Starting Fishless Cycle Thread

[waterdrop]

Yup, you're in your "qualifying week"!!

You're just verifying that your now-powerful bacteria can chug down 4-5ppm ammonia and turn it into two beautiful sky-blue and lemon-yellow test tubes in 12 hours after top-up and do it all week long while you make final plans for your big 90% water change and new fish weekend! If they seem to be doing it solidly and without a blip for a few days, then its really up to you which day is the most convenient for you, its not a hard and fast thing but it removes the risk of blips and gives you lots of confidence about how robust your filter is and also gives you, as a beginner, a memorable example of the kind of test results you should be seeing on and on forever, with good tank maintenance.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[anniekins]

Day 18. Nitrite still present 1st reading this morning but pleased to see it was my favourite shade of blue again tonight , zero. Just hoping I see more of that colour tomorrow!

 

[anniekins]

Day 19. No change today.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

don't worry it does tend to linger around this level for a week or so sometimes, completely normal just got to have a bit of patience.

 

[anniekins]

Day 20. No change, nitrites still taking 24 hours to read zero. Just good to know the cycle is progressing okay thanks Miss Wiggle. I will just continue testing and crossing my fingers for two zero nitrite readings in 24 hours one day soon.

 

[anniekins]

Day 21. Stats still the same, was hoping for a zero nitrite reading this morning but not to be just yet. Patience. patience and more patience !

 

[anniekins]

Day 22. No change to stats. Hubby is taking over from tomorrow evening as I have to go away for a few days. Have explained everything to him and also written it down. Will post the stats update on my return, just hope there are no problems whilst I'm away! You never know there may even be more progress, that would be good.

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, you'll be jealous if it goes blue during his watch!

 

[anniekins]

Too right I will. If hubby gets two blue results in one day he will never let me forget it, but I can live with that because the fishes will be one step nearer so here's hoping!

 

[anniekins]

Stats update. No change on days 22 and 23. Day 24 you've guessed it, hubby got the first zero nitrite reading in 12 hours whilst doing the stats watch! Got a phone message telling me the good news and have had several reminders since Still I can cope with that, just hope it's the same tomorrow.

Just a quick question, if the nitrites are zero at the 1st reading tomorrow should I check their level at the second reading each day or is that not necessary?

I feel the fishes are slowly getting closer and you were so right Waterdrop!

 

[anniekins]

Day 26. Nitrites showing today after 12 hours Thought it was too good to be true, begining to think hubby just dreamt the blue colour although he did say he checked it twice and I do believe him!

Out of interest I did check the nitrites again three hours after the 1st reading of 0.50 and they were zero Will carry on waiting for the zero reading at 12 hours, hopefully not too long to go now. Patience.......Patience...........Patience !

 

[Miss Wiggle]

this is exactly why we say to do a qualifying week after you hit the first 0,0 readings at 12 hours. not always but sometimes there's a little blip a few days later, much better to have this little blip with no fish in the tank. hopefully it'll be back down to 0 in 12 hours in the next few days.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, this kind of evidence just makes me and MW more stubborn . Those of us that try to help the beginners get no end of grief sometimes for supposed overkill on getting these filters ready for fish, but I still feel it really helps you when you're new to it to have gone through this rather trying learning process. It helps you know about and pay more attention to the basic cycling aspect of the fishes environment for years later I think and that is always a key thing to be checked and ruled out when there are troubles.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[anniekins]

Day 27. Nitrites still showing a reading of 0.25 this morning, a little lower than yesterday's first reading, so a move in the right direction I think. As you say Miss Wiggle and Waterdrop it's easier to manage a blip with an empty tank. Just need to remain focused now on getting the filters ready for the fish and not to get too impatient in what appears to be the final stage of the cycle.

 

[anniekins]

Day 28. Celebrations, my first zero nitrite reading in the morning (hubby had the first) and what a welcome sight. Just love the baby blue colour, can't wait to see it again hopefully in 12 hours time !