My New Fluval Edge Journal

[SensesFail]

results of today....

ammonia = around 2ppm
nitrIte = 0ppm
nitrAte = 5ppm/10ppm

how come there has yet been no build up of nitrIte? however it is good to see ammonia dropping

That's easy to answer! Although the length of each of the 3 phases of fishless cycling (we divide it into before, during and after the "nitrite spike") varies rather wildly, we more often than not see the first phase taking as long as 2 or even 3 weeks and it's been just barely over a week since you first added ammonia I believe.

Usually (but not always) the signs of the end of the first phase and the beginning of the second phase come rather rapidly and in fairly close succession: the ammonia, that's been sitting around at the original 4ppm (or maybe has dropped to something like 2ppm for a while) suddenly starts to disappear (either trace or all out zero ppm) and meanwhile the tests suddenly show a trace of nitrite(NO2) for the first time, or actually show a fair reading of it like 1 or 2ppm or something. Often these sorts of transitional numbers last only a short while or even only a day or two. The cycler adds the next dose of ammonia (because the first ammonia finally dropped to zero ppm) and maybe yet another dose from yet another drop to zero and the next thing you know the nitrite(NO2) has suddenly shot up and is "off the chart" (the nitrite(NO2) test shows it's highest reading (and the actual nitrite is often higher but you don't know it.) That is what the transition is like, going in to the "nitrite spike" second phase.

~~waterdrop~~

Hmm that is strange because you had the above on that day and you cant go from having it to not without a water change S strange im sure someone can tel us why! Did you shake the bottles and everything before carrying out the test? What test kit are you using again?

 

[LiamGoodaire]

yes i did the process from the book and the same i do everytime..... api freshwater master kit

 

[LiamGoodaire]

wish someone could explain the readings too me..... anyone? sensesfail youve been great thankyou ive just been researching this all again and i just dont understand ha

 

[LiamGoodaire]

added more h/h ammonia last night to top back up to 5ppm ammonia
tested the water today and here are my reuslts....

ammonia = 2ppm
nitrIte = 0ppm
nitrAte = 0ppm

so the ammonia has been processed very quickly this time! does this mean the tank is cycled/nearly cycled? if it is not ready when it is down to 1ppm again shall i top it back upto 5ppm?

 

[SensesFail]

added more h/h ammonia last night to top back up to 5ppm ammonia
tested the water today and here are my reuslts....

ammonia = 2ppm
nitrIte = 0ppm
nitrAte = 0ppm

so the ammonia has been processed very quickly this time! does this mean the tank is cycled/nearly cycled? if it is not ready when it is down to 1ppm again shall i top it back upto 5ppm?

let it get to 1 then top back up it seems to be going quite quick now! eventually you will test on the 12hr and the ammonia will be 0 and when it does this for a week then your all sorted. Still waiting a reply regarding the matters above. Were those test readings 24hrs after dosing the h/h/ ammonia?

Can anyone with more experience please explain the problems above??

 

[LiamGoodaire]

yeh that was 24h after, will be testing tomorrow morning and afternoon, right well i at least know when the cycles completed cheers and yeah id still love for someone to explain the other levels!

yeh that was 24h after, will be testing tomorrow morning and afternoon, right well i at least know when the cycles completed cheers and yeah id still love for someone to explain the other levels!

 

[SensesFail]

fingers crossed come 2moro morning will be 0 ammonia

When idid mine my dosing time was 9pm and eventually by 9am it was 0 so it was left until the dosing time at 9pm before dosing back up. So when your at that stage its nearly their pending there is no nitrite or ammonia after 12 hrs. The 1 week of having these results you done ready for fish after you do a large water change

Was in pets at hoe today and spotted the fluval edge!! Smart! and the Chi which im not too sure on with it being thin and tall.

 

[FishyWishie]

I mailed API a while back about a similar issue and got this reply


Liquid Nitrate Test Kits from any manufacturer can have a common problem
with their last test solution. For some companies, it is bottle number
3, but for us it is bottle number 2. One of the ingredients wants to
solidify out of liquid solution. If the test bottle sits for any period
of time, this can happen. If this does happen and the test is performed
without Bottle # 2 mixed properly, then you can get a falsely low
reading. I have never heard of falsely high readings with Nitrate Kits.
I would try tapping your Bottle # 2 a few times on a table or counter
top. This should loosen-up anything that has solidified. Then I would
shake this bottle for about 2-3 minutes, to really mix it up. Try the
test again and hopefully this will fix your problem. With regular weekly
usage, this bottle should only need to be shaken for 30-60 seconds.

Always check results at the recommended duration of time. Letting the
tubes sit longer can result in falsely high levels.

 

[LiamGoodaire]

thanks for the info, i generally give it a good shake and tap anyway however but i will probably take extra caution from now, results today were...

ammonia = 2ppm
nitrIte = 0ppm
nitrAte = 0ppm

cheers, goodaire

 

[LiamGoodaire]

Tested our water earlier today, got a reading for ammonia of 1ppm, I have now topped other back upto 5ppm
Hopefully shouldn't be long now the ammonia is being processedmuch quicker just in time too I get paid next Friday haha!

 

[Gazanimal]

Quick question Liam.

How much ammonia are you putting in to get to 5ppm?

And how do you dose it? Syringe, eye dropper, medicine spoon, lucky guess ?

 

[LiamGoodaire]

II add around 1.2ml of household ammonia using a syringe

 

[SensesFail]

Quick question Liam.

How much ammonia are you putting in to get to 5ppm?

And how do you dose it? Syringe, eye dropper, medicine spoon, lucky guess ?

Their is a calc at the top of the forum which also gives you dosage amounts I used a measuring cap i got with the evil Waterlife Biomature crap! haha

 

[LiamGoodaire]

Yeah I know ha I checked at the beginning of the process and unless I'm mistaken its around 1.2 however I'm on my phone at the mo and the calculator isn't available

 

[SensesFail]

Yeah I know ha I checked at the beginning of the process and unless I'm mistaken its around 1.2 however I'm on my phone at the mo and the calculator isn't available

Yer 1.2 if u have 0 ammonia in the tank and 0.97 if you have 1ppm in the tank that's giving that your tank is 23litres