36G startup - Fishless Cycling

[j2112j]

April 18
Ammonia 2.0
nitrIte 5+
nitrAte 20 to 30
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Saturday April 23
Ammonia 0 - WooHoo
nitrIte 5+
nitrAte 80 to maybe 120
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So ammonia finally dropped, nitrItes continue to test 5+ and nitrAtes continue rising.

I added 6ml ammonia today = 2.0 ppm
I'll see how long that takes to drop.

Have some snails (from java moss).
Ugly algae? is covering alot of gravel, dw, slate and plants. Seems to be a greyish fuzz, or little flecks (dusty). None of it appears on the glass though.
My only question is, should I do any pwc's if nitrItes continue to test off the chart over the next week ?
How about after nitrAtes go off the chart ?

Will update again during cycle.

 

[eco23]

Hey j2, check out the link in my signature to get you a couple answers.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

My only question is, should I do any pwc's if nitrItes continue to test off the chart over the next week ?
How about after nitrAtes go off the chart ?

Will update again during cycle.

Yes, if either the ammo or no2 climb too high it can stall your cycle IME. Try a 25-30% PWC, give it a couple hours and see where they fall is my suggestion.

 

[j2112j]

Ok, i'll do up to a 50% pwc when the ammo drops this time as the others will be unreadable by then. Thanks

 

[mommytron]

Yes, if either the ammo or no2 climb too high it can stall your cycle IME. Try a 25-30% PWC, give it a couple hours and see where they fall is my suggestion.

i would actually not worry about nitrite so much, but rather do a PWC if nitrAte gets too high. in all of my cycles, nitrite has gone off the charts and i've left it. on the other hand, when nitrAte went off the charts and i neglected to notice, it stalled out my cycle. so if nitrAte gets above 40ppm i would do a PWC then as well.

 

[allaboutfish]

cycling looks stressful! im about to cycle a 29 gallon but good luck hope your close to done

 

[j2112j]

cycling looks stressful! im about to cycle a 29 gallon but good luck hope your close to done

I think it is now well on it's way now. I'm more impatient than stressed.

Ammonia dropped from 2.0 to 0.25 in approx 20 hours. I just added 9ml ammonia to bring it to around 3.0.
I expect it to be down near 0 in 24 hours. "knock on 'drift'wood"

In the meantime, I noticed a white worm in the tank a few days ago. This morning I saw maybe 8 or so swimming around. It was then that I added the ammonia and it seemed to kill a few of them. I was hoping it'd do that as they look like parasites, gross !

After some research they appear to be 'planaria' and seem to have showed up due to uneaten food building up in the substrate.
**I only added a tiny bit of food over a few consecutive days mid April**

Lastly, the snails (not sure what type) are doing a great job of eating the algae?, diatoms? off of my plastic anacharis plants.

 

[j2112j]

April 25
Ammonia dropped from 3.0 to 0.25 in 24 hours.
Did a 30% pwc, also to help remove diatoms.
Brought Ammonia back up to approx 4.0 ppm.
Ph 7.4 (steady for 1 week, before that it was a constant 8.0)
NitrIte 5+
NitrAte 160+

The nitrAtes have been rising steadily and are now off the chart.
The nitrIte has been 5+ for a long time but must be coming down as the nitrAtes have been rising.

Two snails are now larger than 1/2 inch, no idea what type they are.

Pwc with vacum has rid the tank of the disgusting white worms (Planaria?)

Java moss is growing, which is good considering tank height is 21" with only a single 17 watt T8 bulb.
Will add hornwort, anacharis and anubias (nana, coffee) this week.

Will test ammonia in 24 hours and do another pwc to try to get nitrItes into readable range.
Going to ask about stocking soon

 

[mommytron]

uh oh, i would do a huge PWC before those nitrates stall out your cycle.

 

[j2112j]

uh oh, i would do a huge PWC before those nitrates stall out your cycle.

Yep, tommorrow morning before boosting ammonia.

