29 gallon tank journey thread ( cycling Q+A ).

[shellieca]

I finished cleaning my house today and after at 4pm est i tested again and after a week of low ammonia levels low nitrites an 5ppm of nitrate now my ammonia is 2.ppm and my nitrite 0 and nitrate 0-.1 maybe this sucks!!!! gah , what do you guys think besides doing a big water change any ideas on why the spike.

Edit, I am positive that first test was faulty idk what happen but i just retested n its reads .25ppm now ill do another test just to make super sure

Is the pic the 1st test or 2nd because your ammo looks like its about 2 or so in the pic. I've got no advice other than to keep doing what your doing. How long have you been cycling? I'm surprised you don't have nitrates, I had them very early on but then I did a fish in cycle. My 10g seems to still be cycling & I'm going on week 8, I'm so ready for it to be over!

 

[Saucy840]

Is the pic the 1st test or 2nd because your ammo looks like its about 2 or so in the pic. I've got no advice other than to keep doing what your doing. How long have you been cycling? I'm surprised you don't have nitrates, I had them very early on but then I did a fish in cycle. My 10g seems to still be cycling & I'm going on week 8, I'm so ready for it to be over!

That is a picture of the first faulty tests, yes it was about 2ppm lol i must of put extra drops some how , the next one which is right was .25ppm , ive been in cycle 2 1/2 almost 3 weeks and had signs of nitrites and trates but they have seemd to dwindled out , There might be a small amount of trates tho.But i am happy that the ammonia is not super high and doesnt seem to be rising at all daily,. 8 weeks jeez i already want mine to be done i could imagine how u feel

 

[Saucy840]

upppdate.

Ey guys hows everyone doing.Just another update .

ph-7.6ppm
HighPH-7.4
Ammonia-still .25 maybe alittle less.
Nitrite-0ppm ( did see in the start of this week not sure why the pike n drop)
Nitrate-0ppm-1.5 or 2ppm (not exactly yellow but not 5ppm either)

Anyone got any ideas on why the quick spike of both trite n trate and then pretty much nothing again but with ammonia not rising or rele seeming to fall?
Also as you notice i have no gravel in the tank at the moment , how much is this hurting the speed of the cycle because i know alot of BB lives in the gravel of tanks? Is bad to not have gravel at this moment(i dont have any bottom feeders currently).But the platies keep the bottom pretty clean i must say.To fill you in i havnt added gravel yet because i still havnt had the time or a way to the LFS yet , also i have no vacume cleaner to clean it so i said ill wait.I put a sponge in my filter also in back of the charcoal filter i read the BB will live in there is this doing anything for me?

 

[Saucy840]

update8/20/12

Hi again everyone , about 21 days in and heres my readings

pH-7.6
High pH-7.4 or 7.5
Ammonia-.25-50.ppm
nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-0-1 or 2ppm ( Not sure if it should be the same yellow on the card or not but its alittle darker but not 5.0ppm

I was doing about 50% water changes the first week and a half due to ammonia but now it has not gone up or down rele and ive only been doing maybe 40% changes every other day or a day longer, still no real signs of trite or trate hmm.I also make sure i treat the water when i change also.I feed 2 times a day enough that they can eat in about 1-2 minutes.

Any input guys!!!

 

[shellieca]

Hi again everyone , about 21 days in and heres my readings

pH-7.6
High pH-7.4 or 7.5
Ammonia-.25-50.ppm
nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-0-1 or 2ppm ( Not sure if it should be the same yellow on the card or not but its alittle darker but not 5.0ppm

I was doing about 50% water changes the first week and a half due to ammonia but now it has not gone up or down rele and ive only been doing maybe 40% changes every other day or a day longer, still no real signs of trite or trate hmm.I also make sure i treat the water when i change also.I feed 2 times a day enough that they can eat in about 1-2 minutes.

Any input guys!!!

I'm surprised you don't have nitrates but I guess that can happen. One of my fish IN cycling tanks took about 6 wks before I saw nitrites & then I had them for 2 wks. It just finished cycling this past Friday, just shy of 8 wks. I set up another 10g tank this past Friday that is fish IN cycling & nitrates showed up by Sunday, not real high but there. My ammo rarely fluctuated especially because of the water changes I did to keep it from getting high. Wish I had something really good to tell you other than I feel your pain. It just goes to show no to tanks cycle the same.

 

[Saucy840]

I'm surprised you don't have nitrates but I guess that can happen. One of my fish IN cycling tanks took about 6 wks before I saw nitrites & then I had them for 2 wks. It just finished cycling this past Friday, just shy of 8 wks. I set up another 10g tank this past Friday that is fish IN cycling & nitrates showed up by Sunday, not real high but there. My ammo rarely fluctuated especially because of the water changes I did to keep it from getting high. Wish I had something really good to tell you other than I feel your pain. It just goes to show no to tanks cycle the same.

