water testing during cycle.

[ducati2242]

Im midway through cycling my new 50 gallon tank . my results so far are .
2 june amm 2
ni 0
na 0
4 june amm 4
ni .25
na 0
5 june amm 3
ni 1
na 4
6 june amm 3
ni 2
na 15
8 june amm 1
ni 5
na 80

seems like nitrates have shot up is this normal. Im keeping the tank at about 26c and im using special blend.

 

[Krypt]

The nitrates rising is normal, but 80 is a bit high. Usually at the end of your cycle you should be seeing 0 amm, 0 NO2, and around 20-40 NO3. The special blend is probably messing up your cycle rather then helping it. I'd stop using the special blend and just let the cycle finish naturally, then do a 50% PWC to get the NO3 levels down.

 

[melosu58]

During your cycle all you have to test for is ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Your other numbers will be messed up because of the high ammonia in your tank. After your cycle is done and you do that PWC that Kyrpt was talking about then you can worry about the other tests.

 

[ducati2242]

Im midway through cycling my new 50 gallon tank . my results so far are .
2 june amm 2
ni 0
na 0
4 june amm 4
ni .25
na 0
5 june amm 3
ni 1
na 4
6 june amm 3
ni 2
na 15
8 june amm 1
ni 5
na 80

seems like nitrates have shot up is this normal. Im keeping the tank at about 26c and im using special blend.

9 june
ammonia .1 just a light trace of colour change.
nitrites 1+
nitrates 40+ could have been this on the 8th june hard to tell.

ammonia and nitrites definitely getting better. Do you think I should be looking at a 50% water change by the week end .

 

[cmor1701d]

When Ammonia is ZERO and NitrItes have peaked and dropped to ZERO and NitrAtes have peaked and are dropping you are ready for your large water change.

Is it possbile you will be there by the weekend? Yes. But that's not a definitive yes. The cycle takes as long as the cycle takes. Every tank is different. It depends on the surface area available for the colonizing bacteria, the amount of ammonia introduced, how it was introduced, etc.