Setting up a 20 gallon / will be a cycle log!

[brittanykluss]

now the fun begins. I am about to dose the tank and all that good stuff and begin the cycling process!

Test before prime and stability and ammonia were added to the tank.

temp: 85
pH: 7.6
pH high: 7.4
ammonia: .25
nitrite: 0
nitrates: 3.0

after prime, stability, and ammonia were added, and 30 minute wait

temp: 85
pH: off chart
pH high: 8.4
ammo: 4ppm
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 1.0



keep following im sure ill have questions along the way

 

[adammorrill]

i like it...very nice

 

[brittanykluss]

i like it...very nice

thanks! i wish I could put fish in there already!

 

[librarygirl]

Great good luck! I"ll be following.

If you can get some filter media from an established tank that will help a lot, but it's hard to find. I'd go to some fish stores in your area (make sure their tanks are healthy though b/c any diseases they have could potentially be transferred to yours) and ask if they'll let you have some media from their filters (if you offer to pay that might help lol).

 

[picture_117]

My 20 gallon is also cycling! It's almost there!

Will be following

 

[brittanykluss]

My 20 gallon is also cycling! It's almost there!

Will be following

Where are you at with your cycle?

 

[picture_117]

Where are you at with your cycle?

Ammonia is gone over night, nitrites are falling, I'd say by Friday the cycle should be complete! Excited! I just want to put the fish in already lol.

 

[brittanykluss]

Oh so youre waiting for your nitrites to disappear huh? Whats your nitrates at?

 

[picture_117]

Yes nitrites were very high but now they've really gone down compared to what they were.

Nitrates are I would say 100-120.

 

[alex07]

Ammonia is gone over night, nitrites are falling, I'd say by Friday the cycle should be complete! Excited! I just want to put the fish in already lol.

Don't let your ammonia go to zero

 

[brittanykluss]

I thought once your ammonia dropped to 0 in 24 hours you have to keep dosing to 1ppm untill you add fish.... almost positive because i remember reading that in the fishless cycling guide. when are you going to get fish!? it sounds like to me you need a pwc but idk!?

 

[alex07]

now the fun begins. I am about to dose the tank and all that good stuff and begin the cycling process!

Test before prime and stability and ammonia were added to the tank.

temp: 85
pH: 7.6
pH high: 7.4
ammonia: .25
nitrite: 0
nitrates: 3.0

after prime, stability, and ammonia were added, and 30 minute wait

temp: 85
pH: off chart
pH high: 8.4
ammo: 4ppm
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 1.0

keep following im sure ill have questions along the way

No need to add stability, with prime and dose ammonia is good enough. Anyything else you add to the water column is junk unless its for the plants

 

[eco23]

Both ammonia and nitrIte need to be at zero. Once they're both dropping to zero within 24 hours of dosing the ammonia the cycle is technically complete, and that's when you do your massive pwc to get nitrAtes under 20. Once the cycle is complete, that's when you can add only 1ppm to keep the bacteria fed between the time the cycle is done and you add fish. Thats the method I personally recommend.

 

[picture_117]

Well Friday should be for sure day. I will be doing everything Friday, I'm off from school, trip to the LFS and drip method buckets for me!

 

[eco23]

No need to add stability, with prime and dose ammonia is good enough. Anyything else you add to the water column is junk unless its for the plants

A big ol' +1 on that (for the most part) . I think we've already had a thread about that recently though, haha!

 

[brittanykluss]

Both ammonia and nitrIte need to be at zero. Once they're both dropping to zero within 24 hours of dosing the ammonia the cycle is technically complete, and that's when you do your massive pwc to get nitrAtes under 20. Once the cycle is complete, that's when you can add only 1ppm to keep the bacteria fed between the time the cycle is done and you add fish. Thats the method I personally recommend.

So you have to wait for the nitrites to drop to 0 before doing any pwcs?

 

[eco23]

So you have to wait for the nitrites to drop to 0 before doing any pwcs?

Not necessarily before you do pwc's, but you have to wait until no2 spikes and drops to zero before the tank is cycled. Give this a read if you haven't seen it-
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

 

[alex07]

So you have to wait for the nitrites to drop to 0 before doing any pwcs?

You only do a pwc if your ammonia is above 4, nitrite & nitrates are both off the chart and once you have completed your cycle

 

[picture_117]

Sorry to ask this here but, if nitrites are really high does that mean anything? Nitrites aren't completely gone yet.

 

[alex07]

Sorry to ask this here but, if nitrites are really high does that mean anything? Nitrites aren't completely gone yet.

Have you tested for nitrates?