Yes Cycling Again

[Miss Wiggle]

it's a common mistake to think of cycling as a linear process, bacteria have growth patterns which are not always as we'd expect, they'll have a little burst then slack off a few days. just sometimes throws us a little curve ball of a funny reading.

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

it's a common mistake to think of cycling as a linear process, bacteria have growth patterns which are not always as we'd expect, they'll have a little burst then slack off a few days. just sometimes throws us a little curve ball of a funny reading.

well the slackers seem to have finished their coffee break and got back to work

it didnt help i saw two 11inch red oscars at local aquatics on saturday

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

ok last 24 hrs

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0.25ppm


i seem to recall a few people getting kinda stuck at this stage with the nitrates refusing to go completely inside 24hrs, its frustratnig but nowhere near as much as it will be when i'm up to full ammonia dose and the 12 hr test for nitrite and it does this which i assume it will.

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Yahooo!!

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0

just upped the ammonia to around 3ppm as nitrite is going to 0 in 24hrs now on 2ppm of ammonia

houston we have progress

 

[minxfishy]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaay, now just slowly up from 3ppm dosing to 5ppm dosing over the next couple of days, to make sure you are completely ready for those fishes. Hows those nitrAtes? Off the scale yet

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaay, now just slowly up from 3ppm dosing to 5ppm dosing over the next couple of days, to make sure you are completely ready for those fishes. Hows those nitrAtes? Off the scale yet

yep off the scale the colour has not changed over a few days how long roughly would you reckon it will take from now until i can stock?

 

[minxfishy]

Soon as you are adding 5ppm of ammonia and its processing both ammonia and nitrite in 12 hours for a few days to make sure its stable, then you should be ready to stock. Dont forget to do the large 90+% water change at the end to remove all the nitrAtes

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

well the ammonia is back up to my starting level of 4ppm and ammonia is processing inside 12 hrs still and nitrite is processing inside 24hrs so now its waiting game for it to do both in 12 hrs but it cant be too long now

 

[minxfishy]

It will suddenley do it, not long now

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

nearly there thank god just want to get some fish in there, but atleast i know it has been done properly and will provide yrs of happy fish

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

ok my nitrites are being processed inside 20hrs however my next ammonia dose is not until 1900hrs tonight which poses a problem because i am at work 1800-0000 tonight.

should i leave the dose until i get home? if i do it slightly early it means i cant test it until i wake up tomorrow morning around 9am 2 hrs later than the 12 hr mark which is pointless as the 12 hrs is what i am testin for.

 

[minxfishy]

I would add it just before you go out and if you dont test until 14 hours or so, thats fine, if it has processed inthat time, you can check for sure at the next time check. It doesnt have to that precise

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

ok cool, i'll do that

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

just checked the nitrite and its down to 2ppm in just over 7hrs since i added 4ppm of ammonia. so going from that its looking on target for 12 hrs or just slightly over.

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Great News my tank cycled and has been holding the cycle so stocking time.