slight pH drop at end of fishless cycle. Concern?

[gd007]

Hi all,
background:
* I am at the end of my fishless cycle with 4 continuous days/cycles of spiking to 4ppm Ammonia and both Ammonia and Nitrites going down to zero in 24 hours.
* My last huge water change was 12/8 because, at that time, both Nitrite and Nitrate were off the charts (yet pH remained between 7.4-->7.6).
* My first "omg I might be cycled" was on 12/10 when Ammonia and Nitrite were both down to zero after bringing ammonia to 4ppm 24 hours before.


Last 24 hours:
Ok I tested on 12.13.13 at ~6pm and readings were (1st image attached):
pH: 7.4-7.6
Ammonia:0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:100
I added 9.4ml Ammonia at ~615pm (12.13.13).

I happened to wake up early today (12.14.13) and tested water to see the progress - what is alarming me is my pH drop. This is the first time that the standard pH test has been blue-green. All other times it was 7.6 blue and high pH was 7.4. I took an image with my tap water just so I could have something to contrast to determine 'how much green'.. Please see attached 2nd image.
I took a 3rd image but this time - i simple did the high pH test (after I cleaned out the tap water test tube).


Is this a NORMAL drop due to the higher Nitrites?
I read the results as:
pH: 7 (has been 7.6-blue- with the standard pH)
high pH: less than 7.4
Ammonia:0
Nitrite: 1
Nitrate: 100

Thoughts? Wait till 6pm (i.e. 24 hours from when i spiked Ammonia) and see if Nitrites are zero and pH at that time?? Or do a water change N.O.W.??

Thanks,
-GD007

 

[gd007]

results at 1115am -

Hi all,
Thoughts? Wait till 6pm (i.e. 24 hours from when i spiked Ammonia) and see if Nitrites are zero and pH at that time?? Or do a water change N.O.W.??
Thanks,
-GD007

Here are the readings at 1115am. I read this as:
pH: 7
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.25-->0.50
Nitrate: 100

I do plan on a water change this evening (~6pm) and will only be adding Ammonia to 1ppm, not 4ppm, moving forward until I get fish.

Concerns? Thoughts?
-GD007

 

[Nimo]

Your all good!
As long as your Ph is staying in a safe range which it is no need to worry. The good thing is as of now you dont have any live stock in there. It will stabilize. Just keep in mind any new tank is gonna have hiccups. But as long as you are keeping an eye this closely on things those hiccups will be minor.

 

[Rivercats]

It's not uncommon at all to have a ph drop during cycling. By the time you do a few big WC's to bring nitrate down to 20ppm of lower you will have enough buffers added back into the water to bring ph back up.

 

[Nimo]

It's not uncommon at all to have a ph drop during cycling. By the time you do a few big WC's to bring nitrate down to 20ppm of lower you will have enough buffers added back into the water to bring ph back up.

Yep yep!

 

[gd007]

H2O results at 740pm (12.14.13)

FYI - water results at 740pm (12.14.13) before I do a 90%+ water change.
-GD007

 

[gd007]

FYI - water results at 740pm (12.14.13) before I do a 90%+ water change.
-GD007

Water change completed ~920pm (12.14.13). I let the tank run and took these water measurements at 1115pm:
pH: 7.4-7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10

I then added 9ml Ammonia at 1120pm (12.14.13). We'll see how it looks tomorrow in the evening.

Thanks,
-GD007

 

[gd007]

results on 12.15.13 (1010am)

results on 12.15.13 (1010am) after only ~11hours from when I added 9ml of Ammonia.

pH: 7.4-7.6
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 2
Nitrate: 40

 

[gd007]

Just wanted to say thanks to those that have been helping me. I am very excited to share that my first group of fish should arrive today (from thatfishplace.com). I purchased the 5 Boesemani Raindows and the 6 Panda Corys.

 

[gd007]

Just wanted to say thanks to those that have been helping me. I am very excited to share that my first group of fish should arrive today (from thatfishplace.com). I purchased the 5 Boesemani Raindows and the 6 Panda Corys.

Pictures will be loaded here:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-to-arrive-drip-setup-290072.html#post2760004