Second Stage Cycle Started Today Help

[Miss Wiggle]

can't predict time i'm afraid. there's about a zillion variables which we can't measure so it's just a case of sitting it out. But because you will have some bacteria populations it should be quicker than your 'average' fishless cycle which is 4-6 weeks.

 

[lana]

can't predict time i'm afraid. there's about a zillion variables which we can't measure so it's just a case of sitting it out. But because you will have some bacteria populations it should be quicker than your 'average' fishless cycle which is 4-6 weeks.

ok cool

now i have been reading and i read that nitrrites being off the charts can stall the cycle is that true and how do i stop that from happening?

ammonia seems same as yesterday, nitrites i'd sy over 5 , seeing nitrates little over 10 am i still ok ?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yes they can do, you just control nitrite with water changes, 5ppm is fine though, just if you're getting like 20ppm+ then do some water change to bring it down. Just a case of monitoring it though really, water changes if it gets too high. as ever post the readings if you're not sure!!

 

[lana]

yes they can do, you just control nitrite with water changes, 5ppm is fine though, just if you're getting like 20ppm+ then do some water change to bring it down. Just a case of monitoring it though really, water changes if it gets too high. as ever post the readings if you're not sure!!

sounds good to me

ok off to get my hair and nails done , ttyl

 

[Miss Wiggle]

have fun!

 

[waterdrop]

Although RDD was going to do some experiments trying to fishless cycle some aquariums up at 90F, 91F/33C and above, I don't know that he ever had time and there were a few anecdotal reports of temps that high possibly slowing the cycle down. That's why I settled in on 84F/29C as the safest, best, fastest temp recommendation I could see, looking around TFF. Maybe Corleone will see this and comment what temps his tanks have been at when he got a 3 week fishless.

We probably need to see the trend from a few more times of your stats, but I hope it turns out you are basically already in the 2nd phase (nitrite spike phase) of fishless. If that's the case we should be able to get to the point relatively quickly after that of recommending a large water change with ammonia recharge and maybe some tablespoons of baking soda to bring that pH on up above 8. But I guess sit tight for now.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[lana]

7 pm readings

ammonia 1
nitrites 5 +
nitrates 10 to 20
ph 7.4
kh 3 drops

temp 30C

 

[lana]

day 3 fishless after 41 day fish in cycle

7 am readings

ammonia 0.25
nitrites 5+
nitrates 20 to 40
ph 7.4
kh 3 drops

now do i add more ammonia now or wair til it is ZERO ?

 

[waterdrop]

You can wait til its ZERO!

Does KH turn yellow on the third drop or is it blue for 3 drops and turns yellow on the 4th drop?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[lana]

turns yellow on the third drop


6 30 pm readings

ammonia 0
nitrites 5 ish
nitrates 40
ph 7.6

kh 3 drops

temp 30C

 

[waterdrop]

nice solid nitrite spike

 

[lana]

day 4 fishless ---day 42 all together

630 am readings

ammonia 1 to 2
nitrites 5+
nitrates 40 +

ph 7.2

kh 3 drops

temp 30C

emptied 5 gallons last night, rinsed filters in there lightly, changed the clear water pads, not the filter pads don't worry just the ones i got to catch smaller crap....

 

[waterdrop]

good, small clean maybe slows it for a day or so but I think it then takes off faster afterwards...

 

[lana]

ok i may of done a bad thing


got off work cause our pc were down , came home still crap floating around my tank went to lsf and got 2 new filters

drained 90% of water to get it out , added new filters, but kept old one in behind them for now, so they can share the bacteria with the new ones, now i have crystal clear water again

readded ammonia

reading were 1 hour later

ammonia 4ppm
nitrites 2
nirates 10

ph 8

kh 3 drops


hope that was ok to do

 

[waterdrop]

Well, I believe when you add extra "new" filters to a fishless cycling tank (not that I've ever read of anybody adding *two* more before ) and still leave the old one in there running, you'd expect the bacterial colonies to gradually balance their size between the number of filters. So in your case you'll end up with one third of the overall biofilter in each of the filters. For a long time the relative colony size will be larger in the old one I'd suspect, but we have no way of knowing since you can't test them individually.

You may have to leave all 3 filters in there a very long time to feel confident you could take out the old one and just have things running on the two new ones. This is a strange enough situation that I guess we'll hope some other experienced members come along and add comments.

~~waterdrop~~