Onion's Fish-Less Cycle Log 2.0

[OneOnion]

You may or may not have seen my first fish-less cycle, which failed due to some accidents like using the same syringe for testing ammonia and adding ammonia, and having my filter unplugged and dried out... It all just got too confusing. So I took a break from it, a few weeks, and I'm ready to start again. You may or may not have known that in my old fish-less cycle, I had 2 filters because the first one 'wasn't good enough'. So, since I'm practically restarting, I took out the media from the old filter and dropped it in the tank, leaving the second one running. I'll also have a new format. The format on my old log was just too messy and looked unorganized to me. Old log is found here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/312740-oneonions-first-fishless-cycle/

Tank: 10 gallons
Filter: AquaClear 20
Planned stocking: Six Neolamprologus Multifasciatus
Tap Water Stats: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, pH 7.8

I can't wait to get started! again!

The Log:

DAY 1. (3/20/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- 4 PPM ammonia added.

DAY 2. (3/21/10)
- Ammonia: 1 PPM

DAY 3. (3/22/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- pH: 7.6
- 4 PPM ammonia added.

DAY 4 (AM 3/23/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- Nitrite:0.2PPM
- 4 PPM ammonia added.

DAY 4 (PM 3/23/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- Nitrite: 5+
- pH: 6.8

DAY 5 (AM 3/24/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- Nitrite:0.1PPM
- 4 PPM ammonia added

DAY 5 (PM 3/24/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- Nitrite: 5 PPM

DAY 6 (AM 3/25/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- Nitrite:0.1PPM
- 4 PPM ammonia added

DAY 6 (PM 3/25/10)
- Ammonia:0.5PPM
- Nitrite:0.4PPM

DAY 7 (AM 3/26/10)
- Ammonia:0.5PPM

DAY 7 (PM 3/26/10)
- Ammonia:0.2PPM
- Nitrite:0.1PPM

DAY 8 (AM 3/27/10)
- Ammonia: 0 PPM
- Nitrite: 0 PPM
- 4 PPM ammonia added

DAY 8 (PM 3/27/10)
- Ammonia:1.5PPM
- Nitrite:0.5PPM

DAY 9 (AM 3/28/10)
- Ammonia: 1 PPM
- Nitrite: 0 PPM

DAY 9 (PM 3/28/10)
- Ammonia: 1 PPM
- Nitrite: 0 PPM

DAY 10 (AM 3/29/20)
- Ammonia: 1 PPM
- Nitrite: 0 PPM

DAY 10 (PM 3/29/10)
- Ammonia: 1 PPM
- Nitrite: 0 PPM

DAY 11 (AM 3/30/10)
- Ammonia: 1 PPM
- Nitrite: 0 PPM

 

[waterdrop]

Neolamprologus Multifasciatus - what an interesting looking/sounding fish! I was not familiar with these. WD
ps. Best of luck on your new fishless cycle. I'll try to check in and take a look and I hope that plenty of other members will too!
edit-pps. Perhaps also post up your tap water stats as part of the baseline info and include pH readings in at least the first few log postings before you skip a few.

 

[jmiller]

Nice choice on the fish.

 

[OneOnion]

Wow! A lot more bacteria survived than I thought. 4-1 PPM ammonia on the first day isn't bad. Oh yeah, and I'll find the water stats right away. Thanks for commenting! Neolamprologus Multifasciatus is a shell dwelling fish from Lake Tanganyika. They're one of the smallest cichlids, so they can fit in as little as a 10 gallon! See, I really wanted these from the start, but none of the local fish stores ever had them in stock. But, when I was looking around some pet stores in my area, I found a small one that I'd never been to before. It was amazing! There were a bunch of salt water fish, corals, lobsters and sharks. In the back they also had a tropical freshwater section. I ended up getting 3 Red Cherry Shrimp to go with my other 4, and asked if they had some shell dwelling cichlids in stock. They said they didn't but sometimes they get them. So, now I can have some shell dwelling fish in my 10 gallon!

 

[OneOnion]

Just bumping up so I can access it easier.

 

[OldMan47]

It actually looks like you are coming along nicely this time OneOnion.
I love you choice of shellies for the nice little tank. They are known to be a lot of interesting action for a fish keeper to follow.

 

[OneOnion]

Should I do a water change right now(it's been 1 PPM ammonia for a few days) or will that make things worse? I don't want to mess up how good it's been working so far.

 

[OneOnion]

I have decided that maintaining two tanks is just too much work for me, with school, band, homework, and all of that stuff. Right now I'm running a 5 gallon, cycling the 10 gallon, and maintaining a 20 gallon terrarium all by myself, and I think it's just too much right now. Maybe I'll get another aquarium over summer break, but for now instead of cycling the 10 gallon, I'm going to upgrade my 5 gallon with the betta to the 10 gallon, and divide it so I can have 2 bettas. I hope you understand.

-OneOnion