would you say my tank is cycled?

[sealife]

Just a quick update on my cycling.
Everything still seemed stalled. Ammonia was always going to 0ppm in 12 or so hours, around 5ppm nitrites (not going colourless), and my nitrates were always between 5ppm to 10ppm. ( looked like nitrates were slowly dropping)

So I did another 60% water change. And tested after 15 minutes. This is what happened.

Ammonia: still obviously 0ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm ( but took longer to reach that level)
Nitrate: shot up to 40ppm

I then tested water after 12 hours since this result, and got this:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 4 to 5ppm
Nitrate: 20 to 30 ppm

I will add 1ppm ammonia every 2 to 3 days to make sure nitrites don't sky rocket again.
Would you say I'm still on track and everything is normal?

 

[jlk]

Yep! Good job with the wc! It brought things more into line and you definitely had a drop in nitrites after 12hrs. The nitrite>nitrate is by far the hardest to endure (you know your almost there!) and it typically takes 2-3x as long as the ammonia>nitrite phase because the bacteria multiply at a much slower rate. Hang in there and keep us posted!

 

[sealife]

Hi jlk,
Thank your for your help. Here is what has happened:

I tested water 24 hours after water change (still haven't added ammonia for 2 days) and this was my results:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

I couldn't believe it all went to 0ppm lol. I thought nitrates never leave unless I do water changes. I do have an overpowered filter with an insane amount of media in it.
So what I did after these results, is add 1.5ppm ammonia, and tested water 12 hours later, and got these results:

Ammonia: 0.5ppm
Nitrites: 0.5ppm
Nitrates 5.0ppm

I'll test again at the 24 hour mark.

 

[mrvincent]

Dude, impossible to have 0 ppm nitrates in your state. You added ammonia, so you should get nitrites then nitrates. Nitrates does'nt dissapear with filtration.

I suggest that your nitrates readings are bad. I probably know what's haoppening with your nitrates. They are high, but you read low.

Does your nitrates test have 2 or 3 bottles ? If you have two bottles, then on the instructions it should be written to shake bottle #2. If you have 3 bottles, then written to shake bottle #3.

You MUST shake it as if your life depend of it !!!!! There's something that crystalize in one of thoses bottles and become low soluble. YOU MUST SHAKE BOTTLE #2 or #3 AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPEND OF IT !!!!!

Before I knew that, I always had 0 ppm reading on nitrates. Now I see that's more than 0 ppm -.-

Filters does not remove nitrates from water column.

 

[sealife]

Dude, impossible to have 0 ppm nitrates in your state. You added ammonia, so you should get nitrites then nitrates. Nitrates does'nt dissapear with filtration.

I suggest that your nitrates readings are bad. I probably know what's haoppening with your nitrates. They are high, but you read low.

Does your nitrates test have 2 or 3 bottles ? If you have two bottles, then on the instructions it should be written to shake bottle #2. If you have 3 bottles, then written to shake bottle #3.

You MUST shake it as if your life depend of it !!!!! There's something that crystalize in one of thoses bottles and become low soluble. YOU MUST SHAKE BOTTLE #2 or #3 AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPEND OF IT !!!!!

Before I knew that, I always had 0 ppm reading on nitrates. Now I see that's more than 0 ppm -.-

Filters does not remove nitrates from water column.

Yeah I thought something was odd. But nitrates tested at with traces between 5ppm to 40 ppm the several times I tested. Without shaking.

I will test results again at the 24 hour mark from adding ammonia. And shake bottle around a lot.
If ammonia and nitrates are both 0ppm, then im guessing bacteria is working very well. Despite what reading im getting for nitrates.

Is tank cycled after 12 hour mark or 24 hour mark, after adding ammonia then getting 0ppm reading from Ammonia and Nitrites?

Thanks.

 

[mrvincent]

Your tank is cycled if your ammonia become nitrates. Anyway, if you're at 0 NH3+NH4, 0 NO2, you can add fish.

But I can't trust that if you add ammonia, you get no nitrates. Ammonia go into Nitrates.

Did you have did a 100% WC ? Is can make your nitrates at 0. Or maybe you have a VERY VERY heavy planted tank ? With 4WPG lights ?


Anyway your tank seems ready for fishs. What are your GH/KH/PH values ? It will help to determine which fishs you'll choose.

 

[sealife]

Thanks for the reply.
Not a planted tank. The tank im using is in my profile, in albums.

