Cycling.. Need Help.

[eco23]

I'm gonna make an assumption here and say that something is up with your test kit. I believe you when you say you're testing it right (you're also letting it sit for 5 mins, right?), but some of these numbers don't make sense. I totally buy the nitrAte content from the gravel explanation, but then for them to rocket back up...then just disappear even faster is a borderline impossibility in my mind. Do you have a lfs nearby that can double check your results for you?

 

[ChristinaE12]

Yeah.. I even let it sit for 5 minutes. I'd really hate to see my test kit was messed up because this thing is only a couple months old..

And I basically have one LFS and Petsmart. I don't really know what my LFS uses to test and Petsmart probably uses strips knowing them. lol.

Also, if it means anything, my 10 gallon has been testing normal/consistent.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Oh sh...

I just remembered I added Seachem Flourish like 3 days ago. Would that have any effect. I added not even quite half of what was recommended. But I just wanted to see if my plants would benefit at all from a quick little dose.

 

[jetajockey]

flourish comp might raise your nitrate level just a little bit.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Well that would be backwards then.

It dropped from around 80ish ppm at 11:30pm last night to around 0-5ish (closer to 5) ppm today at 12:30. It definitely has more color than yellow to it. Although it seems more brownish than orange. The Nitrate and Ammonia they are hard to read for me at times.

I really don't get it or what's going on. Confusing the heck outta me and where I truly am in this whole cycling process.

 

[eco23]

Well that would be backwards then.

It dropped from around 80ish ppm at 11:30pm last night to around 0-5ish (closer to 5) ppm today at 12:30. It definitely has more color than yellow to it. Although it seems more brownish than orange. The Nitrate and Ammonia they are hard to read for me at times.

I really don't get it or what's going on. Confusing the heck outta me and where I truly am in this whole cycling process.

I'm gonna call this a borderline impossibility unless I'm missing something basic.

Any massive water changes between then and now? Any chance you were really sleepy when you tested and saw the 80 parts of nitrAte? Lol

 

[ChristinaE12]

The only thing is last night it could have possibly been 40 ppm instead of 80. Seeing how they are both a red shade. I doubt I were seeing any worse than that last as that seemed to be pretty much where my Nitrate has been reading. Or at least gradually increasing. But who knows.. I'll post the last few days and you tell me if it seems normal, under my circumstances.. haha

NitrAte.
7/14 - 5ish (ppm)
7/15 - 10-20ish
7/16 - 20-40ish
7/17 - 20-40ish
7-18 - 80ish
Today - Probably closer to 5ish.

The Ammonia has been dropping 2-4 ppm every 12 hours the past few days. The NitrIte has also been reading above 5+. The PH has stayed at 7.6.


A couple days ago I added quite a bit of rock which appears to be sandstone/quartzite. I added a half cap full of Seachem Flourish. Last night I added a piece of drift wood and a chunk of Hornwort. Also added a small extra sponge to my filter to seed. I have done zero PWC..

I believe that explains everything I did the past several days.

Oh, and if it matters at all or if you might have seen it before.. But soon as I add a drop from the Nitrate #1 bottle the water in the vial turns to a brownish color pretty much instantly. I know it hasn't done that before and doesn't on my 10 gallon.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Something just doesn't add up. And it's kinda aggravating. Cause my ammonia drops 2-4 ppm in a few hours.. I tested that again a bit ago and it's 0-.25ish again after re-dosing around 1:30pm today.

Tomorrow I guess I have a PWC ahead of me. See if I can get the Nitrite's to a readable level. So then I can re-dose the Ammonia and see where I'm at.. Hopefully. See what tomorrow brings with the Nitrate.

I think that is about my only option, at this point.


(Yes I'm pretty much thinking out loud)

 

[eco23]

Yeah, I wasn't ignoring your last post...I simply don't have an answer and can explain where the no3 would have disappeared to. I agree with your plan of action. Change enough water to drop no2 down to .5-1, and keep dosing the ammo. I say we just pretend the nitrAte anomaly didn't happen, and keep going with business as usual

 

[ChristinaE12]

No, I totally understand Eco.. You've been more than enough help already. Thanks.

