Second Stage Cycle Started Today Help

[lana]

730 pm reading

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

temp 30C

 

[Miss Wiggle]

what i'd say is this, run all the filters together for at least 2-4 weeks, if you're still fishless cycling at this point then remove the old one and carry on with the cycle, you may be set back a day or two but it shouldn't be too much by that point and of course you're not putting any fish at risk by removing it.

the other thing to remember is that when you are done with the cycle and get the fish back you'd be very lightly stocked and wouldn't be producing anywhere like the 5ppm of ammonia every day that you add when fishless cycling, so if you've only got say one third of the final stocking, if you've got enough filtration to deal with two thirds of the final stocking then you should be fine. So if you're done cycling by the time the 2-4 weeks is up then remove the old filter and add the fish back in the same day.

 

[lana]

day 5 fishless day 43 all together

7 am readings

ammonia 0.50 to 1
nitrites 2 to 5
nitrates 10 to 20
ph 7.2
kh 3 drops

temp 30C

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, sounds like a good plan. You will probably have a higher turnover rate now, which will be good. Have you ever calculated the change in turnover rate you'll get Lana?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[lana]

Yes, sounds like a good plan. You will probably have a higher turnover rate now, which will be good. Have you ever calculated the change in turnover rate you'll get Lana?

~~waterdrop~~

i must still be sleeping here

by turn over rate what do you mean ?

i think you mean the ammonia nitrites stuff

 

[Miss Wiggle]

nope, your filters will have a rating for litres per hour, you compare that against your tank volume and it gives you a turnover rate, how many times the tank water is 'turned over' by the filter every hour.

you should be aiming for around 5 x turnover

 

[lana]

nope, your filters will have a rating for litres per hour, you compare that against your tank volume and it gives you a turnover rate, how many times the tank water is 'turned over' by the filter every hour.

you should be aiming for around 5 x turnover

oh

i have 48 gallon tank and filters turn over 387g an hour that's 8+ x turn over

 

[Miss Wiggle]

excellent, 8x is brilliant, although it's worth being aware that manufacturers flow rate specifications are generally a 'maximum' amount and you'll be very unlikely to achieve them, so you'll have more like 6/7 x turnover. still great though

 

[lana]

630 pm readings

ammonia 0
nitrites 5+
nitrates 10
ph 7.4
kh 3 drops
temp 30C

ADDED 10ML ammonia

 

[lana]

tested ammonia at 9pm

ammonia 1

added another 8ml


tested again at 10pm

ammonia 3ppm

 

[waterdrop]

good, that's what I wanted to see, the result pattern has gone right back to classic nitrite spike phase despite the disturbance of adding the new filters - I think you're going to be able to see and follow the pattern right out to the end. It will be good to note "ammonia dropped from Xppm to zero in Xhours, nitrite dropped from Xppm to (only) Xppm in Xhours since ammona add" since we start caring about the "time it takes to drop" now (and the ppm it started at) more than anything else. This is basically what you're already noting but just with more "obviousness".. does that make sense?

I agree with MW that you've settled into what should be a perfect turnover rate! I'll probably actually be about 6/7x and you'll have split it over two (idential?) new filters ultimately, so you'll be able to alternate clean-outs with not even a blip in your stats probably. Going higher than 5x is supposed to be good too for keeping little pockets of uneven ammonia/nitrate from degrading your plant environment or giving algae a trigger, so that should be good. It will potentially be a little tricky not having your smaller fish (danios etc.) look like they are swimming with their tails down at times (this is how I describe the stronger currents that the spraybars can produce as they send a lot of water down the walls of the tank.) So you have have to experiement later (with fish in) with various placements and orientations of the spraybars/outshoots of the filters.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[lana]

day 6 fishless day 44 all together

630 am readings

ammonia 1 to 2
nitrites 5
nitrates 20 to 40
ph 7.4
kh 3 drops

temp 30C

 

[lana]

630 pm reading

ammonia 0.50
nitrites 4ish i think could be 5ish
nitrates 40 to 80

ph 7.4
kh 3 drops
temp 30C

 

[waterdrop]

1 fish, 2 fish, 4 fish 5ish... Its haloween and there are fish at my front door...

 

[lana]

1 fish, 2 fish, 4 fish 5ish... Its haloween and there are fish at my front door...