Day 33, 34 & 35: Fishless Cycle on 16G/60L
12 test 16/11/08
Temp 29.5C
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40+
(somewhere around there anyway!!)
dKH not tested
24 test 16/11/08
Temp 29.5C
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.00
Nitrate 40+
dKH not tested
12 test 17/11/08
Temp 29.5C
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 1.00 or 5.00
(this one really depended on the light source!!! Confused the hell out of me!! I would like to think it was 1!!)
Nitrate 40+
(somewhere around there anyway!!)
dKH not tested
24 test 17/11/08
Temp 29.5C
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.00
Nitrate 80+
dKH not tested
Tested 1 1/2 hours after got 2 or 4ppm ammonia (again the light does not help!!) and def 5ppm Nitrite
12 test 18/11/08
Temp 29.5C
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite AGAIN 1.00 or 5.00
(this one really depended on the light source!!! again hopefully it was 1 but then maybe not!!)
Nitrate 40-160
(I would say closer to 40 but again that BLOODY light!!)
dKH not tested
24 test 17/11/08
Temp 29.5C
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.00
Nitrate 40-160
(I would say closer to 40 but again that BLOODY light!!)
dKH not tested
Right I think I am not quite cycled and the two week holiday is make or break now!! I can now see that my Ammonia and Nitrites are def being sorted in 24 hours and this is probably less as I have tested the tank at around 12-13:00 hrs on a couple of occasions and the results show 0.00 for both! So I am looking at a turnaround of 16-18 hours I would say!
Well my plan of action is the following! Hope you guys approve!
Do a 90% water change Thursday, add some baking soda and set my uncle off with that! I think by doing this as the Nitrates are high it will stop a stall while I am away, I will also hopefully stop a PH crash too. Plus this hopefully means that I will come back to a cycled tank that just requires a 90% change on the Sunday and i am back into checking if the tank is DEFINATELY cycled!!
Yes I have sorted my uncle out, The bottle and spoon are ready for him!
what do you guys think of my plan?