N00b - 60gal tank...right path?

[Twenty1]

Hello everyone! I recently purchased a 60gal tank back in Jan. I'm using 2 canister HOB filters, and have my heater placed directly in the middle of the tank to even out the temp the best possible way. Heater is cranked all the way up and it's a steady 82F.
I plan on stocking my tank with a rainbow shark - I've been reading and there has been lots of discussion that you can only have 1, BUT also you COULD have 2 if you get them after other fish have been in your tank AND you get them young....BUT still could have some territorial issues when they mature. I also plan to stock different tetras, danios and maybe a tiger barb. Not sure what other colorful fish I can stock with those.

Wanted to give a quick background on that before posting all my levels since Jan. I believe i'm at the ending stage...the nitrite drop just seems to be taking FOREVER...yes I know it is the longest stage too. So here we go...
any advice is much appreciated!


Jan 20th:
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 1.0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0

Jan 23rd
ammonia 4.0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5.0

Jan 25th
nitrate 5.0
ammonia 4.0
nitrite 0

Jan 26th
Ph 7.6
ammonia 4.0

Jan 27th
ammonia 4.0

Jan 28th
ammonia 4.0
nitrite 0

Feb 2nd
ammonia 4.0

Feb 5th
ammonia 2.0
nitrite 0.25

Feb 7th
ammonia 2.0
nitrite 0.25

Feb 9th
ammonia 2.0
nitrite .50

Feb 18th
ammonia 4.0
nitrite 0

Feb 19th
ammonia 2.0
nitrite 0

Feb 20th
nitrite 0
nitrate 5.0
ph 6.6
ammonia 4.0

Feb 26th
ammonia 4.0
nitrite .25
nitrate 5.0

March 1st
Ammonia 4.0

March 3rd - purchased the 2nd filter

March 4th
ammonia 4.0
ph 7.4
nitrite 1.0
nitrate 5.0

March 5th
ammonia 4.0
nitrite 2.0

March 6th
ammonia 4.0
nitrite 5.0

March 7th
Ammonia 4.0
Nitrite 5.0

March 8th
Ammonia 2.0
Nitrite 5.0

March 9th
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite 5.0

March 10th
Ammonia .50
Nitrite 5.0
Ph 6.0

Added a tiny bit of bicarbonate to bring the ph back up

Looks like ammonia is dropping but nitrites are still staying pretty high.

March 11th

at 5pm:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 5.0
ph 6.6

added 2ml of ammonia at 8:05

at 8:46 tested ammonia - 2.0
at 8:46 tested nitrate - 5.0
at 8:46 tested ph - 6.6
at 8:46 tested nitrite - 5.0

Ammonia seems to be dropping within a 24hr period. Now just have to wait for those nitrites to drop and it seems like I should be golden

March 12th

@ 5:05
pH 6.8
ammonia .25
nitrite 5.0
@ 5:10
added 2ml of ammonia
@9:25pm
Ammonia 1.0 <-- that's a quick drop within 4 hrs

March 13th

@ 6:30pm
Ammonia .25
pH 6.6
nitrite 5.0
added 2ml of ammonia

March 14th

@ 4:45pm

Ammonia .25
nitrite 5.0
pH 6.6
added 1ml of ammonia
added bicarb
ph 7.6 at 5:05pm

@ 8:10pm

ammonia .50
pH 7.6
nitrite 5.0

March 15th

@7:55am
ammonia .25
pH 7.6+ (it was slightly darker then the color chart)
added 1.5ml of ammonia

@5:05pm
nitrite 5.0
ammonia .25
added 1ml of ammonia

March 16th

@9:10am

Ammonia .25
nitrite 5.0
added 1ml of ammonia

@9:30pm

pH 7.6
nitrite 5.0
ammonia .25
added 2.5ml of ammonia

March 18th
@ 5:25pm

ammonia .25
nitrite 2.0
nitrate 5.0
added 2ml of ammonia
tank temp at 81.1

 

[phishfriend]

What are your Nitrate lvl"s you didnt post those. Also what do you mean by Canister HOB filters? Canister and HOB are different kinds of filters. Unless you have a marineland 350?

 

[Twenty1]

What are your Nitrate lvl"s you didnt post those. Also what do you mean by Canister HOB filters? Canister and HOB are different kinds of filters. Unless you have a marineland 350?

The filter is a marineland YES and it only supported 250GPH. Once I added the 2nd filter the ammonia kick started pretty fast as did the rise in nitrites.

I wasn't constantly measuring nitrAte because I was told that didn't really matter right now as much as the ammonia and nitrItes.

From the list though, I was pretty consistent with it for the most part. Last reading was on March 4th and it was at 5.0

 

[Twenty1]

Not sure why it wouldn't let me "edit" my above first post to keep the levels in one post, but here are the last few days:

March 19th
@10:00pm

ammonia .25
nitrite 2.0
added 3ml of ammonia

March 20th
@4:30pm

pH 8.4
ammonia .25
nitrite 1.0
nitrate 5.0

 

[phishfriend]

If to have nitrates your close to the end of cycle!! Woot woot!!

 

[Twenty1]

If to have nitrates your close to the end of cycle!! Woot woot!!

I've had nitrates since Jan 23rd. Same ever since 5.0

 

[phishfriend]

Ok something isn't right. What are you using for an ammonia source, Just the fish food?

