Starting my Cycle

[Byron]

On the nitrates, I am going to leave you in essjay's care because she is much more familiar with UK water than I am here half way around the globe from you. It is odd that 31ppm nitrate in the tap water becomes 20ppm in the cycling aquarium... so I also wonder if the water board uses N03-N or N03. And maybe you are already mixing tap water and some form of "pure" water?

 

[matthew xia]

Thanks Byron - I've just purchased a RODI filtration system so that will put an end to the nitrate problem as well as the water hardness.

I agree I was confused about the drop in Nitrates since I've done nothing to make this happen.

 

[Essjay]

UK water companies use nitrate-NO3. The maximum permitted in drinking water is 50 ppm.

What are you using to test nitrate with, strips or liquid testers? And what are you using to test GH? Your tank hardness appears to be about half of your water company's level. Or have you used any 'pure' water yet?

 

[matthew xia]

I'm using Tetra strips to test. And have just ordered a RODI filter so will add the pure water when that arrives in the next two days.

 

[matthew xia]

Ok...

Day Five results (with previous results included).
This is very confusing but I'm posting here with the hope you can help.

I have a 30L (7 gallon) tank (Quibiq30) for a Betta and a few snails (no stock yet yet - we did have two Oranda's who never survived - this was pre-research and they lived in the tank for about 3 days), with heater, filter, gravel, some ornamentation and what I think is anacharis. There are some Indian Almond leaves on order too, and we'll add some rose wood and some floating plants in due course.

Tomorrow a RO/DI filtration system arrives, I plan to do a 50% water change with a mix of RO/DI and tap water at a ratio of 1:1.

My water board report hard water, total 274ppm / 15˚ and KH at 11˚, with Nitrates at around 32ppm.

I guess technically the tank has been running in some way for about 3 weeks now, since the 20th March (with the three days prior to the unfortunate fish - where it had the bacteria bottle the pet shop gave us and the water conditioner - the three days the fish were in and the two weeks since - in which I did a 100% water change and added safe-start).

I only added the Dr Tim's on the 2nd of April.

Day 1. 2/4/20
a 24 drop feed of Dr. Tim's ammonia to kick start the cycle

Ammonia - 3ppm (possibly a little more)
Kh - 3
Nitrates - between 25 - 50ppm
Nitrite - less than 0.5
Ph - 7.6
Gh - nearly 28˚ (I think I may have read this too late?)

Day 2. 3/4/20
Ammonia showing about 0.6ppm
Kh 3
Nitrate 25+
Nitrite 0ppm
Ph 7.6
Gh 8˚
Cl - 0ppm
Then a 16 drop feed of Dr. Tim's ammonia - up to almost 3ppm

Day 4. 5/4/20
Ammonia - 0.7ppm
Kh - (I was unsure of this - it seemed to be around 20˚)
Nitrate - around 20
Nitrite - 0
Ph - 7.6
Gh - 8˚
Cl - 0ppm

Day 5. 6/4/20
Ammonia - 0.5ppm
Kh - 20˚
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0
Ph - 7.6
Gh - 16˚
Cl - 0ppm

I'm not so worried about the hardness as I know this will reduce after a water change with RO/DI - thanks for the advice around this.

I don't understand why the ammonia has stopped at 0.5 and the nitrates are also decreasing?

What are my next steps?? When do you think we can add a fish and some snails?

 

[FishkeeperLinz]

Ok...

Day Five results (with previous results included).
This is very confusing but I'm posting here with the hope you can help.

I have a 30L (7 gallon) tank (Quibiq30) for a Betta and a few snails (no stock yet yet - we did have two Oranda's who never survived - this was pre-research and they lived in the tank for about 3 days), with heater, filter, gravel, some ornamentation and what I think is anacharis. There are some Indian Almond leaves on order too, and we'll add some rose wood and some floating plants in due course.

Tomorrow a RO/DI filtration system arrives, I plan to do a 50% water change with a mix of RO/DI and tap water at a ratio of 1:1.

My water board report hard water, total 274ppm / 15˚ and KH at 11˚, with Nitrates at around 32ppm.

I guess technically the tank has been running in some way for about 3 weeks now, since the 20th March (with the three days prior to the unfortunate fish - where it had the bacteria bottle the pet shop gave us and the water conditioner - the three days the fish were in and the two weeks since - in which I did a 100% water change and added safe-start).

I only added the Dr Tim's on the 2nd of April.

Day 1. 2/4/20
a 24 drop feed of Dr. Tim's ammonia to kick start the cycle

Ammonia - 3ppm (possibly a little more)
Kh - 3
Nitrates - between 25 - 50ppm
Nitrite - less than 0.5
Ph - 7.6
Gh - nearly 28˚ (I think I may have read this too late?)

