Fishless cycling readings so far

[cichlidpaul]

Hi all my fishy friends

Ok i have been doing this fishless cycle for 14 days now on my 120g tank and thought i might have seen a drop in ammonia by now , but no not surprised as my tank now has what i belive to be bacteria floating around in it which causes ammonia so ive been told on here . So here are my readings for the last fourteen days , my question is to you guys is do you think its normal and how long do you think its going to be as i have never done a fishless befor

day 1 ammonia 7 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 ph 7.5
day 2 ammonia 7 nitrite 0.1 nitrate 0 ph n/a
day 3 ammonia 4.9 nitrite 0.1 nitrate n/a ph n/a 50% water change to drop ammonia to 5
day 4 ammonia 4.9 nitrite 0.1 nitrate 4 ph n/a
day 5 ammonia 3 nitrite 0.1 nitrate 2 ph n/a
day 6 ammonia 2.4 nitrite 0.2 nitrate n/a ph n/a
day 7 ammonia 2.4 nitrite 0.2 nitrate n/a ph n/a
day 8 ammonia 2.4 nitrite 0.2 nitrate n/a ph n/a
day 9 no test as away
day 10 no test as away
day 11 no test as away
day 12 ammonia 2.4 nitrite 0.3 nitrate n/a ph n/a
day 13 ammonia 2 nitrite 0.6 nitrate 6 ph 7.5
day 14 ammonia 2.4 nitrite 0.6 nitrate n/a ph n/a

 

[eco23]

I'm using my iPad to view this, but all your reading are showing up as hyperlinks and are unreadable. People on PC's might be able to see it better, but a lot of members use the mobile app. You may want to respond to the post with your numbers written in a different format. Seems like it says 70 ammonia!

 

[eco23]

Yeah, I just hopped to my PC and it's the same problem. You can just tell us what level you started your ammonia at, what you used (pure ammonia, shrimp, etc...). Also if and when it started dropping, if you're using seeding material and other things you've done to set up the fishless cycle (seeding material, cranked up the heater, etc...).

 

[cichlidpaul]

sorry peeps try now

 

[eco23]

Cool, you fixed it... I'll check it out.

 

[cichlidpaul]

just pure ammonia to start it off , heater cranked up to 90.5f / 32.4c the tank has rock and gravel in all new

 

[eco23]

First off everything looks decent as the nitrIte levels are slowly climbing as the ammonia is dropping.

It is odd how the nitrAte levels are fluctuating. Did they really go from 4 to 2 to 6? Are you doing a lit of PWC's? It' fine to do them if you overdose on ammonia or if the nitrItes go way through the roof, otherwise I'd leave it alnoe.

I'd keep dosing the ammonia to keep it up to around 4ppm and keep watching it.

I'd also lower the heater down to around 84, as 90 is too hot and can be causing it to go slowly.

Also, if you can get some seeding material from a friend or LFS store with a healthy established tank (used filter material, handful of gravel, etc...) that will really help move things along.

 

[eco23]

Also, a lot of people will add a tiny amount of ground up fish food or a few drops of PH down to add nutrients to the water that the bacteria need to develop. Seems like the first type of bacteria (ammonia > nitrItes) is probably halfway there and the second (nitrItes to nitrAtes) is starting to develop. It's going a little slow but seems like you're on the right track. I'd also keep the tank light off as the bacteria doesn't need light to grow and you can get a serious algae outbreak as the cycle gets further along.

Did you use a dechlorinator like Prime when you did the water change? Chlorine will also kill off the bacteria you're trying to grow.

 

[cichlidpaul]

Hi eco23
yep thats what the nitrate levels read (their abouts anyway) im using a nutrafin test kit by the way
only done one PWC at the start to bring the ammonia down and not added any since as i thought it had to drop to around one befor you added more
as for seeding i asked my LFS and got a big fat NO as they are not aloud to by some law ok will lower the heater down tonight and thanks for the help

 

[eco23]

No problem. Make sure you're using a liquid test kit and not the strips. Most people here use the API master test kit... strips kind of suck.

 

[cichlidpaul]

that what i thought it was going slow lol and i have kept the lights off at all times the only light on is the uv light on the filter as it kills of algae should i turn that off too

and no i didnt use a dechlorinator at all as i read somewhere you didnt have to

 

[eco23]

I'd also check out this article- Tips and tricks for your fastest fishless cycle!

Make sure you read all the Q&A after the article as it has some great info there too.

 

[cichlidpaul]

yep it is the liquid test kit as i dont like the test strips myself

 

[cichlidpaul]

ok nice one for the link eco23 will read it tonight

 

[eco23]

I don't know about UV filters, but that seems like the worst possible thing you could ever use during a cycle! UV lights are designed to specifically kill bacteria and that's exactly what the cycle is trying to grow!

 

[eco23]

The bacteria you want specifically grows in the filter and eventually spreads all over the surfaces of the tank. I'd just use a sponge filter (no carbon). Again, I'm not familiar with UV filters other than for drinking water, but I'd bet the farm that's what's slowing things down. In principle, I'm surprised you're cycling at all!

 

[eco23]

The bacteria you want specifically grows in the filter and eventually spreads all over the surfaces of the tank. I'd just use a sponge filter (no carbon). Again, I'm not familiar with UV filters other than for drinking water, but I'd bet the farm that's what's slowing things down. In principle, I'm surprised you're cycling at all!

I'd start a new thread if I were you called "using a UV filter while trying to cycle". Hopefully a person with more experience with those can help. You should include a link to this thread so you don't have to re-explain everything.

 

[cichlidpaul]

Hmmmmm come to think about it you might be right make sence really lol it off now and you think no carbon too

as for the snowdome i have at the moment will it clear on it own then i take it

 

[cichlidpaul]

That a good idea will do that but not sure how to link this thread though

 

[eco23]

That a good idea will do that but not sure how to link this thread though

Easiest way is just to highlight the entire URL in your address bar, and just copy and paste it into your initial post.