tank... I do wonder if it is still there...

I tested my nitrite and it was still 0.25ppm, should it still be there? The tank had been running for a week before starting the cycle (in which time I was adding the bacteria product that came with it) could this have affected the nitrite level?

No, no.. it's normal.. I was only being curious At worst the products do not do anything at all, at best they usually encourage bacterial growth.

 

[Falling Ash]

Well I tested the ammonia levels today and it was deffinitely lighter, not quite 4 but perhaps not quite 2. Hopefully this is a sign that things are picking up, or it could have just been the other plants that I removed last night.

 

[Falling Ash]

The thermometer wasn't accurate, I've gone digital now and my temp was actually about 24c, I've now put it up to 29c so hopefully things will start picking up now.

Also, still trying to decide what fish to stock. Does anyone have a list of suitable candidates for a 65 litre / 16 gallon tank? I like Dwarf Gourami, would it be suitable to keep one on it's own with other community fish? I was also tempted to have a male Siamese Fighter (instead), but I was worried about its fins being nipped and I don't fancy having a Betta only tank so I'm not sure about that. I like the livebearers too, such as guppies and platys. And of course tetras. So what types of fish will be suitable together and which wont / how many would be ideal? Would also like some shrimp too if poss! All suggestions welcome, thanks!

 

[Skins]

The thermometer wasn't accurate, I've gone digital now and my temp was actually about 24c, I've now put it up to 29c so hopefully things will start picking up now.

Also, still trying to decide what fish to stock. Does anyone have a list of suitable candidates for a 65 litre / 16 gallon tank? I like Dwarf Gourami, would it be suitable to keep one on it's own with other community fish? I was also tempted to have a male Siamese Fighter (instead), but I was worried about its fins being nipped and I don't fancy having a Betta only tank so I'm not sure about that. I like the livebearers too, such as guppies and platys. And of course tetras. So what types of fish will be suitable together and which wont / how many would be ideal? All suggestions welcome, thanks!

now that you are up to 29c imo things will really start to happen now
Not my strong point at the mo, stocking suggestions so i will leave that to the more experienced members.

Keith.

 

[KittyKat]

The thermometer wasn't accurate, I've gone digital now and my temp was actually about 24c, I've now put it up to 29c so hopefully things will start picking up now.

(Keep in mind that digital thermometers are quite inaccurate too as they drift over time.)

Also, still trying to decide what fish to stock. Does anyone have a list of suitable candidates for a 65 litre / 16 gallon tank? I like Dwarf Gourami, would it be suitable to keep one on it's own with other community fish? I was also tempted to have a male Siamese Fighter (instead), but I was worried about its fins being nipped and I don't fancy having a Betta only tank so I'm not sure about that. I like the livebearers too, such as guppies and platys. And of course tetras. So what types of fish will be suitable together and which wont / how many would be ideal? Would also like some shrimp too if poss! All suggestions welcome, thanks!

For example, I would look at something like this:
* Betta splendens
* 8 espei rasboras OR ember tetras
* *some shrimp*, assuming your Betta is on the peaceful side OR 6 dwarf Corys if you have sand OR 5 Otocinclus

I would not go for a gourami because they seem to do better in slightly larger tanks.

 

[Falling Ash]

Thanks for the suggestions KK, I'll deffinitely look out for those next time I visit the LFS. I can't remember seeing those particular types but they always update their stock so I may be in luck when the cycle is complete. Also on a positive note the ammonia has dropped today

 

[Falling Ash]

Actually, no it hasn't dropped. It hasn't dropped at all from Day 1 (except for the water changes and dying plant removal), maybe the bacteria just isn't growing in my water? Should I start again from scratch? Could it be a dodgy filter?

 

[KittyKat]

Can you get hold of any mature media or sponge squeezings? It would be worth trying to add those before starting from scratch..

Any cycle really can take a long time to start going.. I have heard of them taking 10+ weeks in some cases.. 4-6 is really just the average!

 

[SLIM]

My first cycle took over 10 weeks, really tested my patients got there in the end tho

 

[Falling Ash]

I'll give it another couple of weeks then, todays readings: Ammonia - no change, pH - 8.0, Temp 29c, surely it should have decreased a little bit even since the start? The colour has been the same for 18 days

 

[Falling Ash]

Have I ruined my cycle?

Hi, I think I have made a mistake. There was a lot of rotting plant debris and stuff on my gravel so I clean it with the gravel vac, without realising I removed 40% of the water. This was two days ago. Today I tested the water and the ammonia had obviously dropped, I tested my nitrites though (previously 0.25) and now they're 5ppm+. What should I do next? Wait till the ammonia is down to 0.25/0 ppm and top back up to 3ish? Do you think the bacteria were all dead? And I brought new ones in with the added water?

Thanks

 

[KittyKat]

There was a lot of rotting plant debris and stuff on my gravel so I clean it with the gravel vac, without realising I removed 40% of the water. This was two days ago. Today I tested the water and the ammonia had obviously dropped, I tested my nitrites though (previously 0.25) and now they're 5ppm+. What should I do next? Wait till the ammonia is down to 0.25/0 ppm and top back up to 3ish? Do you think the bacteria were all dead? And I brought new ones in with the added water?

So? What's the problem?

Why would you have killed the bacteria? Did you top up with chlorinated water? Did you top up with boiling water?

If it was mine, I would wait until ammonia was 0 ppm (testing every day) and top up back to 3-5 ppm once it hits 0 ppm.

 

[Falling Ash]

Hi, the ammonia went down to 0 yesterday, I re-dosed to 3ppm, and today it's 0.5ppm. The nitrites I couldn't read because the colour wasn't on the chart, it was a fuschia pink colour. Does this mean the nitrites are too high? Can this stall my cycle, and should I do a water change? Thanks.

 

[Warehouse]

Hi, the ammonia went down to 0 yesterday, I re-dosed to 3ppm, and today it's 0.5ppm. The nitrites I couldn't read because the colour wasn't on the chart, it was a fuschia pink colour. Does this mean the nitrites are too high? Can this stall my cycle, and should I do a water change? Thanks.

The Nitrites will fall eventually but there have been cases where they've bombed the PH and stalled the cycle. Test the PH.