Yea i wish they were the same so i could be done lol , but whats the chances that im under stocked at the moment to try n cycle and maybe need more. , i only have 3 platies and 1 angel in the 29 gallon with the tetrawhisper 40 and topfin 10 on it.

 

[shellieca]

Yea i wish they were the same so i could be done lol , but whats the chances that im under stocked at the moment to try n cycle and maybe need more. , i only have 3 platies and 1 angel in the 29 gallon with the tetrawhisper 40 and topfin 10 on it.

I don't think you should add anymore fish. You're getting ammonia & averaging .25-.5 daily so you're moving in the right direction.

 

[jetajockey]

I agree, adding more fish at this point will just make keeping up with pwcs harder.

 

[Saucy840]

Hey everyone .... Update

Hey guys been about a full week since i posted so here is the results.


Ph 7.2-7.4
Hph 7.4-7.8
Ammonia 0-.20ppm maybe even closer to 0
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5-10 ppm

I hope the end is near and that the toxins will stay at or around 0 !!! hope so wish me luck ill give another update 2-3 days from now

 

[Saucy840]

Whats your guess on just about done.

Hello everyone here is a another update on day 31. I am starting to think i am real close to being done as my ammonia readings are about 0 and so are my nitrites and its been that way for atleast 3-4 days. The nitrate also reads 5-10.

I have a few question as to what you guys make of this link that shows every color reading for tests which comes in handy insted of guessing what my reading looks like or is supposed to be. Jo Long's blog | IO Rodeo Inc.
How True do you think it looks. I notice the ammonia 0 reading doesnt look like yellow on the chart is that a correct 0ppm reading , i have been that color for a few days now. Also with the nitrate it helped me to know how yellow 0 ppm actually should be telling me i am positive there is 5 trates. Whats your thoughts on that web page and on do you think i am about done.?!! Or am i completely wrong lol because i do notice the nitrate says 0.5 and not 5 like on the api test.

ph 7.1-7.4
ammonia 0 (looks to me the same on the link i posted)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 ( looks to me in that range and the same as the link )

 

[Saucy840]

done!!!!

Hey guys so today i got the same readings on the test and i was right an my ammonia has been 0 and so r my nitrites and nitrates 5-10 i was confused an didnt want to be to sure.

so i was thinking how can i test what 0ppm looks like compared to what i had so i tested my tap water which reads 0 for all three ( Tested it when i started i think i posted a picture) after doing that i tested my tank again n compared the ammonia , and nitrate ( the ones i was confused about.)

Here are my results ,, now after the 4 or 5 days i been reading these levels do you think im completely done?

The test on the left are the nitrate with tap on the left n tank on the right , the ones on the right are the ammonia and again tap on the left tank on the right. and nitrite in the center which is easy to read so i just put it there.

What do you guyes think!!!!????

 

[shellieca]

Hey guys so today i got the same readings on the test and i was right an my ammonia has been 0 and so r my nitrites and nitrates 5-10 i was confused an didnt want to be to sure.

so i was thinking how can i test what 0ppm looks like compared to what i had so i tested my tap water which reads 0 for all three ( Tested it when i started i think i posted a picture) after doing that i tested my tank again n compared the ammonia , and nitrate ( the ones i was confused about.)

Here are my results ,, now after the 4 or 5 days i been reading these levels do you think im completely done?

The test on the left are the nitrate with tap on the left n tank on the right , the ones on the right are the ammonia and again tap on the left tank on the right. and nitrite in the center which is easy to read so i just put it there.

What do you guyes think!!!!????

If you've been getting 0 for ammo & nitrItes for 4-5 days I'd say you're cycled. I tested mine for a week to be sure but I was slightly paranoid. LOL

 

[Saucy840]

Whats up everyone!!!

So i just tested my Aquarium and tap to compair n to make sure my cycle is done and it is!! I cant wait to add some more fish, if you have read my stockin thread or seen my ideas on this one i was thinking of geting the electric green glotetra but due to the size and number i will have to get i am going to stick with the glofish(danios), My angel is to small to eat them and as long as they dont nip him it will be fine. Here is my current stocking idea and im almost certin its going to be my decision unless you guys have some better ones!!.Anyway here's my soon to be stock and results from today.


Ammonia. 0ppm
Nitrite. 0ppm
Nitrate. 10-20 ( I am guessing a water change tonight right guys?)