As for the Nitrate crap.. Yeah I have the same mindset as you do.. I'm going to ignore it for now unless I get a complete different reading tomorrow or something. If it goes back to whatever tomorrow I'm just gonna play dumb or something. lol, jk.

I'll be back tomorrow I'm sure after my water change(s) and see what I can figure out.

 

[ChristinaE12]

How much/many water changes would it typically take for a 55gallon to get my Nitrite readable.

I did a 50% PWC and my Nitrites are still off the chart. Am I looking at a couple more of those. Am I best to do a couple big ones or a few small ones? LOL.

 

[eco23]

If you can do it quickly so the sides of the tank and decorations don't dry out...you can basically drain it so the gravel is still covered. Remember though, dry bacteria is dead bacteria...so you'll need to be speedy. Otherwise some more back to back ones are in your future

 

[ChristinaE12]

Yeah, that is why I only did a 50% water change.. Cause I'm afraid my stuff is gonna get too dry. I'm even using a python but it just doesn't seem to drain quick enough. Fills up plenty fast just not so sure how dry everything is getting while draining.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Looks like things may be back to normal. At least I hope so.

It took 2 50% PWC then finally pretty much 100% water change to get there though. My Nitrites must have been way up there.

So after all that, I dosed the Ammo back up to 4ish ppm. This was at 6pm tonight.

I just checked my levels again and they are reading:

Ammo - 1ish
Nitrite - 5+ again these are off the charts.
Nitrate - 20ish.
PH - 7.6

I really hope I'm getting there..

 

[rich311k]

I would say that you are cooking nicely. I know you just did all that water changing but leave that nitrite number too high for two long. You are definitely getting there.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Day 13

PH - 7.6
Ammo - 0
Nitrite - 5+
Nitrate - between 20-40

Looks like everything is converting for the most part. Now I am just waiting til my Nitrite drops on it's own or at least able too? Or am I getting ahead of myself? lol. Getting impatient and would love some fish. heh.

 

[eco23]

Day 13

PH - 7.6
Ammo - 0
Nitrite - 5+
Nitrate - between 20-40

Looks like everything is converting for the most part. Now I am just waiting til my Nitrite drops on it's own or at least able too? Or am I getting ahead of myself? lol. Getting impatient and would love some fish. heh.

Did you do that really massive water change we talked about yesterday?

I'd try to drop the no2 down to between .5-1, and dose the ammonia up to only 1-2ppm for the next few days. That way we can give the second type of bacteria a chance to catch up with the first.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Did you do that really massive water change we talked about yesterday?

I'd try to drop the no2 down to between .5-1, and dose the ammonia up to only 1-2ppm for the next few days. That way we can give the second type of bacteria a chance to catch up with the first.

Yes.. I did two 50% water changes which didn't help. Then finally did basically a 100% water change. Went to the gravel. After that my Nitrite was at 0. Nitrate was between 0-5 ppm.

So then I dosed the Ammonia back to around 4ppm yesterday after the water change and now I got those readings today that I just posted.. As well as the readings last night.

 

[eco23]

Yes.. I did two 50% water changes which didn't help. Then finally did basically a 100% water change. Went to the gravel. After that my Nitrite was at 0. Nitrate was between 0-5 ppm.

So then I dosed the Ammonia back to around 4ppm yesterday after the water change and now I got those readings today that I just posted.. As well as the readings last night.

Okay, the important thing is that your refreshed the nutrients and buffers in the water. The fact that the no2 shot back up so quick is testament to how powerful of a bio-filter you are growing. Just keep it up. Like I said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reduce your ammonia input for the next few days.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Okay, the important thing is that your refreshed the nutrients and buffers in the water. The fact that the no2 shot back up so quick is testament to how powerful of a bio-filter you are growing. Just keep it up. Like I said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reduce your ammonia input for the next few days.

I'll start dosing the Ammo around 2ppm then. Although before I dose that again today, should I do another water change to get the Nitrite readable or should I see if it catches up on it's own?

I still don't understand the whole Nitrate dropping fiasco thing. But I'm gonna ignore that for now. I just really hope it don't come back and bite me in the butt.