Fishless Cycle Log/Rebuild - Take II

[librarygirl]

Thursday, June 23
Day 11

Ammonia: 1-1.5 (lighter than 2)
NitrItes: 0
Didn't test anything else

So no nitrItes yet but ammonia is dropping (4 days since I last dosed it to 3-4), so I'm hoping that's good (which is more movement than I ever saw in my other tank lol). I'll wait another day or two and see if I can get it down to 0.5 before I re-dose. Hopefully nitrites will follow (oh please oh please lol)

 

[firteen888]

With the ammonia dropping, it looks like you're well on your way!! You have seeded material right? Have you tried testing for nitrAtes at all? The seeded material I have seems to turn nitrites into nitrates extremely fast, to the point where I hardly see nitrites but my nitrates are off the chart.

 

[librarygirl]

With the ammonia dropping, it looks like you're well on your way!! You have seeded material right? Have you tried testing for nitrAtes at all? The seeded material I have seems to turn nitrites into nitrates extremely fast, to the point where I hardly see nitrites but my nitrates are off the chart.

I tested them four days ago and they were at zero, haven't tested since then. I do have a bit of gravel in a mesh bag in the tank and a small rock from a seeded tank in there as well, not sure if that would be enough to cause a fast turnover, but I guess it's possible (I just really want to see a purple tube just ONCE lol). When I test tomorrow night I'll test everything just to check.

Is your tank cycled yet? lol

 

[firteen888]

Not yet but I'm getting there

 

[JimmyA]

Well, I am going on 30 days tomorrow and still have not cycled!

 

[eco23]

1-2 months is normal, 30 days is average if you know the little tricks and / or have a bit of seeding material...and then there's libraygirl and fifteen, lol. it's either patience or around 90 days of consecutive water changes.

 

[eco23]

Another thing to look forward to...once your tank is established, your cycling days can be over. Last night I cycled a 10 gallon tank in about 15 minutes with media from my canister filter (not to rub it in, lol)

 

[barterking85]

Yeah it can go either way I bought an 80 gallon and thanks to my mts I have lots of used media and it cycled in a little over 1 week

 

[librarygirl]

Friday, June 24
Day 12

Ammonia: still between 1-2 (re-dose last on the 20th up to about 3)
NitrItes: 0
NitrAtes: 0
Ph: off chart, 7.6+++
Hi Ph: 7.4-7.5

I won't panic yet. I won't, I won't.....

 

[James_in_MN]

Friday, June 24
Day 12

Ammonia: still between 1-2 (re-dose last on the 20th up to about 3)
NitrItes: 0
NitrAtes: 0
Ph: off chart, 7.6+++
Hi Ph: 7.4-7.5

I won't panic yet. I won't, I won't.....

After only 12 days, I wouldn't panic. I looked back at my two established tank's data, and the shortest time frame for me to see nitrItes was 15 days.

If your pH is off the chart for the normal test, I'd just use the high pH test from now on. I'm in the same boat with my tanks (except my 2.5g), and I only use the high pH test since mine is at 7.8.

 

[zparticle]

Hang in there! I just did another PWC and made a total mess.

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I've just been trying to cycle any tank since April and waiting to get more fish since May (still miss my 4 little guys ) and I'm growing impatient. Although I'm still not 100% sure what I want to put in there or from where I would buy the fish lol

Should I be worried that my water is still clear? Shouldn't I be seeing a bacterial bloom?

 

[librarygirl]

Oops sorry, the forum hiccuped and caused a duplicate post.

 

[JimmyA]

Hi Libraygirl! Hope things are going ok for you. I am over 30 days and still have not cycled! Still waiting!

 

[librarygirl]

Hi Libraygirl! Hope things are going ok for you. I am over 30 days and still have not cycled! Still waiting!

Ugh. I read your other thread though and it seems you are very close.

I'm taking the week of July 11th off work (it'll be a month then since I restarted)....I was hoping to be able to have fish by then so I could enjoy them for the week I'm home but, er, not looking so good for that now

 

[tlkng1]

I had a setback in my 20...Ammonia was dropping, nitrites were up, then, nitrites went to 0, no Nitrates and ammonia went up. This was also a tank in which I had placed one of the Angels Plus seeded sponges.

Just a part of the game This tank has been up now for, hmmm...close to 30 days now....I lost track actually

 

[librarygirl]

I had a setback in my 20...Ammonia was dropping, nitrites were up, then, nitrites went to 0, no Nitrates and ammonia went up. This was also a tank in which I had placed one of the Angels Plus seeded sponges.

Just a part of the game This tank has been up now for, hmmm...close to 30 days now....I lost track actually

Sorry about that, hopefully your cycle will take off soon. In my other tank I added an AngelsPlus sponge. I saw a drop in ammo overnight and nitrAtes showed up for the first time (skipped the nitrIte phase) but then the ammonia stalled and nitrAtes came up to about 20 but then it got stuck again. This time I"m just relying on the ammonia and hope that the new tank, new filters, etc will give me better luck. Since it's "only" been 12 days I should probably just shut up and stop complaining

 

[tlkng1]

It's a bacteria conspiracy......

"Dumb humans..let's see how much we can mess up their psyche....."

 

[zparticle]

So what is the update for today?

 

[librarygirl]

So what is the update for today?

LOL

I only tested nitrItes last night....still the bright blue of zero

I'l test everything tonight, it's been a couple of days since I tested ammonia and I re-dosed on Monday. It had dropped from about 3-4 to about 1.5 in 3 days. The next day it was the same. Didn't test it last night. Will try again tonight.

Things are going very slowly if at all. It's two weeks today, but I know it can take a while and I'm still within the normal time frame of not seeing nitrites (um, right?).