My Fishless Cycling Readings (update)

[Rubyuk]

Done a test in natural daylight and I'm 100% sure that my Ph is 8.0...its definately still green as opposed to the dark blue/green of the highest Ph reading of 9.5 on the nutrafin mini master liquid test

 

[Miss Wiggle]

good, it's just a slow cycle I think tbh.

 

[Rubyuk]

Day 22 update

Day 19

Ph 8.0
Ammonia 2.4 to 4.9 bracket (Regular readers already know i'#m finding it hard to seperate these two shades of orange)

Day 20

Ammonia 2.4 (I think)
Nitrite 0.1

Then added 3.5ml of ammonia and 1hr later ammonia reading had definately gone up to 4.9 zone

Day 21

Ammonia No change,I think 4.9

Day 22 (today 5/2/09)

Ammonia No change,I dont think
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 5
Ph 8.0 ish
Kh 80
Gh 120/140

I am getting an API test kit tomorrow to start double checking results and to see if I find that test any easier to interprate.

p.s some of my previous Nitrite readings may not have been 100% reliable as I've just noticed tonight that I could have used the nitrate test bottles by mistake on occasions

I'm happy to keep plodding away as I am but any thoughts would be appreciated as if you think anything has gone or is going wrong please advise me what to do.

I know these things can take time but not much seems to be happening with my cycle and i'm now on day 22 with still no expected nitrite spike (although possibly using wrong test before now on the odd day may not have helped ) but still todays nitrite test is 100% confirmed and is still only 0.1 after 22 days.

From all the reading I've done on here it sounds to me as if more should have happened by now in particular with regards to nitrite readings?

I fear I may need massive help

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, will be interesting when you get the new kit tomorrow and can start giving us some numbers from it. I agree the numbers don't have the feel of moving forward that they should. Just to confirm, as MW as asking for more opinions up there I think, yes, I'm definately remembering a comment from Hovanec that 8.0-8.4 is the optimal pH range for fastest growth of these bacteria, so that aspect should be just fine for you. I believe others have used that model of filter and been ok too.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yes await readings from the API test kit to see if there's any more clarity. it does feel remarkably slow particularly considering you've a nice high pH which usually keeps things ticking along. but there's certainly nothing glaringly obvious thats stopping it from moving.

we've talked before about different people's tap water containing different amounts of bacteria to start out with which means it someonetimes gets off the ground at a different pace. I'm wondering if perhaps you just didn't get a lot of bacteria to start off with. clutching at straws a little bit here but if the API kit pretty much confirms your readings from today then maybe you should do a large water change and see if that gets things moving.

 

[Rubyuk]

Hi Everyone

Just to update you on day 25.

I've not yet got my API test kit as it was delivered whilst I was away on Saturday and despite delivery instructions it was returned to the Post Office Depot so thats a trip I need to make tomorrow morning.

I've been carrying on with my Nutrafin test and these last couple of days I've done the tests in daylight and I have to say I think i've found it slightly easier to read the results.

Main part of update is to let you all know that due to the advice I've been given on here and elsewhere today I've been to the two LFS's where I will be sourcing my fish from and I've managed to obtain three items from a mature tank display containing fish stock.

These are

Small bag of gravel
An amount of white filter foam
2 anubias barteri plants on small pieces of bogwood

I think i'm also inherited an impressive looking trumpet snail(?) which I assume must have been in/under the gravel that I was given today?

Last 10 days or so i've had some of the very small snails with rounded dark shells,very small,biggest only a few mm in size,most pin pricks, but this thing is a whopper,at least 1.5 to 2.0 cm long,looks like a minature ice cream cone,creamy/light brown in colour.

I've been fishing out the other ones but this one is so big and would make quite a mess if squashing it I think I might keep it,that is unless of course anyone feels that it will do any harm?

Anyway,updated readings

Day 23

Out all day,no tests carried out

Day 24

Ammonia 2.4 (most certain I've been of this reading carried out in daylight)
Nitrite 0.3

So added 3.75ml of ammonia and 1 hr later ammonia reading 4.9 at least

Day 25 (Sunday 8/2/09)

Ammonia 4.9 (maybe slightly less but not quite fully the 2.4 shade)
Nitrite Definately more than 0.3 maybe upto 0.8? Sorry to be unsure but it was definatley the darkest shade I've had for Nitrite,darker than the 0.3 range but perhaps not the shade of 0.8 (definatley no darker shade than the other ranges so therefore not off the chart)

Now I don't know about you guys but these latest readings,together with the items I've got today from Mature tanks which will hopefully help speed things up (i cannot see them doing any harm?) gives me more confidence/hope/belief than I've had for a while as without doubt I've seen my highest nitrite reading.

