Got my cycle started finally

[jd99]

well I finally got my tank set up and have most of everything I want in it and started my fishless cycle, finished the tank at around 8:30 on Tues night.

Went home last night and did the test, and here are the results:

Ammonia - 2.0 ppm
Nitrite - 1.0 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm
PH - 7.8

The ph is kind of high I eventually want to set this up as a Discus tank. How do I get the PH down?
Oh and the tank is a 60 gal.

Thanks
Danny

 

[jlk]

Can you please provide some more info so we see where your at? Exact numbers for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph for your tap water? Did you add any cycled media? Add anything beyond a good water conditioner? What are you using as an ammonia source and what ppm did you dose to?

In respect to reducing the ph, the only way to accurately do this is to cut your tap with RO water or use only RO and reconstitute it. I do not have discus experience so I am afraid I can not advise on their exact requirements in respect to PH, GH and KH.

 

[jd99]

Can you please provide some more info so we see where your at? Exact numbers for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph for your tap water? Did you add any cycled media? Add anything beyond a good water conditioner? What are you using as an ammonia source and what ppm did you dose to?

In respect to reducing the ph, the only way to accurately do this is to cut your tap with RO water or use only RO and reconstitute it. I do not have discus experience so I am afraid I can not advise on their exact requirements in respect to PH, GH and KH.

Those numbers are most likely close to what comes out of the tap, I don't have any cycled media, so I had to go with the bacteria in a bottle method, and see how it goes, I treated the water then added the BiB (Bacteria in a Bottle) and thats where I am.

I'll test the tap water tonight when I get home so I have a starting baseline.

I have a RO system for the house but I haven't had time to hook anything up yet; this work stuff keeps getting in the way...

Ive been reading that the Discus don't really need the water that low in PH unless you plan on breading, I don't plan on breeding (got enough on my plate) so I might be ok on the PH.

Just need to get the cycle done first.

 

[jlk]

Tap numbers will be a big help! Are you using a water conditioner? You will still need to add an additional ammonia source beyond whatever your tap may contain. Please ask any questions!

 

[jd99]

Tap numbers will be a big help! Are you using a water conditioner? You will still need to add an additional ammonia source beyond whatever your tap may contain. Please ask any questions!

Yes I am using conditioner, the brand excapes me right now but I did get a bottle of Prime on the way home yesterday because I saw so many people recomend it. I also have a bottle of ammonia coming (the lfs didn't have any).

I'm sure I'll have some queations as i progress. I had a 75 gal about 30 years ago and the technology has changed a lot since then.

Thanks
Danny

 

[jd99]

Tap numbers will be a big help! Are you using a water conditioner? You will still need to add an additional ammonia source beyond whatever your tap may contain. Please ask any questions!

Went home last night and ran the test on both the tap water and the aquarium.
Here they are:

Tap Water:
PH - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0 to 0.25 ppm (Color was darker then 0 and lighter then 0.25)
Nitrates - 0

Last nights Aquarium water:
PH - 7.8 (don't think this is going to change)
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0.50 ppm
Nitrates - 5.0 ppm

I'm hopping my ammonia comes soon otherwise I'm going to have the bacteria starving.

Oh and I used easy start for the bacteria, I forgot to look at the conditioner bottle.

Thanks

 

[jlk]

Sounds good! Your tap has no ammonia in it and there is no ammonia in your tank now so I am going to take a guess that perhaps the bacteria product may have been a contributing factor in your first set of numbers. If you want to add something until your ammonia arrives, toss some large raw shrimp into a clean piece of pantyhose and place this in your tank. They will not add ammonia instantly (they have to decompose first) but it will be something until you have your ammonia. And, yes, it looks like your ph is solidly at 7.8.