squishyaimz
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey all!
I posted a few weeks back, but since then ive had no improvement on my cycle.
The lowdown :
Axolotl tank (fishless cycle)
Heater to speed it up
PH is stable around 8
Im using the api master test kit
Im entering my 6th week of cycling today.
3 or so weeks ago my ammonia started dropping to 0. Ive been testing my nitrites and ammonia daily. For the past few days, my nitrites have now been turning this... weird purple colour which isnt even a colour on the chart. Its like a dulled 1ppm test almost. Like imagine it sits between the 0.50 and 1ppm on the api chart, but it doesnt QUITE match. Its definitely NOT as bright as it is when its 5ppm.
I would also like to say, as im writing this ive looked over at the test (its been left for approx 30-40 mins so definitely not an accurate reading, ive already done the 5 min reading which was that weird colour, but after 30 minutes it turns BLUE. It goes to 0-0.25. Is this a sign that it is actually working?)
My ammonia is also doing something funky - where it was dropping to 0 in 24 hours, now it takes 48 hours for it to drop to 0.
Every other day it goes between 0.25 and 1ppm instead of 0 .
I dont dose on those days, and then when its dropped to 0 I dose up to 2ppm (as advised by this group and another group to help my nitrites catch up)
Im a bit concerned that its now taking ammonia 48 hours to drop even though it WAS fine before, and I cant even really read my nitrite test.
My Nitrates had a spike a week or so back from 5ppm to 30ppm but have now dropped to 20pm.
Ive also done a test strip and both Nitrate and nitrites are bright pink. I know these strips arent that great but before they have been pale pink so something has definitely changed.
Ughh I really feel like this isnt working, no matter how many tell me to be patient!
I posted a few weeks back, but since then ive had no improvement on my cycle.
The lowdown :
Axolotl tank (fishless cycle)
Heater to speed it up
PH is stable around 8
Im using the api master test kit
Im entering my 6th week of cycling today.
3 or so weeks ago my ammonia started dropping to 0. Ive been testing my nitrites and ammonia daily. For the past few days, my nitrites have now been turning this... weird purple colour which isnt even a colour on the chart. Its like a dulled 1ppm test almost. Like imagine it sits between the 0.50 and 1ppm on the api chart, but it doesnt QUITE match. Its definitely NOT as bright as it is when its 5ppm.
I would also like to say, as im writing this ive looked over at the test (its been left for approx 30-40 mins so definitely not an accurate reading, ive already done the 5 min reading which was that weird colour, but after 30 minutes it turns BLUE. It goes to 0-0.25. Is this a sign that it is actually working?)
My ammonia is also doing something funky - where it was dropping to 0 in 24 hours, now it takes 48 hours for it to drop to 0.
Every other day it goes between 0.25 and 1ppm instead of 0 .
I dont dose on those days, and then when its dropped to 0 I dose up to 2ppm (as advised by this group and another group to help my nitrites catch up)
Im a bit concerned that its now taking ammonia 48 hours to drop even though it WAS fine before, and I cant even really read my nitrite test.
My Nitrates had a spike a week or so back from 5ppm to 30ppm but have now dropped to 20pm.
Ive also done a test strip and both Nitrate and nitrites are bright pink. I know these strips arent that great but before they have been pale pink so something has definitely changed.
Ughh I really feel like this isnt working, no matter how many tell me to be patient!
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