Got my hornwort today because it is supposed to rain all week after today. (I walk to my lfs)

One more pic of snail... Still don't know what it is.

Hornwort pics.

If anyone can answer any questions about hornwort...
1. These are long stems with little nodes running up about 1 inch apart.
Should I cut the stem at the base below the first node that has leaf growth ?
2. Also, would cutting a stem at the top most node of new growth, maybe 12 inches from the base result in both continuing to grow ?
3. I'm using polyester sewing thread looped around the plant and tied to airline tubing to keep them from sinking/rolling around the tank. Is there a better way to keep them at the surface, along the saides and front of the glass ?

Thanks

 

[allaboutfish]

that snail looks like a malasiann trumpet snail

 

[j2112j]

that snail looks like a malasiann trumpet snail

That would be nice. The colouring of the snails I have tends to be black and brown, anf the 'foot' is quite long and stretchy, longer than it's shell whn it's moving. They are not multiplying (only have 5 or so) so it's all good for now.

Water parameters today...
Ammonia was down to about .5, from 4.0 in 24 hours.
Did a 50% pwc and added ammonia to approx 4 ppm.
nitrItes - still 5+
Actually, the colour doesn't really seem to match anything on the chart.
I'm getting a bright neon like purple/pink. They are dropping or I would nt be seeing a rise in nitrAtes right ?
nitrAtes - between 40 and 100, hard to say.

Maybe I'll do another 50% pwc this evening.

And it turns out I still see the occassional planaria, when I add the ammonia they start showing themselves, but only 2 or 3 today.

 

[j2112j]

April 27
Ammonia dropped from 4 to 0.25 (24 hours)
30 % pwc...
Boost ammonia bck to 4.0
nitrIte 5+
nitrAte 40

Used a turkey baster to suck up some of those white worms, ewww

 

[librarygirl]

How's it going, is your cycle done yet? I just started my fishless cycle last Sunday so I have a ways to go and am already impatient lol

 

[allaboutfish]

i just started mine in my 5 gallon

 

[j2112j]

How's it going, is your cycle done yet? I just started my fishless cycle last Sunday so I have a ways to go and am already impatient lol

Hmmm, so my last post was April 27, now May 6th ...

I did a few small water changes since then and the nitrItes were still too high to read, so I did a 75% last weekend and finally I could read them.

I had expected to be done by now but it doesn't look like it. Ammo has slowed down since the big water change and nitrItes\nitrAtes aren't doing much of anything.

I'm going to give it till May 16th, that will be a 2 month fishless cycle. If it isn't ready by then I'm cleaning everything and getting some danio's.

It's impossible to tell what may be delaying things but I think I know enough now to handle a fish-in cycle.

I'm also going to be picking up a 10 gallon so I'll try fishless again, in that.

My API kit is almost out of ammo test lol.

 

[firteen888]

Hmmm, so my last post was April 27, now May 6th ...

I did a few small water changes since then and the nitrItes were still too high to read, so I did a 75% last weekend and finally I could read them.

I had expected to be done by now but it doesn't look like it. Ammo has slowed down since the big water change and nitrItes\nitrAtes aren't doing much of anything.

I'm going to give it till May 16th, that will be a 2 month fishless cycle. If it isn't ready by then I'm cleaning everything and getting some danio's.

It's impossible to tell what may be delaying things but I think I know enough now to handle a fish-in cycle.

I'm also going to be picking up a 10 gallon so I'll try fishless again, in that.

My API kit is almost out of ammo test lol.

Geez, this is really discouraging.

 

[librarygirl]

Sorry you're having a hard time. I started my tank with 4 Glofish ( modified danios) b/c petsmart didn't tell me about cycling. For a month I went through heck, testing water 1-2x daily, pwc 1-2x daily, worrying about the fish all the time. After a month I still had zero nitrate or nitrite readings. Sadly after a month they all died within 24 hours and that was after a large pwc and ammo at 0. I still have no idea what happened. I'm now going fish less. Try to stay with it if you can; fish in cycling takes a lot longer and is a lot more work and stress.

