Eric's cycling guide/ fully stocking new tank

[Polar]

Thanks to Eric's clear and well explained how to on fishless cycling. The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling *I started my 10g on 8/9/11 without any seed material, and today 8/18/11 I have trate 5.0 ppm. *I'm still dosing and the trates just showed up today but I wanted to post up that my experience worked exactly as the article described (was worried of info until *I saw purple). *Will post cycle log if anyone would like to see it.
** I am in a unusual circumstance, living 20 miles above the arctic circle (Kotzebue, AK.) there are no LFS within 500 miles, (getting fish to my area 1 at a time is very expensive). *Sooooo I'm going to fully stock 12 neon tetras in the tank once I've completed the cycle per eric's article. *If there are any precautions that I can take to insure the neon's health I would appreciate anyones advice. *The only worry I have is the ph of the warter 8.0 which I know is high for the neon tetra although the LFS in anchorage says the neons will be fine. *The first 5 neons (R.I.P.) seemed to do fine in the high ph for 10 days, but I slowly poisoned (ammonia) them. *I know, I know, research but I didn't know there was any thing to research. *I am not the sharpest but I am quick on the pickup and DID research my dead neons after reading for days an days (including librarygirl's cycleing woes) I think I'm in much better shape this time around.
** So like I said if anyone has any advice I'm all ears.

P.s. *I don't know what I should know so I'm out of ideas on what to study next.

Thankyou

Dave *

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Thanks to Eric's clear and well explained how to on fishless cycling. The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling *I started my 10g on 8/9/11 without any seed material, and today 8/18/11 I have trate 5.0 ppm. *I'm still dosing and the trates just showed up today but I wanted to post up that my experience worked exactly as the article described (was worried of info until *I saw purple). *Will post cycle log if anyone would like to see it.
** I am in a unusual circumstance, living 20 miles above the arctic circle (Kotzebue, AK.) there are no LFS within 500 miles, (getting fish to my area 1 at a time is very expensive). *Sooooo I'm going to fully stock 12 neon tetras in the tank once I've completed the cycle per eric's article. *If there are any precautions that I can take to insure the neon's health I would appreciate anyones advice. *The only worry I have is the ph of the warter 8.0 which I know is high for the neon tetra although the LFS in anchorage says the neons will be fine. *The first 5 neons (R.I.P.) seemed to do fine in the high ph for 10 days, but I slowly poisoned (ammonia) them. *I know, I know, research but I didn't know there was any thing to research. *I am not the sharpest but I am quick on the pickup and DID research my dead neons after reading for days an days (including librarygirl's cycleing woes) I think I'm in much better shape this time around.
** So like I said if anyone has any advice I'm all ears.

P.s. *I don't know what I should know so I'm out of ideas on what to study next.

Thankyou

Dave *

Good job for taking the initiative and being responsible for your fish!

If you could, I would like to see your cycle log please. If the nitrates just showed up today, I think you should keep doing your PWC (partial water changes) and keep dosing with the ammonia, until it takes about 24 hours for the tank to convert ammonia into nitrites into nitrates, I believe. Then you would be safe for fish.

That seems like a lot of neon tetras even for a ten gallon, but since they have a somewhat small bioload I guess its okay. What kind of filtration do you have?

Your pH is fine for neons. Most fish will adjust to almost any pH you have, unless it's ridiculously high or low like 4.2 or 9.7.


Good luck!

 

[eco23]

Glad you found the guide helpful (the name Eric sounds familiar ). I'd also be happy to check out your cycling log if you've got it nearby.

Partial water changes are a great tool at a few points during your fishless cycle, and they cause no harm... but don't feel you need to do them every time no2 gets high. There's been a trend recently of people believing they need to change water every time the nitrIte hits 5...but if that was the case, you'd be changing water every day towards the end of your cycle (which would defeat one of the benefits of cycling without fish).

Assuming the ammonia is dropping at a good rate, no2 and no3 are steadily climbing...you seem like you're right on track. I'd give it a few more days until your nitrAte climbs a little higher, then do a massive water change to reduce your nitrIte down to .5-1. Don't be surprised if it jumps right back up though...it's all part of the process. The point of doing a couple water changes at key times is to prevent nitrIte levels from getting ridiculously high, and also restore nutrients and buffers to prevent pH crashes or stalls.

Post your log if you get a chance and we'll see if there's any pointers we can give from there .

I agree with Bruins that pH isn't an issue as long as it is stable. Neons in general can be a bit touchy, I've definitely had my own issues with them before (and I don't live at the north pole, lol).

Let us know how it's going.

 

[Polar]

My log

Sorry guys I didn't mean to imply that I'm done with the cycling just posting that I'm exactly on track per eric's article. Plus it's exciting to see it work as described and wanted to express my thanks and get the ph question answered. Now that I'm close to stocking the tank I want get it right (no more dead fish). Filter in-tank foam with ceramic media, don't know the proper filter name but it has a airstone in the middle with a tall riser pipe. I have not done any PWC yet, I was waiting for the trate to rise to the top of the chart before pwc (I've been checking ph daily now)

8/9 ph 8.0, ammonia dosed to 4.0, trite 0, trate 0,
8/10 ammonia 4.0, trite 0
8/11 ammonia 4.0, trite 0
8/12 ammonia 4.0, trite .50
8/13 ammonia 4.0ish (slightly lighter), trite1.0
8/14 ammonia 2.0, trite 2.0
8/15 dosed ammonia 4.0, trite 5.0
8/16 ammonia 4.0, trite 5.0+
8/17 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 0, ph 8.0/7.8, dosed ammonia to 4.0
8/18 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 5.0, ph 8.0, dosed ammonia to 4.0
8/19 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 5.0, dosed ammonia 4.0

Thanks all
Dave

 

[Polar]

8/20 50% water change dosed ammonia to 2.0