55 gal set-up and cycle

[eco23]

Ammonia does have basic properties than can potentially raise the pH to some degree. Cycling in general plays havoc with your pH, so unless it drops suddenly...I wouldn't concern myself with it.

If you've got it in you...doing a massive water change or two to get the no2 down to .5-1 wouldn't be a bad idea. just don't be surprised if it shoots right back up. Also, don't forget the dechlorinator and to match temps

 

[FishieMomma]

Thanks! Matching temps with water from the sink is a little tricky I've noticed. I know it's very important once there are fish in there, but how important is it now?

 

[eco23]

Thanks! Matching temps with water from the sink is a little tricky I've noticed. I know it's very important once there are fish in there, but how important is it now?

As long as it's similar to the touch it'll be fine...even once you have fish. Right now it's not uber important. When I was cycling one time and first got my Python, I totally forgot to match temps and I flooded the tank with cold water. Luckily in that case I didn't have fish in there.

 

[FishieMomma]

Ended up doing a 60% pwc.
New numbers:
ph 7.4 (normal)
Nitrites 5+ ( no change)
nitrates 20-40 (same color as before pwc

Added a pinch of pulverized flake food and another capful of ammonia.

THEN added the Prime. Ooops. Hope I didn't kill any BBs!

 

[FishieMomma]

Ok, checked the numbers again. Doesn't look like killed any BBs. The ammonia is exactly at 4.0. nitrites=5+ and nitrates=20-40 like before.

I am biting the bullet and doing a massive pwc as far down as possible while not uncovering the substrate. It helps that I searched online for how to correctly use my siphon and there were great videos on YouTube explaining it.

 

[FishieMomma]

After a 90% pwc, the nitrites and nitrates are still the same! Weird. Does that make sense?

 

[eco23]

Hmm...the good news is it shows you've got a ton of ammonia converting bacteria, but the nitrItes must've been absolutely through the roof if you can't get them down.

It's your call, you can drain it to the gravel and refill, or just leave it be. The first time I did a fishless cycle I only did 1 pwc through the entire thing, and it worked out fine

 

[FishieMomma]

After 2 pwc back to back, I think I'll rest it a day and do another 90% on Friday.

Thanks, Eco!

 

[zparticle]

Cheering you on!

 

[FishieMomma]

NitrAtes dropping! not good

My Ph is a stable 7.4
Ammonia is nearly 0 after full dosing of yesterday to 4 (one capful of Ace ammonia does it)
The NitrItes are dropping a little but still 5+
The NitrAtes are dropping, too??!!!

Looks like maybe a cycle crash is starting. I am doing a massive, to-the-gravel water change.

BTW, my I tried explaining the logic of this whole process to my hubby who says that a water change is irrelevant. I told him that, from what I understand, a pac can stop a crash by keeping the Ph and buffers more stable. He gave me a funny look and asked me, "You do remember I am a bio-chemist, right?" LOL, from the US Air Force Academy, no less! So I am doing the water change anyway and hope someone can explain to me why so I can explain it to my hubby.

Hugs to all,

Jen

 

[FishieMomma]

Did water change. Ammonia 0 Nitrites 5+ Nitrates 20

The pwc didn't change anything. Maybe hubby is right. Reduced ammonia with 1 cap of ammonia.

 

[eco23]

It's hard to argue with a bio-chemist...but the simple fact is that nitrifying bacteria consume nutrients in the water column as well as the buffers which keep pH stable through the process. Water changes replenish those things. The main concern is that if the nutrients are used up...it can cause stalls which will be corrected by replacing water which contains it naturally (a small pinch of fish food helps as well). When the buffers are consumed, pH can fluctuate wildly and drop due to the fact that nitrifying bacteria excrete acidic waste. Nitrification slows as it approaches the 6.5(ish) level...and if allowed to drop much further it stops nitrification entirely.

As for why the nitrIte isn't dropping even with huge pwc's...that's a mystery to me. A 90% water change should in theory reduce the nitrItes by 90%. I'm sure yours were through the roof...but that's a bit crazy.

Reducing the ammonia level for a few days isn't a bad idea. You can just dose it to ~1ppm for the next few days, but since you've already put in the work to build such a large bio-filter...I wouldn't personally keep it there for more than 3-4 days before bumping it back up.

Also, the nitrAte is dropping only from the water changes you've been doing. The only way nitrAtes leave an aquarium are through water changes, plants absorbing them, or denitrifying bacteria converting it to nitrogen gas (but that happens in such small quantities it's virtually a nil point).

There's plenty of articles online about what Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter require to colonize your hubby can check out. Here's one that sums up a bit of the requirements-

http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html

 

[FishieMomma]

Thanks, Eco! I'm trying to get my hubby to read your guide to fishless cycling. I think he'd understand what I am doing.

In the meantime I'll be patient.

 

[FishieMomma]

Hubby, the bio-chemist, taught me how to do more accurate chemical checks: in order to get water from the middle of the tank, place the test tube in straight up and down and open end DOWN into the tank. The air in the tank with keep water out. When you get down to the bottom 2/3 of the tank, turn tube so that the open end faces up. The air bubbles will cone out and water from that part of the tank will fill up the tube. Bring straight up. Once test tube is completely out of the water, pour out a little at a time so that you only have the amount needed for your test. Usually that's 5 mil on an API teat tube. If you pour too much out, don't take from the top of the tank as that will contaminate your sample. Re-do whole procedure. It gets quick and easy once you've done it a few times.

Hubby thinks that taking the water from the top of the water gets a more concentrated bioload as that's water right off the filter.

I don't know.

Day 17
Rested

Day 18
Temp: 84
Ph: didn't test
Ammo: 0-.25
Nitrites: 5+ but turned purple slightly less quickly
Nitrates: 40-80. The reds for each reading look the same to me.

Did a 99% water change. Added prime at the beginning as advised for a 55 gallon tank.

New parameters:
Ammo:0
Nitrites:0
Nitrates:20-40

Tested my tap water and it gives me a reading of 5 ppm of Nitrates as it is.

Added 1 capful of ammonia.

 

[Deckape]

That's interesting. Thanks

When you are doing these big water changes, how much time are you taking? The reason I ask is if you're allowing the glass to dry out then you may be losing some BB.

In my humble opinion doing more than a 50 percent at one time on my tank, with a water changer, I notice the glass beginning to dry on me.

Thanks for that and any more thoughts he may have in his field of expertise are more than welcome.

Wayne

 

[FishieMomma]

I fill the tank immediately after draining. The glass on top probably does dry off. I refill the HOB filters as soon as they drain from being turned off. I use the existing tank water.

 

[FishieMomma]

Day 19

Ammo: 0-.25
Nitrite:5+
Nitrate: 40-80

Any suggestions?

I added another capful of ammonia after taking these readings.

 

[zparticle]

Nice. I'd test again today and do a big PWC. Then keep going for a few more days with the testing, every day. This is looking very good. I'm sure others will chime in but it looks nearly cycled to me. Congrats.

 

[Deckape]

You are in the home stretch for sure

 

[FishieMomma]

Thanks, Z.

I think I'll have time later today to do the pwc. The nitrites must be going down a little since they took a few seconds longer to turn purple today.