//stuarts New Tank Cycle

[//stuart]

Newbie to the hobby, and I've just got a 95L tank, 150W heater and Fluval U2 internal filter. All setup and working nicely.

I'm a few days into the fishless cycle, so using this to record my readings. Using the API master kit for my readings, dosed the tank with 5ml of Ammonia. Basically just following the instructions from this forum.

I've raised the tank temperature, but not exactly sure what it is as I'm waiting for a new thermometer to arrive!

Day  Date   PH    PH(high)  Ammonia  Nitrate   Nitrite
1    19Feb  ---   7.5       5ppm     0ppm      0ppm
2    20Feb  No readings
3    21Feb  ---   ---       5ppm     ---       ---
4    22Feb  No readings
5    23Feb  7.6   8.0       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm  **ADDED FILTER MEDIA**
6    24Feb  7.6   7.8       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm
7    25Feb  ---   ---       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm
8    26Feb  ---   8.0       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm
9    27Feb  WATER CHANGE    4ppm     5ppm      0ppm  **DID 80% WATER CHANGE & REDOSED 4ML AMMONIA**
10   28Feb  ---   ---       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm
11    1Mar  7.6   ---       4ppm     0ppm      0ppm
12    2Mar  ---   8.0       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm
13    3Mar  ---   ---       4ppm     ----      0ppm
14    4Mar  ---   ---       3ppm     10ppm     0ppm
15    5Mar  7.6   7.4       3ppm     15ppm     0ppm
16    6Mar  ---   ---       3ppm     40ppm     0ppm
17    7Mar  ---   ---       3ppm     40ppm     0ppm
18    8Mar  ---   ---       2ppm     40ppm     0ppm
19    9Mar  7.6   7.4       2ppm     40ppm     0.25ppm
20   10Mar  ---   ---       2ppm     40ppm     0.50ppm
21   11Mar  ---   ---       1ppm     40ppm     5.00ppm   Massive jump in Nitrite in 24hrs  :good: 
22   12Mar  ---   ---       0.25ppm  ----      >5.00ppm   Nitrite off chart,added 3ml of ammonia
23   13Mar  7.2   ---       0.50ppm  >80ppm    >5.00ppm   Nitrite off chart,added 2ml of ammonia
24   14Mar  7.6   ---       0.25ppm     ----   >5.00ppm   Nitrite off chart
25   15Mar  7.6   ---       0.00ppm     ----   >5.00ppm   First Ammonia ZERO - Nitrite off chart, add 3ml ammonia(9pm)
26   16Mar  ---   ---       0.00ppm     ----   >5.00ppm   Nitrite off chart, added 3.5ml of ammonia
27   17Mar  ---   ---       0.00ppm     ----   >5.00ppm   Nitrite off chart, added 3.5ml of ammonia
28   18Mar  7.2   ---       0.00ppm     ----   >5.00ppm   Nitrite off chart, added 3.5ml of ammonia
29   19Mar  7.2   ---       0.50ppm     ----   0.50ppm    Nitrite+Ammonia @ 0.5ppm, no ammonia added
30   20Mar  7.2   7.4       0.00ppm   180ppm   0.00ppm    Nitrite+Ammonia @ 0.0ppm, added 2.75ml ammonia (1045)
30   20Mar  ---   ---       0.25ppm   ------   5.00ppm    Ammona dropping quickly, Nitrite slowly (1830) 50% Sand+Water change, 2.75ml Ammonia added.
30   20Mar  ---   ---       2.00ppm   ------   1.00ppm    Nitrite lower after water change (2100)
31   21Mar  7.2   ---       0.00ppm    80ppm   0.25ppm    3ml ammonia added & 3tsp baking soda (20.30)
32   20Mar  >7.6  8.2       0.00ppm    80ppm   0.50ppm    Added 3ml ammonia (20.00)
33   23Mar  ---   7.8       0.00ppm    -----   >5.0ppm    3ml ammonia added (20:00)
34   24Mar  ---   ---       0.00ppm    -----   >5.0ppm    3ml ammonia added @ 20.00
35   25Mar  7.6   8.0       0.00ppm    -----   5.0ppm     9.00am
35   25Mar  ---   ---       -------    -----   0.0ppm     20.00, 3.5ml ammonia added  
36   26Mar  ---   ---       ----         ---   3.0ppm     09:00
36   26Mar  ---   ---       ----         ---      ---     3.5ml Ammonia added @ 22:00
37   27Mar  ---   ---       0.25         ---   5.0ppm     10:00
