Another Cycle Question-- No NitrItes but NitrAtes?

[eco23]

Thanks eco, you're a great help, will post results again soon!

Happy to help. This is a science experiment for me too

 

[PaulG5372]

More Chem Results

6/2: 11:00PM
Ammonia: Dosed back up to 4 ppm

6/3: 5:00PM
Ammonia: 2 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

6/4: 5:00PM
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
Dosed back up, but didn't record how much.

6/5: 4:45PM
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm


9:00PM dosed back up to 4 ppm

6/6: 5:00PM
Ammonia: 3
Nitrite: 0 ppm


Seeing drops is ammonia, however not all that fast and variable. Not seeing ANY nitiItes though?

Do you think the tank is actually cycling or are my plants having some effect? Seems to me that the two small plants I have couldn't use up that much ammonia though.

Still scratching my head on why I'm not seeing any nitrites.

 

[eco23]

More Chem Results

6/2: 11:00PM
Ammonia: Dosed back up to 4 ppm

6/3: 5:00PM
Ammonia: 2 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

6/4: 5:00PM
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
Dosed back up, but didn't record how much.

6/5: 4:45PM
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm

9:00PM dosed back up to 4 ppm

6/6: 5:00PM
Ammonia: 3
Nitrite: 0 ppm

Seeing drops is ammonia, however not all that fast and variable. Not seeing ANY nitiItes though?

Do you think the tank is actually cycling or are my plants having some effect? Seems to me that the two small plants I have couldn't use up that much ammonia though.

Still scratching my head on why I'm not seeing any nitrites.

Welcome to the world of bacteria in a bottle, lol. The plants wouldn't be absorbing that level of ammo...so we can thank our friends at the Tetra laboratory for the odd readings. Something is consuming the ammo, I just hope it's a type of bacteria that will prove stable for you.

I assume the only logical thing to do is wait until the tank can drop 4ppm of ammo down to 0 in 24 hours and consider it (somewhat) cycled. Once that happens I'd keep a very sharp eye on the ammo and no2 once you've got fish. There's more than one thread floating around right now of bio-filters being unstable after using the Tetra and Seachem cycling products.

If the conversion seems to be slowing, go ahead and do a 50% pwc and see if it gets things moving. A small pinch of finely ground up fish food won't hurt either. I'll be keeping up

 

[PaulG5372]

Thanks eco, I will definitely make sure that it is stable. Also never posted this but the brand of ammonia I'm using is majestic extra strength ammonia, only surface bubbles when shaken that immediately disappear when shaken so I'm assuming that the ammonia source is not a problem. No ingredient list on the bottle.

 

[eco23]

Thanks eco, I will definitely make sure that it is stable. Also never posted this but the brand of ammonia I'm using is majestic extra strength ammonia, only surface bubbles when shaken that immediately disappear when shaken so I'm assuming that the ammonia source is not a problem. No ingredient list on the bottle.

The one I used was also some random brand no one ever heard of. I think they usually will say in tiny print anything else it contains. In fact, if you're not using it to cycle a tank...I would think things like surfactants would be a selling point and they'd want to advertise it.

 

[pantherspawn]

What of the possibility that the nitrite test in he kind is faulty and there is in fact nitrites being produced. The ammo has to be converted by something as the levels keep dropping. Have you tried using a different nitrite tester?

 

[PaulG5372]

I think it's very possible, I know from a good amount of lab experience that those tests can be faulty pretty often. Does API sell the bottles individually? I'd rather not have to buy a whole new test kit. I have not used any other tests and there are no good LFS's around here really, none I trust all that well or do water testing.

 

[eco23]

What of the possibility that the nitrite test in he kind is faulty and there is in fact nitrites being produced. The ammo has to be converted by something as the levels keep dropping. Have you tried using a different nitrite tester?

That was the first question I asked in the last umpteen number of threads like this one. It's the bottled bacteria. That's always the common link when we see rising no3 with the absence of no2. Seems impossible...but I guess I'd have to either go back to school and get a micro-biology degree or get hired by Seachem to understand it. Jetajockey and I went over some good possibilities earlier in the thread. At least I think it was this thread, haha

 

[pantherspawn]

Yeah I read the thread.. my head still hurts.. lol just doesn't make any sense at all.. unless there is an unknown microorganism that is produced in the bottle miracles that can grow and feed without producing nitrites in the conversion.

 

[eco23]

Yeah I read the thread.. my head still hurts.. lol just doesn't make any sense at all.. unless there is an unknown microorganism that is produced in the bottle miracles that can grow and feed without producing nitrites in the conversion.

Seems like that would be against the laws of science...almost like alchemy, lol. But who knows with these products? There's something screwy going on...but as long as they can keep selling them and telling people they work...they'll keep making them.

 

[PaulG5372]

And a long as there are gullible people like me (even after getting a biology degree), they'll keep making them haha. Oh well, should have known better.

On a side note, the tank has developed a slight cloudiness in the past day and a half, which is common during a cycle according to other posts.

