yay! - My tank is cycling

[lornajane89]

Hi guess cycling has started i think. My water was stinking 2 days ago so i did abot 60% pwc and redosed ammonia accordingly. Tested today and got ammonia 0 ppm trites 50ppm trates 5 ppm im struggling with high range ph tho cant tell if its 7.4 or 8. But looking good for now. My water is still pretty murky at the minute tho

 

[Flossie]

I have the same issue with my ph... looking good on the cycle

 

[ShadoeFox]

A good start! I hate the PH one too, btw. I make my wife tell me what it says (She was an art student. I figure that means she's better with colors than me.)

 

[redsea]

Hi guess cycling has started i think. My water was stinking 2 days ago so i did abot 60% pwc and redosed ammonia accordingly. Tested today and got ammonia 0 ppm trites 50ppm trates 5 ppm im struggling with high range ph tho cant tell if its 7.4 or 8. But looking good for now. My water is still pretty murky at the minute tho

Glad cycling has started for you, you will have fish in no time. Just keep cycling!

 

[lornajane89]

i know what you mean i always try and be optimistic with the ph and say 7.6 but it always maxes out on the normal ph test and the browns are a nightmare on the high range test, i guess once youve seen the differences in colour it might get easier. just for info purposes im cycling with household ammonia hydroxide 10% and seachems stability been going at it for about 2 weeks and finally getting results. i did start with a fish in cycle but my barbs died and were removed so i think that might be adding to the odour. but all is good, re dosed ammonia to 3-4ppm and will keep testing

 

[lornajane89]

Ok... Bit confused now, i redosed ammonia to 3ppm yesterday and today have done some tests:
Ammonia 0.10 ppm
Trites 0 ppm
Trates 0 - 5.0 ppm??

How can i have less nitrates than i did yesterday.. The tank is empty besides gravel and murky water. Ill redose ammonia and seachem stability and check tomorrow

 

[lornajane89]

Things are back on track.. Not sure what caused the last results but lookin at
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Trites - 2 - 5ppm
Trates - 15ppm



Redosing to 3 - 4 ppm ammonia

 

[lornajane89]

Oh and the smell seems to have eased off now since i turned on an air rock. Still really cloudy water tho

 

[lornajane89]

Todays test are as follows
Ammonia 0.1ppm
Trites 5ppm
Trates 30ppm

Hope its alright me using this thread as a log.

Will the water clear up once the cycles finished. Its starting to smell like a normal tank now. Hopefully i will be done in a couple of weeks

 

[lornajane89]

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 5+
Nitrates not tested

I think the water is starting to clear up, i can just about make out the back of the tank. I accidentally added too much ammonia to about 8ppm but its maxed out so could be higher. I think it killed my resident snail that was in one of the now deceased plants. Will this affect my cycle or is it worth waiting untill tomorrow.

 

[millerb7]

I'd do a PWC if the ammonia is that high. If it's off the charts that can def. stall your cycle out.

I'd do a PWC to get the ammonia back down to 3-4ppm.

 

[lornajane89]

Well i didnt get your reply till today and havent done a pwc but i tested and my ammonia has dropped to approx 0.10ppm so i dont think all is lost except my snail ill redose carefully and drop to 2ppm perhaps. Its typical though i had a call from the lfs the have got my leopard climbing perch and my tank isnt ready im gonna reserve one. they said that would be ok but i just want my cycle to hurry up so im not left with the left over poor specimin(sp?)

 

[lornajane89]

I think the snail was sleeping.. Hes back to life today. My tank is still cycling and was very cloudy. As my fish is in at the lfs im trying to hurry things up a bit. I did a pwc but used some water from my other tank and cleaned the filter pads in the water i took out. I add

 

[lornajane89]

Cont....
I added the brown waste water to my new tank and kept disturbing it to run it through the filter. I havent tested yet but this mornin my water is almost 100% clearer. So im hoping its boosted my cycling a little. Ive had 0ppm ammonia on virtually every test. My nitrites have been spiking and nitrates have been low. So will test later and hopefully my nitrites will start coming down

 

[lornajane89]

Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrites - 1 -2 ppm
Nitrates - not tested but rising

My water is crystal clear i think the dirty water pwc made a big difference my nitrites have started falling since i did. Still cant make my mind up where i should put the piece of mopani which is on the right(see pic) ill keep testing hopefully ill be able to collect my climbing perch soon.











Quite pleased to get so far in less than a month. Thanks for all the help and advice people!

dean

 

[lornajane89]

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates 80+ppm
really pleased, i just got back of a looooong trip and tested my tank. My first cycle is finished. Ive redosed to 3ppm. So now i just keep testin & redosing till i get zeros after 24 hours a few times then a big pwc then i can add fish?
Thanks