Should I Do A Water Change

[Wills]

Hi just a quick question about my cycle. My Ammonia is dropping from 4ppm to 0ppm in about 15-18 hours but the nitrite is still sky high - ive been adding ammonia to top it up to 4ppm each day for about a week but the nitrite isnt moving at all, but Im thinking as i add in more and more ammonia thats just creating more and more nitrite for the filter to handle but if i did a water change it would clear the water and let the levels start again or should I just leave it as it is? Just to clarify again no fish or inhabitants in the tank just lots of plants

 

[liamg1285]

ur best off leaving the it as it is and it will soon start to drop also do u no wat ur ph is cuz sometimes the ph drops and the bacteria sort of go into a dormant stat and wont process the ammonia and nitrite

 

[Wills]

just tested it and its about 7.2 or a little higher is that ok? I did a high end ph as well and it was at its lowest reading of 7.4 but a bit lighter so maybe it is 7.3? Are these readings ok?

 

[waterdrop]

Your pH is fine. The advice to just keep going is correct. One week of nitrite spike is not much, it'll probably go longer before dropping. Then the next milestone is to get nitrite dropping to zero within 12 hours (instead of 24 hours where it will be at first) after ammonia was added.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[arobinson1984]

Agreed with waterdrop. Every cycle is different, sometimes it can take longer for the ammonia to start to drop, other times it can be the nitrite which tends to take ages to break down.

If it has only been a week of high nitrites then I wouldn't worry, keep doing as you are and keep testing your water.

Andy

 

[Wills]

cool thanks guys - now just to be awkward (and if anyone sees this) just an extra question if I was to get a larger tank would this cycle work into that everything will be moved over as soon as I got it want to upgrade to a 90 ltr from a 47 ltr but the filter I have is suitable upto 100ltr which I got on purpose to help over filter the water because of the small volume think I would get a second filter to add to the new tank if it happens got to get it past the girlfriend first but saw some awsome fluval ones on offer at my maidenhead. But the bacteria will move fine wont it? Thanks Wills

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, the bacteria you care about are in the filter and would move with it. You would simply find yourself having to add a bit more ammonia to reach 5ppm or whatever you're dosing. A second filter could begin to also cycle or the media could be moved over to a new replacement filter. There would probably be some hesitation to the progress of the cycle, but not necessarily very much.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Wills]

excellent now just need to work out if the cabinet will hold the wieght

 

[OldMan47]

It will not be the same as a perfect transfer or the bacteria but should be enough of the bacteria to get the new tank going in a very short time. Some part of the beneficial bacteria are on the tank walls, the gravel and any ornaments. There is much more in the filter because it is exposed to a lot more tank water. That is why the cycle in the new tank will recover very quickly. If you had a small filter for the 47 litre tank, you could almost get both to the end of a cycle in a week from the time you moved the cycled filter. The bacteria you left behind would increase and "infect" the new filter with the right bacteria.

 

[Wills]

update on the cycle ammonia is going in 12hrs or under now and the nitrite is dropping to 1ppm (i think) in about 12 hours as well. The nitrite did that trick where it sinks to dark purple at the bottom but then goes light blue - then it went back to a high 5 and now it is looking like the 1ppm rating is this right or is it that the nitrite is still of the scale?

 

[OldMan47]

You are getting fairly close now, Wills. Just keep up the regular dosing and things should continue to improve.

 

[Wills]

Am doing topped it up at lunch time 12ish and the nitrite has started dropping down allready going to start dosing ammonia back upto 5ppm from now.