 

[eco23]

And a long as there are gullible people like me (even after getting a biology degree), they'll keep making them haha. Oh well, should have known better.

On a side note, the tank has developed a slight cloudiness in the past day and a half, which is common during a cycle according to other posts.

If it's milky, it's likely a bacterial bloom. Hopefully good news. Seems like it's arriving a bit late though...but better late than never I guess

 

[PaulG5372]

Yes, I guess i'd call it milky. A little late for sure! I hope it's a good sign too!

I did add fish food once, should I be adding it again later on while cycling or leave it?

 

[eco23]

Yes, I guess i'd call it milky. A little late for sure! I hope it's a good sign too!

I did add fish food once, should I be adding it again later on while cycling or leave it?

If anything seems to slow down...do a pwc and add another finely ground up pinch of food. They add phosphates and other nutrients the bacteria like to gobble up .

 

[PaulG5372]

Ammonia is still at 3 ppm after another 24 hours.

When reading the long thread with libraygirl's issue I see you guys talking about Crushed Coral and aragonite. Would it be worth a shot to put a bag of that in my aquarium to see if it helped at all with the cycle, since you said there are no negatives to it. I need to head to the pet store tomorrow anyways. I need to look at some fish since I still can't get any.....

 

[eco23]

Ammonia is still at 3 ppm after another 24 hours.

When reading the long thread with libraygirl's issue I see you guys talking about Crushed Coral and aragonite. Would it be worth a shot to put a bag of that in my aquarium to see if it helped at all with the cycle, since you said there are no negatives to it. I need to head to the pet store tomorrow anyways. I need to look at some fish since I still can't get any.....

You can check your pH and see if it has dropped at all out of curiosity, that'll tell us if that's the reason things have slowed.

The only negative you would have with CC or aragonite is if you had fish...it makes water changes a little more stressful for the fish because the pH you would be adding is different from what the CC makes it in the tank. I'd like to rewrite the guide and include CC as an optional item to insure your cycle goes smoothly (as well as discouraging the use of bottled bacteria). I know for a fact it helps maintain alkalinity, and I'm also convinced it adds substances to the water that help the bacteria grow tremendously. Other than the buffers they add, I don't have any data to back up my belief that it adds certain nutrients they like...but through experience I know that it works like magic when people add it in. If you've got an extra few dollars...heck yes I'd throw it in. No downsides and only potential gains . Try to pick up a mesh bag there too to put it in if you get it.

 

[PaulG5372]

Will get some tomorrow then. Is CC or the argaronite preferred? Can it be placed anywhere in the aquarium?

I'm working on getting some used filter media to help out, but no luck so far. Wish some of the members on here lived close.

I was crossing my fingers to see a good reduction in ammonia since last night, but not so. I did add that ground up fish food so I imagine that is releasing a small amount of ammonia while it is decomposing.

At least with the time spent cycling I've had a good amount of time to read up on all the threads here!

 

[eco23]

Will get some tomorrow then. Is CC or the argaronite preferred? Can it be placed anywhere in the aquarium?

I'm working on getting some used filter media to help out, but no luck so far. Wish some of the members on here lived close.

I was crossing my fingers to see a good reduction in ammonia since last night, but not so. I did add that ground up fish food so I imagine that is releasing a small amount of ammonia while it is decomposing.

At least with the time spent cycling I've had a good amount of time to read up on all the threads here!

Aragonite is considered superior in buffering ability, but is more expensive. I think CC is perfectly acceptable. In fact, a lot of brands of CC actually have aragonite mixed in.

The best place is a small amount in a mesh bag jammed into your filter...but anywhere in the tank will help. Preferably near the intake or output so it gets circulated.

I don't think the fish food would contribute much if at all to the ammo unless you added a ton. Did you get a chance to check pH since the conversion slowed down?

There are definitely some interesting threads, lol. Sometimes it's frustrating with the cycling threads because as I've said before...people don't post threads just to say things went perfectly, they only post with questions or challenges. I'd be willing to bet 95% of fishless cycles go perfectly...and also unmentioned. So to people just glancing over it seems like things are much more complicated than they are.

Keep us updated!

 

[PaulG5372]

pH of aquarium is at 8.0.

pH of tap water is 7.4

Ammonia is 3 ppm
Nitrites are 0 ppm
Nitrates have climbed to 30 ppm or so. That **** test is hard to read.

Aquarium pH seems a little high?

 

[eco23]

pH of aquarium is at 8.0.

pH of tap water is 7.4

Ammonia is 3 ppm
Nitrites are 0 ppm
Nitrates have climbed to 30 ppm or so. That **** test is hard to read.

Aquarium pH seems a little high?

PH seems fine. No worries there . The CC probably isn't necessary in your case, but if you've got $12 to blow...it doesn't hurt. I'd have to assume with pH that high you've got plenty of alkalinity and it wouldn't be necessary. I'm actually about to update the guide in a few days to include it as an optional item.