Recent content by silverfin

Perfect! Thank you.

Fully established tank leaked at bottom. How long will the BBs last in the gravel that was removed from the old tank? Wet gravel is being stored in a room temperature ice cooler.

:thanks: Threnjen, you have been a major help during my cycle! Will go today and get more plants! :dance:

Day 35- Stocked my tank yesterday: 1 Blue Gourami, 5 Pearl Danios, 4 Julii Cats, 1 Rainbow Shark. These are all juveniles. Will they sustain my bb and, will the nitrates start to rise with time? No3 <10 now. Anything else I should watch for?

Think I botched the photo upload. Trying again.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and... a happy ending to the fishless cycle! Day 31. Thank you all at Aquarium Advice! For other beginners reading this... follow the advice posted here and have PATIENCE!

Day 30...Big breakthrough! NitrItes = <.25! NitrAtes >160, ammo 0, pH 7.0. Haven't dosed ammo in 3 days, will add 2.0 this morning & see what happens. Had fish over 20 years ago, but was never really in "control" of their environment. This is such a good feeling! Thanks to all who commented.

No bottled stuff, been using pure ammonia from the start. Had seeding water from an established tank. The only additions of any kind has been one dose of liquid plant food.

That's my plan... haven't dosed in two days, will add 2.0 ammo today.

3 hrs later... nitrates >100! I think I'm on the fishless cycle roller coaster.

No problem on the quiz. Yes, doing this exact procedure. Also, using city tap water which tests clear across the board. Interesting, I added some ground fish food last night and the nitrAtes have come up this morning to >80? Ammo 0, nitrItes <5, pH 7.2.

Bought a new test kit. No change. All readings the same. Petdumb tested my water with "strips" and confirmed that my nitrites are "high" and nitrates are "ok". Geez!

Really frustrated here! How can nitrates go from >160 to 5 in less than 12 hrs?? Since last post at 10:22 last night tested at 8:00 AM, Ammo 0, no2 <5.0, no3 5, ph 7.0. I all but broke the #2 solution bottle shaking and banging on the counter. Performed the test 3 times. I'm taking water to LFS...

Wow, 12 hrs after last 4.0 ammo dose = ammo 0, no2 5.0 +, no3 160 +, pH 6.8. Must have been knocking the no3 #2 solution on the counter that did it.

Thanks. Found your thread from Dec I think on "dosing too much ammo". I may follow your advice to cut back on the ammo dose frequency.