1 Angelfish
3 platy
5 glofish
4 Albino corys
2 Mystery snails ( maybe )

Thanks again everyone !!!

 

[librarygirl]

Looks good! A little odd that your nitrites didn't get very high before they came down but every tank is different. If you're getting fish tomorrow then yes a large water change tonight (your nitrates aren't as high as some can get in a fishless cycle but to be safe you'd still want to get them as low as you can), don't dose ammonia, turn down the heater if you've had it high for the cycle. Do a YouTube search on drip acclimation; it's a good way of introducing fish to a new tank. Congrats! Post pics of your fish when you get them.

 

[Saucy840]

Looks good! A little odd that your nitrites didn't get very high before they came down but every tank is different. If you're getting fish tomorrow then yes a large water change tonight (your nitrates aren't as high as some can get in a fishless cycle but to be safe you'd still want to get them as low as you can), don't dose ammonia, turn down the heater if you've had it high for the cycle. Do a YouTube search on drip acclimation; it's a good way of introducing fish to a new tank. Congrats! Post pics of your fish when you get them.

Yea they didnt really pass .25 unless i didnt see higher when i skiped testing for a day or 2 , but hey its fine with me lol . I will be getting fish soon either tomorrow or tuesday not sure yet. I was doing a fish in cycle so i never dosed btw :] and i actually havnt used a heater its pretty warm in the room.Also i have been doing research on acclimation to. As soon as i get them ill make sure to post some pictures up for everyone!

 

[blert]

Yea they didnt really pass .25 unless i didnt see higher when i skiped testing for a day or 2 , but hey its fine with me lol . I will be getting fish soon either tomorrow or tuesday not sure yet. I was doing a fish in cycle so i never dosed btw :] and i actually havnt used a heater its pretty warm in the room.Also i have been doing research on acclimation to. As soon as i get them ill make sure to post some pictures up for everyone!

Make sure you add new fish in slowly, one or two at a time (unless they are tiny nano fish). The bacteria will have to build up to the increased levels of waste. In other words, your "cycle" is not complete until you reach your final stock load. After you add in your next fish you are back to daily monitoring until toxin levels zero out again before you add another round of fish. That's the down side (one of them anyway) of fish in "cycle".

 

[librarygirl]

Yea they didnt really pass .25 unless i didnt see higher when i skiped testing for a day or 2 , but hey its fine with me lol . I will be getting fish soon either tomorrow or tuesday not sure yet. I was doing a fish in cycle so i never dosed btw :] and i actually havnt used a heater its pretty warm in the room.Also i have been doing research on acclimation to. As soon as i get them ill make sure to post some pictures up for everyone!

Oops sorry, I missed that you had fish. When you add more just add slowly and test and do extra water changes if needed etc (I'm sure you know the drill by now). Good luck!

 

[Saucy840]

@ blert. Yes i know i dont want to overload the BB so im going to add some glofish first n wait for the BB to get used to more of a load , test test test , make sure everything is in line before i can add more fish. I have already went over all the steps over n over to make sure everything goes to plan.

@ Librarygirl. Its ok :] . Your right i do know the drill i go over things daily to make sure everything is how it should be..!!


Thanks again n pictures of the new fish soon!!

 

[Saucy840]

Substrate

Hey everyone quick question, Before i add any new fish im going to add sand to my tank. I do not have any substrate at the moment and been doing alot of research on how to do this but i figured i would ask here to make sure.


I already have fish so i know i have to take them out before adding the sand. I do have a spare tank to hold them in however its only 5.5 gallons, Will this be ok to put a small angel n 3 platys for the minimal amount of time it takes the water to clear.


Here is the way i plan on going about it Correct me or add any ideas you have in mind.


step 1. Drain water from the main tank into the small tank.
step 2. Drain the the water from the main tank about half way
step 3. Take the filters and add them to the small tank to keep the BB alive and water running through them.
step 4. Now i wont be able to fit all my plants an things inside the small tank so leaving them in the main one will be fine while i add the sand correct.(trying to keep them all under water so BB dont die)
step 5. Rinse sand over n over n over before adding to the tank.
step 6. Add sand- I read the idea of adding the sand by using a pvc pipe or tube to let it slide to the bottome to reduce cloudiness. ( any ideas on other good methods to add it? )
step 7. Wait for the water to clear before adding filters or fish.


Now besides the few questions i had up there i also have a few more. Will adding this sand in my tank that is finished the cycle mess anything up? ammonia , nitrite or trate.I know the pH might change but i can deal with that. Also will i killing any BB or just making more room for the BB to live since it lives in the substrate.( Remember i currently have no substrate).


Thanks again.

 

[blert]

Move step 5 to step 1, it takes the longest.