37   27Mar  ---   8.0       0.0          >80   0.0ppm     20:30, 4ml ammonia added
38   28Mar  ---   ---       ---          ---   5.0ppm     10:00
39   29Mar  ---   8.0       0.0          ---   0.0ppm     22:00, 4ml ammonia added
40   30Mar  ---   ---       0.0          ---   1.0ppm     10:00
40   30Mar  ---   ---       0.0          >80   0.0ppm     21:30, 4ml ammonia added
41   31Mar  ---   ---       0.0          ---   0.25ppm    18:00 (extra reading to see if zero nitrite @ 21hrs )
42   01Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       ---       No tests done, just 4ml ammonia added @20:30
43   02Apr  ---   8.0       0        ---       0.5       0930am
43   02Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       0.0       20:30, double zeros added 4ml ammonia
44   03Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       ---       No tests done, just 4ml ammonia added @20:10
45   04Apr  7.6   7.4       0        ---       0.25      17:30
46   05Apr  ---   ---       0        ---       0.25       21:00 + 4ml ammonia
47   06Apr  ---   ---       0        >80       0.0        17:30 (4ml ammonia @ 21:00)
48   07Apr  ---   ---       ----     ---       >5.0ppm    07:30
48   07Apr  ---   ---       ----     ---       ---        21:00 - 4ml ammonia added
49   08Apr  7.6   7.4       ----     ---       0          20:00 - 4ml ammonia added
50   09Apr  ---   ---       0        ---       2.0ppm     08:30
50   09Apr  ---   ---       0        ---       0.0        16:30
51   10Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       2.0ppm     08:45
51   10Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       0.0ppm     13:00
52   11Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       2.0ppm     07:45
52   11Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       0.0ppm     11:50
52   11Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       ---        19:30 +4ml ammonia added
53   12Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       0.5ppm     07:30
53   12Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       ---        20:30 100% water change +4ml ammonia
54   13Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       1.0ppm     09:00
54   13Apr  7.6   7.4       ---      10ppm     0.0ppm     19:00 +4ml ammonia
55   14Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       5.0ppm     07:30
55   14Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       0.0ppm     18:00 + 4ml ammonia@19:30
56   15Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       2.0ppm     07:30
56   15Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       2.0ppm     09:00 (2nd check @ 9am) + 4ml ammonia @ 20:30
57   16Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       2.0ppm     08:20
57   16Apr  ---   ---       ---      ---       0.0ppm     14:20 + 4ml ammonia@21:00
58   17Apr  6.0   <7.4      2.0ppm   20ppm     0.5ppm     09:30
58   17Apr  6.0   <7.4      2.0ppm   20ppm     0.5ppm     10:15 3tsp sodium bicarb
58   17Apr  7.6   8.0       ---      ---       ---        12:05
58   17Apr  7.6   8.0       ---      ---       ---        22:00 + 4ml ammonia
59   18Apr  7.6   8.0       0.0      ---       0.0        07:50 (double zeros at 10hrs!)
59   18Apr  7.6   8.0       0.0      ---       0.0        19:15 + 4ml ammonia

Google Graph Showing Readings

I'm based in the West Midlands (UK) but wondered if my PH readings look okay? Seem low to me.

 

[Joshwainwright]

You're pH is fine at around 7.5-8

Good look with your cycle and I look forward to your results.

 

[Toolenaar]

Got any plans for fish/plants yet?

 

[Warehouse]

Looks like the ammonia is being crunched into nitrite already. Excellent stuff.