 

[j2112j]

Cycle Summary
Date Ammonia nitrIte nitrAte Action
----------------------------------------------------------------------
March 16 - 4.0 - 0.0 - 0.0
March 21 - 3.5 - 0.0 - 0.0
March 24 - 2.5 - 0.0 - 0.0
March 26 - 2.4 - 0.0 - 0.0
March 31 - 2.0 - 0.0 - 0.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
April 01 to 06 Ammo Stuck (Add fish food to kickstart ?)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE NH3 NO2 NO3 ACTION
----------------------------------------------------------------------
April 07 - 2.0 - 0.0 - 0.0 - Fish Food, Dose Ammo 4
April 08 - 4.0 - 0.0 - 0.0 - Fish Food
April 09 - 4.0 - 0.25 - 0.0 - Fish Food
April 10 - 4.0 - 0.25 - 0.0
April 11 - 4.0 - 1.0 - 0.0 - Nutrafin Cycle 75ml
April 12 - 4.0 - 1.0 - 0.0 - PWC 10%, Cycle 25ml
April 13 - 4.0 - 4.0 - 10-20 - PWC 50%
April 14 - 2.0 - 0.50 - 5
April 15 - 2.2 - 0.50 - 5
April 16 - 2.0 - 5.0+ - 10-20
April 17 - 2.0 - 5.0+ - 20-40 PWC 25%, Cycle last
April 18 - 2.0 - 5.0+ - 20-40
April 19 - 1.0 - 5.0+ - 40-80
April 20 - 1.0 - 5.0+ - 40-80
April 21 - 0.5 - 5.0+ - 60+ Dose Ammo 4
April 22 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 60+ PWC 10%, Dose Ammo 4
April 23 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 80+ Dose Ammo 4
April 24 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 100+ Dose Ammo 4
April 25 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 160+ PWC 50%, Dose Ammo 4
April 26 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 40-80 PWC 50%, Dose Ammo 4
April 27 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 40 PWC 25%, Dose Ammo 4
April 28 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 40+
----------------------------------------------------------------------
April 30 Frustrated with nitrItes not dropping to read range
----------------------------------------------------------------------
May 01 75% PWC for nitrIte test range, Dose Ammo 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE NH3 NO2 NO3 ACTION
May 02 - 4.00 - 2.0 - 10
May 03 - 2.00 - 3.0 - 20
May 04 - 0.25 - 3.0 - 20 - Dose Ammo 2
May 05 - 2.00 - 4.0+ - 40
May 06 - 0.25 - 4.0+ - 40 - Dose Ammo 2
May 07 - 2.00 - 4.0+ - 40
May 08 - 0.25 - 5.0+ - 40 - Dose Ammo 2
May 09 - 2.00 - 5.0+ - 40-80
May 10 - 0.50 - 5.0+ - 80-100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The big water change brought nitrItes into readable range but seemed to
slow the cycle. Ammo is taking 48 hours to drop (2.0ppm to 0.25ppm) and
still those nitrItes keep rising to unreadable range

 

[j2112j]

May 13
------------------------------------------------------
Ammo 0.25
NitrIte 5.0+ (takes 1:30 for test tube to hit max colour)
nitrAte 100+
------------------------------------------------------
I've only been dosing ammo to 2.0ppm since May 3rd, trying to keep it lower so nitrIte doesn't go so high, but it hasn't changed results.

Last significant PWC was May 1st. Since then I've just topped off a few times.

Took 24 hours to drop 2.0ppm ammo to 0.25.
Took 7 days for nitrIte to go from 2.0ppm to 5.0+.
Took 10 days for nitrAte to go from 10ppm to 100+.
-------------------------------------------------------
Plan on doing a 50% PWC Saturday morning, and dosing ammo to 2ppm.

My lfs got my rasboras in yesterday, no panda cories or barbs though. They may be in by tuesday, but lfs will hold them for 2 weeks.