eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
libraygirl said:
BTW, I'd dose that thing back up to 3-4ppm.
4+ weeks of Cycling Fishless and no changes...what am I doing wrong?
- Thread starter librarygirl
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BTW, I'd dose that thing back up to 3-4ppm.
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librarygirl
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Thanks everyone. I know I shouldn't get excited yet but I can't help it! This is the first change I've seen in weeks other than the addition of nitrAtes. 
This is the filter my tank uses: Marineland Rite Size G Filter which to me looks like it has a lot of surface lol It also has a BioWheel.
This is the filter my tank uses: Marineland Rite Size G Filter which to me looks like it has a lot of surface lol It also has a BioWheel.
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librarygirl
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Oh no, really? I shouldn't wait until it gets near zero? This is what happened the first time the ammo dropped after I added the sponge filter...It dropped to 0.5 and I dosed it back up and then it got stuck. Should I wait until tomorrow morning to see if it drops further?
I admit I'm scared of redosing lol
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librarygirl
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Hm, not sure, mine have always been this clear. Is your tank water cloudy? Is your test kit out of date?
eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
libraygirl said:
No reason to be scared. It won't hurt to wait till morning and watch for change. But eventually you need to dose it up again. Unfortunately its not as easy as letting it drop to zero and add fish, you've got to get that thing converting 3-4ppm in 24 hours to consider it cycled.
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librarygirl
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No I know, I just don't want to lose my high yet LOL I'll test it in the morning and see what happens. Hopefully it'll drop a little further so I know for sure something is happening and then I'll dose it back up. Thanks for the article too, I'll give it a read although if it's very scientific it might be over my head lol
xxwolfpackof1xx
Aquarium Advice Addict
libraygirl said:
nope water goes in crystal clear kit was made in october 10 so chems are still good i mean it gives accurate ammo readings its just cloudy im also doin sw so that may be why as well
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librarygirl
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Well I checked this morning: still 1 PPM, maybe even between 1 and 2. 
I did double-dose Prime yesterday....would that be showing up as some ammonia readings? Or am I grasping at straws? lol
I'll check again tonight. I only checked ammonia, didn't bother with anything else this morning.
I did double-dose Prime yesterday....would that be showing up as some ammonia readings? Or am I grasping at straws? lol
I'll check again tonight. I only checked ammonia, didn't bother with anything else this morning.
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librarygirl
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Been reading a bit more on cycling and maybe my water is too soft for the cycle? The GH of my tap water is 3 (takes 3 drops to turn faintly yellow, takes about 4-6 drops for brighter yellow/gold, not sure which is more accurate) and my KH is 2 (2 drops to turn color). Could this be the issue?
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
Depending on the kit (I use Nutrafin GH/KH), it's when the last drop turned it a different color and not how dark the color is. GH of 3 drops is really low, mine took 12 drops and my pH is lock solid at 7.8 after sitting for 2hrs. What's your pH readings (out of tap vs. in tank)?
xxwolfpackof1xx
Aquarium Advice Addict
what exactly is gh and kh? you'd thinkk id know because i have a sw tank yet i dont
Mr. Limpet
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xxwolfpackof1xx
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how do they relate to the tank and cycling that i never got
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librarygirl
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I'm using the API GH/KH kit. So if it's when it turns color, then the GH is at 3 and KH is 2.
For the tank, my PH is usually higher than 7.6 (darker blue than the blue on the API chart) and my high PH is usually 7.4 (a couple of times it's been a bit higher, around 7.8, but most of the time it's around 7.4).
Out of the tap, my PH is very dark blue, off the chart of 7.6 and my High PH is a very violet color, probably at least 8.4 .But if I let the tap water sit for about 24 hours, the high PH settles to 7.4 (the PH stays dark blue).
When I did the GH/KH test on my tap water I also tested my aquarium water (on May 22, not since then) and the GH was 5 and the KH was 4.
uh.oh...
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they are measures of dissolved salts and minerals in your water. They buffer the water against ph swings, and are used by plants, animals, corals...ect, in growth of shells and other hard things.
xxwolfpackof1xx
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wow man you got high ph straight out the tap mines 6-6.5 i wish i had a low range to test again to be more accurate but wen it was tested it was with a liquid kit
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm using the API GH/KH kit. So if it's when it turns color, then the GH is at 3 and KH is 2.
For the tank, my PH is usually higher than 7.6 (darker blue than the blue on the API chart) and my high PH is usually 7.4 (a couple of times it's been a bit higher, around 7.8, but most of the time it's around 7.4).
Out of the tap, my PH is very dark blue, off the chart of 7.6 and my High PH is a very violet color, probably at least 8.4 .But if I let the tap water sit for about 24 hours, the high PH settles to 7.4 (the PH stays dark blue).
When I did the GH/KH test on my tap water I also tested my aquarium water (on May 22, not since then) and the GH was 5 and the KH was 4.
My pH does the same thing tap/tank wise and letting it set is the best solution IME. I've never used the regular pH test solution because mine never gets below 7.6. If your water is testing at 7.4 after sitting for 24hrs, is the pH in your tank dropping? Do you have something in there to effect it (DW, peat, etc)?. What's the pH in your tank right now?
I don't know the API test, so read the instructions again in my suggestion. On the NF kit, they say that the last drop to make any color change it where you stop adding drops and count them up.
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librarygirl
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Thanks. So if I ever get fish
nono and do water changes should I let the water sit for a day before adding it to the tank to let the PH settle? I'm wondering if this is what did my fish in, after a 60% water change they all died so I'm wondering if the PH got them. No, the PH in my tank doesn't drop. It's been consistently higher than 7.6 (dark blue) and the high ph has been consistently around 7.4 (once or twice it recently seemed like it went up to 7.8 but usually it's around 7.4 give or take a shade).
The API GH/KH kit is a bit confusing. For KH, step number 5 says "....the test is completed when the water in the test tube, after having been shaken, turns from blue to yellow." Which in my case would be 2 drops. But then for Step 6 it says "The KH Value is determined by the number of drops of test solution that must be added to turn the water in the test tube bright yellow." So if it's bright yellow they want and not just yellow, it takes a few more drops for the shade to get a golden brighter yellow. It's a bit confusing.
The GH test just says for Step 5 "The test is completed, after having been shaken, turns from orange to green." Step 6 says the same: "The GH value is determined by the number of drops of reagent that must be added to turn the water in the test tube green." Which in my case is 3.
The conversion chart says:
KH is 2 drops so the degree of dKH is 2 and PPM GH/KH is 35.8
GH is 3 so degree of dKH is 3 and PPM GH/KH is 53.7
What that means in practical terms I have no idea. I guess I just need to know if the fish I plan on getting for the tank (if if if it cycles!) would be OK in that type of water, right? I visited an LFS yesterday and saw Celestial Pearl Danios (Galaxy Rasbora) which are absolutely gorgeous and which I actually thought about all night lol So ideally I'd like to get a school of those (6-8) and 2 African Dwarf Frogs and I'm torn between a school of Glolight Tetras or some type of Platy.
It seems silly to think about fish though when this darn tank doesn't seem to want to hold any life in it
xxwolfpackof1xx
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even after i give you the gravel if it wont cycle il cycle it for you
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librarygirl
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Your'e sweet thanks! I'm hoping the gravel will help too, I can't wait until Wednesday if we can get together! But then I thought the sponge filter would help (not) and the SafeStart would help (apparently not) so who knows, I think my tank is just immune to living things lol
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