Cycling 20 gallon and 5.5 gallon

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deven

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
23
Hi All,

I'm cycling a 20 gallon tank and a 5.5 gallon that I am planning on using as a quarantine tank as I stock the 20 gallon over time. The log for each is below:

20 gallon:
Date# ml Ammonia added before testPHHi PHAmmoniaNitriteNitrate3/6/201307.6-0.5002-8.34.0--3/7/20130-8.04.00.0-3/9/20130-8.04.0--3/10/20130--4.0--3/13/20130--4.0--3/15/20130--4.0--3/16/20130-8.01.0001--2.0--1--4.0--3/17/20130--2.00-1--4.0--3/19/20130--2.0--Added 1 ml after test3/21/20130--4.0--3/23/20130-84.000did 6 gallon water change after test0-82.0--3/24/20130--2.0--3/26/20130-8.21.0003/28/20130--0.5 to 1.00-3/30/20130--0.50-Added 0.5 ml after test3/31/20130--1.0--Added 0.25 ml after test4/2/20130--1.00-


The log for the 5.5 gallon is:
Date# drops Ammonia added before testPHHi PHAmmoniaNitriteNitrate3/23/20132--1.0--added 1 drop after the test3/24/20130--1.0--added 2 drops after the test3/26/20130-8.21.00.00.03/28/20130--0.5--3/30/20130--0.50-Added 1 drop after test3/31/20130--0.50-added 2 drops after the test4/2/20130--0.50-added 2 drops after the test

Any thoughts on why it is taking so long? No Nitrites at all yet and it has been quite a while. It appears as though the ammonia has started dropping, but it is hard to read the color codes on the test, so I am not always sure.

I'm using the API freshwater master kit and I am conditioning the water with Tetra Aqua safe. I am using Ace brand janitorial strength ammonia.

Any thoughts on how much longer this will take and what else I should do differently?

Thanks in advance!!

Note: looks like the excel files are not showing properly. Trying again below:

20 gallon high cycling log:
Date
# ml Ammonia added before test
PH
Hi PH
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate




3/6/2013
0
7.6
-
0.5
0
0




2
-
8.3
4.0
-
-




3/7/2013
0
-
8.0
4.0
0.0
-




3/9/2013
0
-
8.0
4.0
-
-




3/10/2013
0
-
-
4.0
-
-




3/13/2013
0
-
-
4.0
-
-




3/15/2013
0
-
-
4.0
-
-




3/16/2013
0
-
8.0
1.0
0
0




1
-
-
2.0
-
-




1
-
-
4.0
-
-




3/17/2013
0
-
-
2.0
0
-




1
-
-
4.0
-
-




3/19/2013
0
-
-
2.0
-
-
Added 1 ml after test



3/21/2013
0
-
-
4.0
-
-




3/23/2013
0
-
8
4.0
0
0
did 6 gallon water change after test
0
-
8
2.0
-
-




3/24/2013
0
-
-
2.0
-
-




3/26/2013
0
-
8.2
1.0
0
0




3/28/2013
0
-
-
0.5 to 1.0
0
-




3/30/2013
0
-
-
0.5
0
-
Added 0.5 ml after test

3/31/2013
0
-
-
1.0
-
-
Added 0.25 ml after test

4/2/2013
0
-
-
1.0
0
-
5.5 gallon cycling log:
Date
# drops Ammonia added before test
PH
Hi PH
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate



3/23/2013
2
-
-
1.0
-
-
added 1 drop after the test


3/24/2013
0
-
-
1.0
-
-
added 2 drops after the test
3/26/2013
0
-
8.2
1.0
0.0
0.0



3/28/2013
0
-
-
0.5
-
-



3/30/2013
0
-
-
0.5
0
-
Added 1 drop after test


3/31/2013
0
-
-
0.5
0
-
added 2 drops after the test
4/2/2013
0
-
-
0.5
0
-
added 2 drops after the test
 
Last edited:
Sorry, your log is really hard to read as its laid out. In any case, cycling a tank can take 8 wks, give or take. Nitrites can show up within a couple of weeks & last for 3 wks, give or take. I had a 10g that didn't show nitrItes until week 6, they lasted 2 weeks & then the tank was cycled. I currently have a 10g that showed nitrites the 2nd week & 4 wks later still has them, my 46g showed nitrites once in week 5 & had huge nitrates for a while afterwards . . . keep in mind I've always done fish in cycles. My point is, each cycle is different so IMO keep doing what you're doing. Maybe someone else has different advice, but I think you just need to be patient.
 
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