As a Newbie i don't mind having to wait but it is nice when you see at least a slight drop/rise in readings as it gives you confidence that at least something is happening.

I'll keep you updated when I start using the API test as well.For a few days I might take readings with both kits

 

[Rubyuk]

Hi Guys

Sorry for yet another update but things seem to be happening at pace last two days.

Not sure if its just because of mature tank filter media/gravel/plants added yesterday,but todays readings.

Day 26

Ammonio 0.6 (definately)
Nitrite at least 1.6 maybe higher.Its not darker than the highest colour so dont think off the chart but the colour is deeper than most of the others below,so i'd guess at 1.6

What do I do now? Add more Ammonia I'm guessing will be the advise but to bring it up to what level 5ppm as before or 2-3ppm?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

excellent, hopefully the media etc has kick started things a bit for you.

bump the ammonia back up to 5ppm unless you're having any probs with pH the last few days.

look up malaysian trumpet snail, that's probably what you have, they're a good snail, stir up the substrate for you.

 

[waterdrop]

Good, glad something's finally happening Ruby!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Rubyuk]

Thanks Waterdrop and Miss Wiggle

I'll keep you posted

 

[Rubyuk]

Day 27 update

Things are certainly moving

From last nights update I followed the advice and tried to up my ammonia again.

I initially added 3.0ml of ammonia at 9-30pm and 1 hour later the reading was 1.2ppm

I was attempting to bump it up to about 4ppm (using ammonia calculator) so at 10-30pm I added another 1.0ml of ammonia and 1 hr later the reading was 2.4ppm

This morning at 10-30am I decided to test again just to see if ammonia clearling within 12 hours and it is!!!! (I assume)

My nitrite test is still the same colour as last night.On the nutrafin kit its a vivid bright pink,nothing like any of the 5 shades on the test chart.Its not a dull dark colour like the highest shade on the chart which is 3.3 so I've settled on 1.6 but my test is still brighter than that so maybe my nitrite is off the scale? (it doesn't turn vivid pink/purpleas soon as add the first reagent bottle droppings though)

So my filter is now processing at least 2.4ppm of ammonia within 12 hours.

What do I do next?

Bearing in mind I added two dozes of ammonia within an hour last night do I add some more now 12 hours later or would you/do you wait 24 hrs before adding more ie tonight at about 9-30pm to 10-00pm for me?

And as my nitrites appear high how high do I bump ammonia upto and how long do I keep bumping upto that level for, I presume that whatever the figure is I keep bumping up every 24 hours (even though i'm going to test now every 12 hours if possible to check ammonia been processed within 12 hours) until my nitrite reading drops to zero?

I've not tested my PH today,so far but last night it was steady away still at about 8.0

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yay, glad we've got some movement.

i think with you that you must have somehow drawn the short straw with your water supply and not had very many bacteria in there in the first place which is why it just wasn't doing anything very much, stick a decent lump of bacteria in and you're off pretty quickly from there.

just bump it up to around 3ppm now once every 24 hours.

xx

 

[Rubyuk]

yay, glad we've got some movement.

i think with you that you must have somehow drawn the short straw with your water supply and not had very many bacteria in there in the first place which is why it just wasn't doing anything very much, stick a decent lump of bacteria in and you're off pretty quickly from there.

just bump it up to around 3ppm now once every 24 hours.

xx

Thanks Miss W

I must admit I was given new hope at the weekend when I sourced some mature tank media from my LFS but never for one moment thought it would kick start things so quickly after 24 days of practically no developments.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, regardless of the "why", which is hard to ever know, its such a nice feeling when you've been watching closely and then finally things seem to be moving!

~~waterdrop~~ "What do fish say when they hit a concrete wall? "Dam!"

 

[Dave125]

Have been keeping tabs on your thread with interest, as my cycle seemed to peter out as yours did.
Glad to see things taking off nicely now for you, hopefully mine is on the way now too after using matured media.