 

[//stuart]

Only just started looking at fish, probably not go with real plants at the moment just to keep things simpler.

Probably start off with a few Danio's - is this a good idea? If so any recommendations on number to keep and other fish to compliment them?


Forgot to mention - just added some filter media from a friends tank - nice large chunk of sponge from his filter which I've squeezed into the U2's middle media filter basket.

 

[//stuart]

How's my results looking folks - its been over a week now and I think I've got impatient!!

Nothing in the readings is dropping/rising - any ideas?

 

[Skins]

How's my results looking folks - its been over a week now and I think I've got impatient!!

Nothing in the readings is dropping/rising - any ideas?

Have you got your thermometer yet? and is your tank temp at 29c?

Keith.

 

[//stuart]

How's my results looking folks - its been over a week now and I think I've got impatient!!

Nothing in the readings is dropping/rising - any ideas?

Have you got your thermometer yet? and is your tank temp at 29c?

Keith.

Yes, originally it was up at 31c when I first put the thermo in, its now around 28.5c. I keep upping the setting on the heater as its completely inaccurate (think its set on about 26c) at the moment.

Would the initial high temp caused any problems?

Hopefully I'm just being impatient, but I'd hoped that by adding existing filter media would have kicked the tank into life. I had a large filter sponge from a working tank (about 3+yrs old) I cut this up into piece small enough to put into my U2 filter (next to biomedia cubes) and also removed the 2 carbon pads from the U2 filters.

Is this the right thing to do?

 

[Toolenaar]

Wow that graph is cool, what do you use to build that ?

 

[Skins]

How's my results looking folks - its been over a week now and I think I've got impatient!!

Nothing in the readings is dropping/rising - any ideas?

Have you got your thermometer yet? and is your tank temp at 29c?

Keith.

Yes, originally it was up at 31c when I first put the thermo in, its now around 28.5c. I keep upping the setting on the heater as its completely inaccurate (think its set on about 26c) at the moment.

Would the initial high temp caused any problems?

Hopefully I'm just being impatient, but I'd hoped that by adding existing filter media would have kicked the tank into life. I had a large filter sponge from a working tank (about 3+yrs old) I cut this up into piece small enough to put into my U2 filter (next to biomedia cubes) and also removed the 2 carbon pads from the U2 filters.

Is this the right thing to do?

for taking out the carbon and replacing with some mature media. Now that your temp is stable at 28.5c, fingers crossed you start to see some progress.

Keep us all posted, Keith.

 

[//stuart]

Wow that graph is cool, what do you use to build that ?

Google charts --- http/code.google.com/apis/chart/docs/chart_wizard.html

Not the easiest thing to get working though!

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

I'm based in the West Midlands (UK) but wondered if my PH readings look okay? Seem low to me.
[/quote]

Ph 7.6 is what the water settles at. It takes about 36hrs after coming out of the tap.
It is about ph 8.4 out of the tap.
...............assuming your water is the same as mine in the West Midlands as it should be.

 

[//stuart]

Any ideas folks?

I'm on day 11 of my first cycle, and nothing is happening!

Just to re-cap, I've a 95Litre tank, Fluval U2 filter (with carbon pads removed), 150W heater measured at 29.5c temperature.

I added mature media at day 5 straight into the U2 filters.


11 days have passed without anything happening, at day 9 I did a 80% water change, which appeared to introduce some Nitrate (assume from tap water) which was gone 2 days later.

Ammonia constant at 4ppm.


Is this normal ?!?

 

[//stuart]

No replies/ideas folks ?

Todays readings, Nitrate back again, but still no drop in Ammonia !
Help!!

Day  Date   PH    PH(high)  Ammonia  Nitrate   Nitrite
12    2Mar  ---   8.0       4ppm     5ppm      0ppm

 

[Aqua Tom]

Yes that is normal. I can take anything from a few days to a few weeks for the 1st phase of the cycle to complete. Be patient it will happen.


Tom