55G fishless day 26 NO3 drop?

[silverfin]

Day 25= Ammo 0, no2 >5.0, no3 >100, PH 7.5 Added plant food. Dosed ammo to 4.0.

Day 26, 24 hrs later= Ammo 0, no2 >5.0, no3 5, PH 7.2 (tested no3 twice)

What's going on? Could it be the plant food that brought down nitrates?
Maybe time for a PWC?

 

[silverfin]

Ok, did a 50% pwc. Ph back to 7.6.
Ammo .25, dosed back to 4.0. No3 rising.
Will appreciate some feedback.

 

[threnjen]

I hate to say user error when you ran it twice, but honestly that is really the only possible way your NO3 would show 100 and then 5 without a WC in between,
What was your most recent reading?

Are you sure you're doing the test EXACTLY right? It can be awfully touchy, and is so easy to accidentally do incorrectly

 

[silverfin]

Thank you Threnjen, Yes, followed the procedures precisely. Most recent is 20 no3. Something is definitely going on in the tank, dosed to 4.0 ammo last night. After 8 hrs, ammo at .25, no2 >5.0, no3 20, ph 7.2.
I think at this point I'll demonstrate some patience and let the tank do what it's going to do.

 

[threnjen]

Hm I am really at a loss then. I'd be more inclined to think the first test you ran was incorrect then and the recent ones are correct.
It sounds like your cycle is going exactly right though!!

 

[silverfin]

Thanks. Found your thread from Dec I think on "dosing too much ammo". I may follow your advice to cut back on the ammo dose frequency.

 

[silverfin]

Wow, 12 hrs after last 4.0 ammo dose = ammo 0, no2 5.0 +, no3 160 +, pH 6.8.
Must have been knocking the no3 #2 solution on the counter that did it.

 

[silverfin]

Really frustrated here! How can nitrates go from >160 to 5 in less than 12 hrs?? Since last post at 10:22 last night tested at 8:00 AM,
Ammo 0, no2 <5.0, no3 5, ph 7.0.
I all but broke the #2 solution bottle shaking and banging on the counter. Performed the test 3 times. I'm taking water to LFS (Petdumb) and see what they get for reading.

 

[Abrams96]

Id be more concerned with your PH then the nitrates. It shouldnt be fluctuating like that. Id be buying a new test kit.

 

[silverfin]

Bought a new test kit. No change. All readings the same.
Petdumb tested my water with "strips" and confirmed that my nitrites are "high" and nitrates are "ok".
Geez!

 

[Abrams96]

What are you using for water? Have you tested it before putting it in the tank? What is your substrate? Is it planted? Are you using pure ammonia? Sorry.. Im just confused by this and I know how frustrating it can be. Im going through a brutal diatom outbreak that's got me feeling the same way.

 

[threnjen]

OK humor me. I am genuinely not trying to talk down to you just confirming you are doing these exact steps:

10 drops of bottle #1 in vial
Cap and shake up vial
Shake bottle #2 for at least 30 sec. 1 minute is even better
10 drops of bottle #2 in vial
Cap and shake vial vigorously for 1 minute

It sounds like this is what you're doing since you talked about banging bottle #2 on the counter, right?

Do a 50% water change and run it again.... ??

 

[silverfin]

OK humor me. I am genuinely not trying to talk down to you just confirming you are doing these exact steps:

10 drops of bottle #1 in vial
Cap and shake up vial
Shake bottle #2 for at least 30 sec. 1 minute is even better
10 drops of bottle #2 in vial
Cap and shake vial vigorously for 1 minute

It sounds like this is what you're doing since you talked about banging bottle #2 on the counter, right?

Do a 50% water change and run it again.... ??

No problem on the quiz. Yes, doing this exact procedure.
Also, using city tap water which tests clear across the board.
Interesting, I added some ground fish food last night and the nitrAtes have come up this morning to >80?

Ammo 0, nitrItes <5, pH 7.2.

 

[silverfin]

3 hrs later... nitrates >100! I think I'm on the fishless cycle roller coaster.

 

[Abrams96]

I would try to dose it to only 1 or 2 ppm ammonia, then do your nitrate tests. Maybe the high level of ammonia you are dosing at is throwing the nitrate test off. Worth a shot just to see if you get a more consistent reading.

 

[silverfin]

That's my plan... haven't dosed in two days, will add 2.0 ammo today.

 

[threnjen]

I am sooo perplexed! I hate not being able to help

 

[jwh0818]

Just curious, are you using any kind of bottled bacteria?

 

[silverfin]

No bottled stuff, been using pure ammonia from the start. Had seeding water from an established tank. The only additions of any kind has been one dose of liquid plant food.

 

[silverfin]

Day 30...Big breakthrough! NitrItes = <.25!
NitrAtes >160, ammo 0, pH 7.0. Haven't dosed ammo in 3 days, will add 2.0 this morning & see what happens.
Had fish over 20 years ago, but was never really in "control" of their environment.
This is such a good feeling!
Thanks to all who commented.