Day 2. 3/4/20
Ammonia showing about 0.6ppm
Kh 3
Nitrate 25+
Nitrite 0ppm
Ph 7.6
Gh 8˚
Cl - 0ppm
Then a 16 drop feed of Dr. Tim's ammonia - up to almost 3ppm

Day 4. 5/4/20
Ammonia - 0.7ppm
Kh - (I was unsure of this - it seemed to be around 20˚)
Nitrate - around 20
Nitrite - 0
Ph - 7.6
Gh - 8˚
Cl - 0ppm

Day 5. 6/4/20
Ammonia - 0.5ppm
Kh - 20˚
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0
Ph - 7.6
Gh - 16˚
Cl - 0ppm

I'm not so worried about the hardness as I know this will reduce after a water change with RO/DI - thanks for the advice around this.

I don't understand why the ammonia has stopped at 0.5 and the nitrates are also decreasing?

What are my next steps?? When do you think we can add a fish and some snails?

Are these still with the test strips? You'd be better off investing in a liquid test kit, such as API Master Test kit. (Cheaper on eBay)

As for the nitrates, are there any plants in the tank (sorry if you've already gone over this. I've come in a little late). If so, they can help reduce nitrate.

What I'm more surprised about, is that ammonia is coming down, but there's no sign of nitrite. I'd expect to see that starting to spike.

As for your next steps, just keep on doing what you're doing -, top up ammonia to 3ppm, and test daily. Ammonia will be converted faster and faster, as will nitrite. The amount is cycled once you can top up in the morning test 12-24, hours later, and get a reading of 0 for both ammonia and nitrite.

 

[matthew xia]

Thanks Linz, there are some anacharis in the tank. Do we know why there is no nitrite spike? I've had none since I initially started the tank. I'm going to test now - should I add the RODI water yet or wait until the tank has completed it's cycle?

 

[seangee]

Do you have a pic of the tank. Plants will use ammonia directly directly without turning it into nitrite (or subsequently nitrate) so may explain the ammonia and nitrite readings. It doesn't explain the drop in nitrates as most plants will use ammonia in preference to nitrates. That is to say they would not use nitrates until there was no ammonia left.

 

[matthew xia]

Ok - I have just tested the water from the tap using the RO/DI unit and it is now showing:

Ammonia 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Gh - 0
Kh - 6˚
Ph - 6.4
Cl - 0.8 (I'll add aqua-safe still)

The Tank is showing results now of:
Ammonia - 3ppm
Kh - 20˚
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0
Ph - 7.6
Gh - 8˚
Cl - 0ppm


Should I do a water change and if so what % and do I mix the ro/tap / why are my ammonia and nitrate levels so unstable?
@essjay @FishkeeperLinz @Byron

I feel like I now have everything to do this successfully - but not having much success.

 

[matthew xia]

Here is a pic of the tank.
We have Betta Hammock, moss balls and almond leaves on order too.
And we’d like to add a piece of wood towards the back also.

 

[FishkeeperLinz]

Ok - I have just tested the water from the tap using the RO/DI unit and it is now showing:

Ammonia 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Gh - 0
Kh - 6˚
Ph - 6.4
Cl - 0.8 (I'll add aqua-safe still)

The Tank is showing results now of:
Ammonia - 3ppm
Kh - 20˚
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0
Ph - 7.6
Gh - 8˚
Cl - 0ppm


Should I do a water change and if so what % and do I mix the ro/tap / why are my ammonia and nitrate levels so unstable?
@essjay @FishkeeperLinz @Byron

I feel like I now have everything to do this successfully - but not having much success.

Everyone feels like that when they cycle their first tank, so you're not alone. . It will happen. 6 days would be really quick for a tank to cycle - typically it takes between 2 and 6 weeks.

I wouldn't recommend doing a water change yet - just let the filter do what it needs to do and do the water change at the end of the cycle.

 

[Byron]

On the nitrite question you raised a few posts back...I agree with seangee (post #38) but there is also another probable reason, and that is your use of SafeStart. This product contains the necessary nitrifying bacteria which means once ammonia is processed, the resulting nitrite will be taken up by the already-present second stage bacteria. So unless the ammonia is so great it overwhelms the system, you will not likely see nitrite.

 

[matthew xia]

Thanks - that's really helpful. I think when I first got the tank I added the bacteria (bio nitrivec) from the local pet shop. Then when the fish died shortly after I added safe start and also filter boost (maybe a little over-egged here?). So the low nitrites could be because of this. What should I expect in my cycle is there is no chance of nitrates happening?

 

[FishkeeperLinz]

Thanks - that's really helpful. I think when I first got the tank I added the bacteria (bio nitrivec) from the local pet shop. Then when the fish died shortly after I added safe start and also filter boost (maybe a little over-egged here?). So the low nitrites could be because of this. What should I expect in my cycle is there is no chance of nitrates happening?

There's a chance you'll see nitrite rise, but if you've been using SafeStart, then maybe not (my bad - I didn't realise you'd used that). Just watch ammonia. Once that's 0ppm, and if other water parameters are ok, you're good to go.

 

[matthew xia]

Just been to do another reading...

Ammonia - 3ppm (so it hasn't moved at all in the last 24 hours)
Kh - 20˚
Nitrate - 25ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Ph - 8
Gh - 16˚
Cl - 0ppm

Very confusing.

Why has the ammonia stalled? Why is the Ph / Gh / Kh changing?