Hi,
I am nearing the end of a long and challenging fishless cycle - about 2 months. Many weeks of troubleshooting, high nitrites needing many water changes, etc. Almost at 24 hour turnaround on 2ppm ammonia, 20 gallon freshwater tank (my first one!). 84. degrees for the cycling purposes. Planning to start with a few harlequin rasboras (6 at first then hopefully add 2 more), and then later on if all well some corys.
I have been fortunate to have lots of great advice online from some very helpful people in getting through this cycle, and thankful for any feedback on the following:
Ph has been funky and unstable. Tap water ph is 6.6 (after sitting about 24 hrs) , kh 2, gh 3.
Tank ph was at 8ish for a while, as per helpful recommendation to help establish the nitrite consuming bacteria bc it was lagging greatly. (used baking soda). When the nitrates finally started increasing, the ph went down to 6 and halted the cycle. I brought it back up to 7.4 with water changes, and it recently again tanked to 6. When the ph is 7.4, the kh is 3. The gh is 5 now bc I added replenish last week.
No live plants in tank, gravel substrate, artificial decorations, air stone on. Marina filter.
I am excited to be almost done with the cycle, but worried about how I will be able to maintain the ph when fish are here?
Thank you!!!
I am nearing the end of a long and challenging fishless cycle - about 2 months. Many weeks of troubleshooting, high nitrites needing many water changes, etc. Almost at 24 hour turnaround on 2ppm ammonia, 20 gallon freshwater tank (my first one!). 84. degrees for the cycling purposes. Planning to start with a few harlequin rasboras (6 at first then hopefully add 2 more), and then later on if all well some corys.
I have been fortunate to have lots of great advice online from some very helpful people in getting through this cycle, and thankful for any feedback on the following:
Ph has been funky and unstable. Tap water ph is 6.6 (after sitting about 24 hrs) , kh 2, gh 3.
Tank ph was at 8ish for a while, as per helpful recommendation to help establish the nitrite consuming bacteria bc it was lagging greatly. (used baking soda). When the nitrates finally started increasing, the ph went down to 6 and halted the cycle. I brought it back up to 7.4 with water changes, and it recently again tanked to 6. When the ph is 7.4, the kh is 3. The gh is 5 now bc I added replenish last week.
No live plants in tank, gravel substrate, artificial decorations, air stone on. Marina filter.
I am excited to be almost done with the cycle, but worried about how I will be able to maintain the ph when fish are here?
Thank you!!!