Beginning to cycle..questions

[brybell]

That's good don't need to do anything tonight

Cool. So i tested ammonia and nitrite again.

ammonia is down to about 2-3ppm. Hard to discern the colors.

nitrite has definitely increased. its full on pinkish/ purple. probably about 2 ppm...more pink so thats why i think its 2ppm.

Last night I bought a lava rock with some anubias nana tied onto it. was in a tank so I swished it around mine when I got home hoping some good bacteria was still on it.

should I dose a little more ammonia?

then I just wait til nitrite spikes and do a pwc? then wait for nitrates?

 

[Hbbambislayer]

I'm thinking your 24 hour test is later tonight test it then. After your get your ammo reading get it back up to 4ppm right now you'll be doing that every day until you hit the nitrite spike/wall where is not doing anything then we can discuss water changing

 

[brybell]

I'm thinking your 24 hour test is later tonight test it then. After your get your ammo reading get it back up to 4ppm right now you'll be doing that every day until you hit the nitrite spike/wall where is not doing anything then we can discuss water changing

ok tested at 24hr mark.

So ammo looks to be about 2ppm.

ph at 8

nitrite is super purple. hard for me to tell but def between the 2-5ppm colors.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Hopefully you dosed your ammo back up to 4ppm. That's good nitrites are up means your BB for the ammo is establishing nicely. Keep checking ammo every 24 and dose it back up to 4ppm let's get it down to 0 or closer to it in a 24 hour period by then nitrites I know will be way up there.

 

[brybell]

Hopefully you dosed your ammo back up to 4ppm. That's good nitrites are up means your BB for the ammo is establishing nicely. Keep checking ammo every 24 and dose it back up to 4ppm let's get it down to 0 or closer to it in a 24 hour period by then nitrites I know will be way up there.

i didnt dose it back up but i will this morning.

 

[brybell]

Hopefully you dosed your ammo back up to 4ppm. That's good nitrites are up means your BB for the ammo is establishing nicely. Keep checking ammo every 24 and dose it back up to 4ppm let's get it down to 0 or closer to it in a 24 hour period by then nitrites I know will be way up there.

i tested before and after dosing ammo.

back up to 4.

nitrites still same.

tested nitrates and looks to be about 5ppm.

maybe the quick start actually helps!? plus the plant i got from an established aquarium?

 

[brybell]

Hopefully you dosed your ammo back up to 4ppm. That's good nitrites are up means your BB for the ammo is establishing nicely. Keep checking ammo every 24 and dose it back up to 4ppm let's get it down to 0 or closer to it in a 24 hour period by then nitrites I know will be way up there.

So I tested tonight and go pretty low readings on the nitrates. is that weird it would be high then drop down?

ammonia and nitrites look good.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

No mainly because there a pain to test it could have just been a been a bad test either the first time or this time I wouldn't worry about that one. Plus you have a couple plants in there they may have sucked some nitrates up as well. Just keep testing ammo and nitrites mainly ammo let's get it to 0 out in 24 and keep the nitrites in check the nitrates will work them selves out

 

[brybell]

oh it looks like my ph also went down a little around 7.6 ish

 

[brybell]

No mainly because there a pain to test it could have just been a been a bad test either the first time or this time I wouldn't worry about that one. Plus you have a couple plants in there they may have sucked some nitrates up as well. Just keep testing ammo and nitrites mainly ammo let's get it to 0 out in 24 and keep the nitrites in check the nitrates will work them selves out

ok thanks man

 

[Hbbambislayer]

I guess you have the api test kit its a pain on the nitrates. During the fish less cycle is nice to know that they are there that tells you that the nitrites are being converted but until the end of the cycle and when you have fish is not really necessary to test for them to much especially in the beginning. Once we are babying the tank because of the slow nitrite BB then nitrates can be tested a bit more

 

[brybell]

test this morning at 24hr mark after dosing ammo yesterday and it went down to a little less than 1ppm.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Now we're getting somewhere. I'm hoping you dosed back up to 4ppm

 

[brybell]

Now we're getting somewhere. I'm hoping you dosed back up to 4ppm

Yup!! Now just to wait...

ph seemed like it went down a lil bit. under 8 now I think.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Ok keep an eye on the pH your tap tests 8 usually with a cycle it goes up s bit but with the driftwood it may go down a bit you'll be doing some water changes here in a few days it looks like so don't worry too much. Tomorrow if the ammo goes way down again test nitrites also.

 

[Fishman007]

I currently began to cycle my 20 gal tank with 4 danios in it and it has been a bit of work but once youve but your supplement of ammonia in wait 3-4 weeks until you start putting in your fish...

 

[brybell]

I dont think it will take as long. not testing again til AM but ammo has been droppin quickly and my nitrites are real high.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

That's good we want them to be high. Same thing tomorrow get it back up to 4ppm after your test. 2 days in a row of ammo going to 0 from 4ppm so we know it's not a fluke t then we will concentrate on the nitrites

 

[brybell]

That's good we want them to be high. Same thing tomorrow get it back up to 4ppm after your test. 2 days in a row of ammo going to 0 from 4ppm so we know it's not a fluke t then we will concentrate on the nitrites

so i tested tonight to see, and ammo is back down to about .5ppm! should i redose now?

i thought i read it isnt good to let it get all the way to 0

 

[brybell]

nitrites high, 5ppm+

nitrates between 5-10ppm.