Cycling diary (help needed)

[Sillyfishies]

I started cycling July 2nd.

July 8th -
.25 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate

July 14th
.5 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate

July 20th
.25 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate

July 26th
.1 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate

July 27th
.5 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate

I've held steady at 7.6 PH. Why after 25 days there's STILL no nitrites/nitrates. At the beginning I was allowed to go to the LFS every 6 days to get it tested as I didnt have a test kit. I got it yesterday. I am using no seeded material and it is fish in cycle.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Could it deal with my GH or KH? I don't have any tests for those

 

[smomus]

Few things stand out..
What's your temp at? How often are your water changes? What is you stock?

 

[Sillyfishies]

78 degrees 25% weekly 4 zebra danios

 

[smomus]

Interesting! Do you know what the lfs tested with? Which test kit did you get? I'm not familiar with dinos so idk their bioload. Maybe it isn't enough for the size of your tank?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Interesting! Do you know what the lfs tested with? Which test kit did you get? I'm not familiar with dinos so idk their bioload. Maybe it isn't enough for the size of your tank?

They tested with strips I got the API master test kit

 

[Quest84]

strips can be inaccurate, what are your readings with the API test kit? what size tank do you have? and I would use some seeding material, will cut your cycle time in half

 

[Sillyfishies]

strips can be inaccurate, what are your readings with the API test kit? what size tank do you have? and I would use some seeding material, will cut your cycle time in half

The last two is with the API. 27 gal. No seeded material as I don't have any

 

[smomus]

The strips are inaccurate at best. Good you have the test kit now. Watch the levels for the next couple of days and see if it tells you anything different. When was your last wc?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Last water change was Tuesday.

 

[smomus]

Last water change was Tuesday.

Well other then watching your levels now that you have the more reliable test kit, I've got nothing more. Maybe someone will chime in with something else.

 

[Sillyfishies]

I was hoping to have it set up before my best friend moves to a different state. He leaves August 9th. Doesn't look like it going to happen

 

[smomus]

You could pm jlk! S/he is awesome with cycling help

 

[Sillyfishies]

You could pm jlk! S/he is awesome with cycling help

I pmed him/her. I've seen him/her on a lot of threads.

 

[smomus]

In that other thread Shellie brought up a good point. The nitrite test, bottle 2...bang the crap out of it on something hard! Hit it on the counter, the wall whatever for a good minute or 2! That test crystallizes in the bottle sometimes and it will then give you an inaccurate reading. Hopefully that will help!?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Oh I beat the crap out of that bottle 0.0

 

[Painterroy]

I'm new and fishless cycling my 5 gallon tank, and after 5 days I was showing a nitrite level of 5.0. But I started at an ammonia level of 4.0 to get the bacteria started. I also dropped in a few flakes of food each day for the first five days. I also have the temperature around 82 which I was also told would speed up the process. So far it seems to be working

 

[Sillyfishies]

I'm new and fishless cycling my 5 gallon tank, and after 5 days I was showing a nitrite level of 5.0. But I started at an ammonia level of 4.0 to get the bacteria started. I also dropped in a few flakes of food each day for the first five days. I also have the temperature around 82 which I was also told would speed up the process. So far it seems to be working

......?

 

[smomus]

Sometimes in fishless cycling it is recommended to raise the temp. However because you have fish keep it where it is

 

[jondamon]

Unfortunately fish in cycling while keeping levels safe can take quite some time. Anything up to and sometimes over 8weeks.

All you can do is keep monitoring your levels.

If Ammonia is anything more than 0.25ppm perform a 50% PWC.
If Nitrite is anything more than 0.25ppm perform a 50% PWC.


It's just a waiting game now, unless you know anyone with an established tank to donate some filter material.



Jon