Starting Fishless Cycle Thread

[backtotropical]

Congrats Anniekins. That must be a good feeling. Is that ammonia and nitrite at 0 after 12 hrs?

Just to check, do you know to keep adding ammonia only once per day (not every 12 hours)?

 

[anniekins]

Day 29. Nitrite zero after 12 hours again along with ammonia so feeling good. Lets hope tomorrow remains the same!

As you said backtotropical it is indeed a good feeling! I'm chuffed that the results for ammonia and nitrite have both read zero after 12 hours. It has felt a long wait at times but I'm sure its going to be worth the wait.

I would never had got this far without the help I have had from the forum, pinned topics and advice from experienced members who I cannot thank enough. They are invaluable to newbies like me.

Just one more final question tonight, the qualifying week, should it be a full seven days of 0.0 readings without any blips at all?

 

[waterdrop]

The idea of the "qualifying week" was not meant to be that strict. It was just to encourage people to "give it some days" after they saw their first "double zero" reading so that they could catch any blips that still might happen. The original thought was that often you get your first double-zero-12 on a weekday and can plan to get fish on the weekend, so it felt like a good thing to encourage people to go on qualifying the filter and watching for blips until the weekend. (can say that with some authority since I think I was the sucker that started the idea )

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Thommo]

Congrats

Look fooward to seeing the tank once it is stocked.

CHEERS
Thommo

 

[anniekins]

Day 30. Oh dear! Nitrite reading 0.50 this morning after 12 hours. Is this usual to get ups and downs in the nitrite readings? They are not consistent as the other readings have been but I don't understand why?

Is there anything I can or need to do, to stabilise the nitrite readings more? Am feeling rather disappointed today as I had hoped to be starting the qualifying week so feeling a little frustrated to say the least, but as I keep telling myself Patience........Patience.........Patience!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it really is just patience, the NBacs seem to be so stubborn to develop but the good thing is once the colony is established they seem to be much mroe resilient. i've known a large number of people trigger a mini cycle for whatever reason and get an ammonia blip but not any nitrite blip so I think they take a while to get there but when they do they just hold on strong!

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I agree with that. When people draw graph lines of their nitrite levels during fishless cycling there are often some final wrinkles prior to finally flatlining at zero.

~wd~

 

[anniekins]

Day 31. Better results this morning I'm pleased to say, both nitrite and ammonia at zero after 12 hours with no change tonight. Feeling more optimistic again and so glad it's Friday too! Hope the results are as good tomorrow morning.

 

[waterdrop]

Day 31. Better results this morning I'm pleased to say, both nitrite and ammonia at zero after 12 hours with no change tonight. Feeling more optimistic again and so glad it's Friday too! Hope the results are as good tomorrow morning.

Yes, was just thinking "TGIF" myself but then your post reminded me I'd better think about whether I can squeeze in the water change this evening since Oliver's got baseball tournaments that could last all weekend, ugh! Whenever I bother to measure my ammonia or nitrite these days, they're always zero. It won't be long before worrying about these will be past history for you too, anniekins!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[anniekins]

Day 32. A litttle hesitant on giving the nitrites zero this morning as the result was a slightly duller blue than normal although definately nowhere near the 0.25 colour at all. So I decided to go for zero. Begining to think I'm becoming phobic about colour matching now!


If the nitrites read zero after 12 hours (1st reading) should I continue to test for nitrites again 12 hours later at the 2nd reading, or will they always remain at zero until ammonia has been added again?


Waterdrop, I openly have to admit, I am extremely jealous of your constant zero ammonia and nitrite readings! Trust me, I really can't wait for the worrying over stats to be history. Hope the basketball went well.

 

[waterdrop]

Once the nitrites(NO2) have gone to zero, that's it. You don't need to do a second test.

Actually we -did- get knocked out of a basketball tournament on Thurday night, so that's all over. That leaves only two baseball teams and year-round swimming and a glance at the fish-tank when coming coming in to change sports gear, lol. This weekends baseball tournament got rained out, so I can do the water change at leisure, yea!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[anniekins]

Day 33. Again the nitrite reading is not the pale blue colour but a dull blue, although clearly not the colour of a 0.25 reading, hence some slight confusion. and a question mark next to the zero reading incase anyone wondered.

Just wondering realistically how long this final stage can go on for? Patience....Patience......Patience I know but I'm finding these last few days quite frustrating. So longing for some fish now, spent the afternoon drooling in the LFS only to come home empty handed .......... so sad!

 

[waterdrop]

Any time my API nitrite(NO2) test showed a slight trace of nitrite, it was definately a very light purple, not blue. I think any kind of blue is zero nitrite.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[anniekins]

Day 34. Stats a little confusing today. 1st reading (12hrs) nitrites definately 0.25. Re-tested again two hours later, nitrites then clearly reading zero, that nice pale blue colour that I so love to see!

Leaving hubby in charge again as I will not be around to take the next few readings. I'm hoping he will bring a little luck, you never know! Will post results as soon as I can.

 

[waterdrop]

This is a technique, right? When you need some luck, leave it to hubby.

~~waterdrop~~