I thought a cycled tank would eat up ammonia and nitrites to 0ppm in either 12 hours or 24 hours...(while still having a number of nitrates showing)
I cant remember which one it was. If anyone could help.

 

[mrvincent]

Ammonia transforms to nitrites, then to nitrates. WC's are required to remove nitrates. Nitrates should build up if you keep adding ammonia. What kind of ammonia are you adding ?

If you read 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites, your tank is ready. If you get a real <15ppm nitrates, then you ready to add fishs.

What are your GH/KH/PH values ? It will help to determine which fishs you'll choose.

 

[sealife]

Im using pure clear ammonia. 25%NH3.

PH from tap is around 7.6 to 7.8
hardly any KH at all in tap water. I will raise KH buffer.

I will most likely have 1 female convict, and 1 bristlenose pleco. That's it. I love the under-stocked look and letting fish just happily swim around. It will also feel more personal as a pet.

 

[mrvincent]

My tap KH is 2dKH° (35 ppm, low, soft), 5dGH° (87ppm, , low, soft). PH 7.0

And yeah, cichlids will be happy at hard water and PH 7.8.


You're ready, just add the fishs, good build.

 

[molliwopp]

Im using pure clear ammonia. 25%NH3.

PH from tap is around 7.6 to 7.8
hardly any KH at all in tap water. I will raise KH buffer.

I will most likely have 1 female convict, and 1 bristlenose pleco. That's it. I love the under-stocked look and letting fish just happily swim around. It will also feel more personal as a pet.

Definitely. Understocked does have a quality to it, but i think after awhile its easy to make excuses to get other fish.

 

[sealife]

Definitely. Understocked does have a quality to it, but i think after awhile its easy to make excuses to get other fish.

lol
We've all been there...

 

[jlk]

Sea, your tank is doing fine! The main focus is to get zero ammonia and nitrite after 24hrs. If they zero sooner than 24hrs, this is fine too! If you see zeroes at the 24hr mark, increase the ammonia dose by .5. And,yes, shake and bang those nitrate bottles on a hard surface for a minute before testing.

 

[Caliban07]

If you are using the API master kit. You have to bang the bottles as already stated. I think it's more important on the second one.

You also have to shake the test tube for 30 secs after solution 1 goes in. Then add solution 2 and shake for another 1 min. I always set the tests aside for 15 mins or so to get a true reading. As you have been seeing nitrates then I'm sure there is no issue in your preparation. What could be happening although very unlikely is that you could have a faulty test kit. It has happened to people before.

You could also get a seachem ammonia alert which I have. This sits in the tank at all times and turns colour depending on your ammonia content. It will turn purple when you dose your ammonia then start to go yellow throughout the day. This will give you and indication as to when to test for nitrites/nitrates.

Also. I have read that it is impossible for nitribacter to convert nitrite to nitrate in the absence of phosphate. Its mention in that article I sent you back in the earlier posts under micronutrients section. It's called 'phosphate block' you get this in Tap water so maybe a small water change is now in order in case the bacteria has used all the phosphate if the water has been standing for a while. You can also add a solution to increase phosphates.

 

[sealife]

Ok guys I got results after 24 hours of adding 1.5ppm ammonia, as follows:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0pmm
Nitrate: 40ppm

I banged to the bottles and shook everything a lot.

Am I cycled? Time for 90% water change and add fish?

 

[Caliban07]

25% water change then add fish. 40ppm nitrates should be maximum.

 

[jlk]

Ok guys I got results after 24 hours of adding 1.5ppm ammonia, as follows:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0pmm
Nitrate: 40ppm

I banged to the bottles and shook everything a lot.

Am I cycled? Time for 90% water change and add fish?

Your technically cycled but only to a very small amount of ammonia. My suggestion is to increase the ammonia dose to 2ppm today. If you see zeroes tomorrow, increase it by another .5. Continue to do this (increase the amm dose) until your tank easily processes 4ppm steadily for 2-3 days in a row. Then its safe to say your cycled and you will be able to fully stock your tank at once.

 

[sealife]

Hi jlk,
Thanks for the response and all your help. I understand what your saying.
I will do what u said, then do the 90% water change.

I might however just add 2.5ppm ammonia tonight, instead of 2ppm. I think my tank will still cycle it.

I'll post results after 24 hours.

Thanks again.

 

[mrvincent]

And,yes, shake and bang those nitrate bottles on a hard surface for a minute before testing.

Bottle #2 if 2 bottles, bottle #3 if 3 bottles.