 

[Twenty1]

Ok something isn't right. What are you using for an ammonia source, Just the fish food?

no, regular ammonia - Ace hardware brand.

My ammonia drops to .25 just about every 24hrs after I had 2-4ml of it before that time. The nitrites (as you can see from my list) didn't rise until after I added the 2nd filter. They dropped but only to 2.0. 2 nights ago they read 1.0, but that could have been a faulty reading because last night they were a definite 2.0

This cycle has taken FOREVER...I started way back on Jan 20th.

is it at all possible that my nitrAtes rose and then came down during the rising of the nitrites and I just didn't notice because I wasn't doing daily nitrAte testing?

 

[phishfriend]

I don't think so because your ammonia and nitrite should have zeroed out. Are you running any bio medium in the canister, like bio rings? You should have it pack and the filter pad around the outside. That will build big BB area. Also you an crank the heat to 86-89 in a fish less. BB love the heat. If you are fighting low ph. Use crushed coral in a mess bag In the return hob to raise it. The Carbon is going absorbing the ammonia your dosing and may have stalled or slowed down the cycle.

 

[Twenty1]

I don't think so because your ammonia and nitrite should have zeroed out. Are you running any bio medium in the canister, like bio rings? You should have it pack and the filter pad around the outside. That will build big BB area. Also you an crank the heat to 86-89 in a fish less. BB love the heat. If you are fighting low ph. Use crushed coral in a mess bag In the return hob to raise it. The Carbon is going absorbing the ammonia your dosing and may have stalled or slowed down the cycle.

I'm not running any bio medium....at least nothing more then what came with the filter system. What do you mean "pack and the filter around the outside"?
I have the heater cranked all the way up and the highest it will read is 82. It was rated for a 60gal tank, but 82 is the highest it will hit. I'm not going to go by another heater just for the cycling process though since with the type of fish I want to get they should be between 77-80.

It just really stinks cause I know I should be so close to the end and it seems like I'm not.

 

[phishfriend]

Yeah, don't buy another heater. That was just a suggestion if it was possible.

I could be wrong but I think the 350 mag canister has a center mesh container that can be filled with carbon or bio rings whatever you would like to use. Then around the mess container marineland makes a per filter sock that's made from the blue filter pad. Am I wrong?

 

[Twenty1]

Yeah, don't buy another heater. That was just a suggestion if it was possible.

I could be wrong but I think the 350 mag canister has a center mesh container that can be filled with carbon or bio rings whatever you would like to use. Then around the mess container marineland makes a per filter sock that's made from the blue filter pad. Am I wrong?

nope, not wrong! I'm NOT using the clear cylinder, but rather using the carbon, and then blue sponge that goes around that portion. nothing else though.

Should I take the filters apart and ditch the carbon stuff and just use the sponge pad by itself?

BTW - not that it makes a huge difference but its a 250gph 55gal marineland hot magnum filter, not the 350gph one.

 

[phishfriend]

I would ditch the carbon and replace it with bio rings. I think the problem your having is that you don't have enough prime surface area for the BB to colonize on. Fill that center area with seachem matrix or bio max from fluva and im sure you will see clear results in about a week. Also leave that blue sock around it. And don't replace it until its falling apart. If it gets super gummed up just squeeze and ring it out in old tank water to remove the dirt because it contains a Ton of BB you want to keep. No tap water on it either!
I really think those changes will get you on track and keep you there!

 

[Twenty1]

I would say this is working pretty nicely now.

on March 23rd at 2:30pm
Ammonia was at .25 and I added 5ml of ammonia and it brought it to an in between 3 and 4ppm
by 8pm it dropped to 0! That was pretty quick
then I added 5ml of ammonia and it brought it to 3ppm

Here is my March 23rd run down:
HOORAY!! March 23rd
@ 9:00am

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
added 4ml ammonia and it brought it up to 3.0ppm

@2:30pm

ammonia was at .25 (that was a quick drop)
nitrite 0
added 5ml of ammonia and it brought it to an in between 3 and 4ppm

@8:00pm

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
added 5ml of ammonia and it brought it to 3.0ppm

 

[phishfriend]

Did you switch the carbon?

 

[Twenty1]

Did you switch the carbon?

I did not yet...I was going to take the carbon out when I did the 95% was water change.

 

[phishfriend]

cool I'm glad your tanks coming around! good luck!

 

[librarygirl]

Looks like it's progressing nicely now. In the beginning, you had some PH drops (mid-low 6's) which can stall the cycle, so that could be why things took a little longer to get going. Keep an eye on PH and make sure it stays above 7. Also only dose ammonia once in 24 hours even if it goes to 0 before then. What are your nitrates now?

 

[Twenty1]

Looks like it's progressing nicely now. In the beginning, you had some PH drops (mid-low 6's) which can stall the cycle, so that could be why things took a little longer to get going. Keep an eye on PH and make sure it stays above 7. Also only dose ammonia once in 24 hours even if it goes to 0 before then. What are your nitrates now?

NItrates are 5.0 and have been the same for a while.

nitrites are 0 and ammonia seems to drop anywhere from .25 to 0 within 24hrs.

 

[Twenty1]

testing my ammonia and nitrites every 24hrs I get 0 across...however what seems odd to me is the nitrites are almost a very light light/pale green, like an aqua color...no where even near the chart color.