TangoTank's fishless Cycle

[TangoTank]

I have a 15 gal column w/ a HOB, an 8" bubble wand, gravel substrate & NOT planted w/ heater.

I began my fish less cycle May 7th w/ no seeded media, so this is Day #50?? Just got back from a 1 week vacation 3 days ago, ammonia was zero when I returned--I had changed about 75% of the water & resided ammonia to 4ppm day before I left. I redosed ammonia when I returned & it took 2 days to return to zero. NitrItes & NitrAtes are pretty much unreadable, pH is dropping. Should I do anything or hang tight?

Thanks!!

PH is dropping @7.4 now
Temp: 84
Ammonia: dosed ammonia 4ppm last nite (4th ammonia dose since starting fishless cycle)
-- took 2 days to drop down from 2ppm (3rd ammonia dose since starting FLCycle)
NitrItes: >5.0ppm
NitrAtes: 80-160ppm

 

[librarygirl]

I'd do a 100% water change to restore buffers and minerals in the water. Try to get nitrite to something readable on the test kit (it might take more than one water change for this depending on how high they are). Then dose ammonia to 2 instead of 4 and see what happens in 24 hours.

 

[TangoTank]

Ok, Thks!!! I meant to do 2ppm this time but I overdosed! B/c my tank is so tiny, it's easy to do... Oops! So how long do I keep redosing it to 2ppm? Until it processes it in 24hrs? Then start upping it slowly?? If so, at what rate do I up it?

 

[librarygirl]

Yep, dose to two for a few days and see what happens. If it processes it, then increase to 3. Then to 4.

 

[TangoTank]

I'd do a 100% water change to restore buffers and minerals in the water. Try to get nitrite to something readable on the test kit (it might take more than one water change for this depending on how high they are). Then dose ammonia to 2 instead of 4 and see what happens in 24 hours.

librarygirl!!!!!!!! I changed the water, siphoned it down below the height of the gravel & the NitrAtes are 10ppm but the NitrItes are 5ppm+. It didn't jump to the 5ppm right away so I'm thinking it's not much more than that. What would you do, 50% or 100% again? Thanks for your help!!

 

[librarygirl]

It might help do to another large water change; as large as you can do it. If you can do another 100%, go for it. That should get the nitrites readable to something on the chart and then start dosing slowly.

 

[pugmom]

I feel your pain tangotank on the sky high nitrites. How is it looking today?

 

[TangoTank]

Got my NitrItes down to .25ppm!! Dosed Amm to 2ppm & I'll see what it does.

 

[RedNeck]

I am battleing high trites myself. They are finally starting to fall into the readable range though..I went out and bought some active sponge filters so I wreckin' I will see what happens in a week or so.