10 Gallon Build Thread

[itsgracia]

Phew that rotting shrimp smell is undescribable! Anyway tested this morning..

Day 5 of fishless cycling

Ammonia >8
Nitrite 0

Did a 50% water change and will retest in an hour. I also removed the shrimp in there and will just dose with fish flakes once the ammonia starts to go down to 1. Will post after PWC test results later.

EDIT: An hour later result

Ammonia 4-5
Nitrite 0

Im gonna leave it at that and see how it looks like tomorrow.

 

[Homedog98]

Sounds good! Keep us posted!

 

[itsgracia]

Day 6 of fishless cycling

Ammonia 1
Nitrite 2-3

Put in a small pinch of fish food in there. This is going faster than I expected. I just thought about it...does ammonia usually go down that quickly? Yes I did seed the filter and also got some substrate in there but I just dont know about the quick dip of the Ammonia. Will test again tomorrow morning.

 

[Homedog98]

I think your fine, just keep watching it.

 

[itsgracia]

Week 1 of fishless cycling

Ammonia .50
Nitrite 4
Nitrate 0

I think my nitrite are starting to spike. This is so exciting! I added just a little tiny pinch of flake food because I figured the one I added yesterday probably hasn't decayed yet. Will report again Monday.

 

[Homedog98]

Good choice. Keep it up!

 

[itsgracia]

Ok this will be day 10

Ammonia 0.25 (added more fish flakes)
Nitrite 4
Nitrate 0

Go down Nitrite! GO DOWN!

 

[arangarajan93]

You can put mollies with your betta.

 

[Homedog98]

No, you want nitrites at this stage. What your waiting for is nitrates to pop up, then your nitrites should start falling. Just watch it, your on the right track!

 

[itsgracia]

@homedog98 that's what I meant..i want to Nitrate to show up and the Nitrite to go down...LOL.

@arangarajan93 i decided on 2 ADFs. I am doing all the research I can do now before my tank finishes cycling.

 

[Homedog98]

Good stuff. The ADF's will be fine! They love terra cotta pots btw!

 

[arangarajan93]

Sorry to ask this. I am a newbie. What is ADF?!

 

[Homedog98]

African Dwarf Frog. It's ok, we all ask at some point!

 

[itsgracia]

Day 12 of fishless cycling

Ammonia 0 (put in another pinch of flakes)
Nitrite 2
Nitrate 5

I think im getting there guys. Im getting excited! I noticed too today that the water is crystal clear. Gosh I love AC filters! The water was so cloudy last week due to a bacterial bloom (white cloudy) and it was not looking pretty. I will see how it looks like tomorrow and hopefully in the next couple of days, the cycle will be complete.

 

[itsgracia]

And just for the heck of it...

I changed the background from blue to black...I want a dark blue betta and was afraid that the betta will probably blend in with the background. Also took one of the fake plants in the back and centered the remaining one. It looked too crowded with two of those in the back.

 

[Homedog98]

It's looking great! Keep it up!

 

[itsgracia]

I think I'm cycled!

Day 13

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate between 5 and 10

I will test again tomorrow and Monday. If all results are the same then I will do a 50% water change on Monday. During lunch I will get my stock.

Do you think I should add more flakes? I've been adding flakes since Monday (just little pinches). I don't want it to go rotting all weekend and throw my cycle off. Advice appreciated.

 

[Homedog98]

Just a few to keep the good bacteria from starving, like, one pinch per day or something.

 

[itsgracia]

ok thanks will do.

 

[itsgracia]

Day 14

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10

I'm really itching to get livestock now but will wait until Monday. I don't want to leave them in my office over the weekend without supervision.