I know it is a long read but this post catalogs my experience with: Nutrafin Cycle, Jungle 5 in 1 test kit, Jungle Ammonia test kit, and the API master kit.
**If you don’t want the long read please scroll to the bottom for a summary review and try to answer my cycle question.**
SETUP
20 Gallon tall tank
10-30 Whisper power filter
10-30 Whisper heater
CaribSea Supernaturals aquarium sand
Neon plastic plants. Pirate ship, treasure chest décor (It is for my 2 year old son)
DAILY JOURNAL (spike / note)
Day 1 – Added water treated with Tetra AquaSafe to remove chlorine, equipment, pinch of fish food to start cycle. Tested with Jungle test strips(J) Ammonia-0 / Nitrites-0 / Nitrates-0
Day 2 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-0/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 3 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-.5/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 4 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-.5/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 5 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-1-3/Ni-0/Na-0 (Can only get a general range with test strips)
Day 6 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-1-3/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 7 - out of town / did not test
**PURCHASED API MASTER KIT**
Day(s) 8-14 Am-3/Ni-0/Na-0
**UNHAPPY WITH MY PROGRESS PURCHASED NUTRAFIN CYCLE AND ADDED DAY 1 DOSE**
Day 15 Am-3/Ni-.25/Na-<5 (but registering)
**ADDED DAY 2 DOSE**
Day 16 Am-4/Ni-2/Na-<5 (but registering)
**ADDED DAY 3 DOSE**
Day 17 Am-3/Ni-2/Na-5
Day 18 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-5
Day 19 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-5
Day 20 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-10
Day 21 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 22 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 23 Am-1-2/Ni-5/Na-20 (Between 1-2 PPM Ammonia)
Day 24 Am-1-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 25 Am-1-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 26 Am-1-2/Ni-.5/Na-5
Day 27 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
Day 28 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
Day 29 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
Day 30 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
OVERALL REVIEW OF NUTRAFIN CYCLE (FAIR C)
Today is Day 31. NF Cycle definitely added Nitrate And Nitrite bacteria to the tank and did it quickly, but the 3 days it claims is FALSE. As you can see it took 11 days after adding to get through the spikes and on day 16 after Cycle there is still ammonia and Nitrates present, which is a little confusing and makes me wonder if something went wrong in which case I change my grade to an (F). Time will tell and I will keep everyone updated.
Does it work? KIND OF.
Would I use it again? I would try other similar products to see if they are any better but I would not run away screaming if I had to use it again.
OVERALL REVIEW OF JUNGLE TEST STRIPS (GOOD A-)
On a side note I used the API test kit every day once I got it but continued to use the Jungle test strips every other day to see if they were accurate and effective. I could not get as precise of a reading of the strips as I could with the API kit but I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE using the strips long term to protect the safety of my fish. They work well enough to let you know your levels are normal or high, just not a good job of letting you know exactly what they are.
Since strips are more expensive and I like the mad scientist feeling I will be sticking with the API kit for future testing, but ignore all of the people that poo poo the test strips. Unless you have a very specific reason to get exact levels on your aquarium the strips will do just fine.
API MASTER KIT (GREAT A+)
What more is there to say, we all know it is great. I wish is would have come with something for water hardness, but that is my only complaint.
MY QUESTION.
So I can see that my Ammonia spiked at 4ppm (day 16), my Nitrites spiked at 5ppm (day 23), and my Nitrates spiked to 20ppm (days 21-25). Why am I still registering 1-2ppm Ammonia in the tank if I have had the Nitrite and Nitrate spikes? Should I just to a pwc to get the levels down and assume my tank is cycled or should I wait to see if there is another set of Nitrate and Nitrite spikes (how long)? Where do I go from here?
**If you don’t want the long read please scroll to the bottom for a summary review and try to answer my cycle question.**
SETUP
20 Gallon tall tank
10-30 Whisper power filter
10-30 Whisper heater
CaribSea Supernaturals aquarium sand
Neon plastic plants. Pirate ship, treasure chest décor (It is for my 2 year old son)
DAILY JOURNAL (spike / note)
Day 1 – Added water treated with Tetra AquaSafe to remove chlorine, equipment, pinch of fish food to start cycle. Tested with Jungle test strips(J) Ammonia-0 / Nitrites-0 / Nitrates-0
Day 2 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-0/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 3 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-.5/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 4 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-.5/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 5 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-1-3/Ni-0/Na-0 (Can only get a general range with test strips)
Day 6 - pinch of fish food, (J) Am-1-3/Ni-0/Na-0
Day 7 - out of town / did not test
**PURCHASED API MASTER KIT**
Day(s) 8-14 Am-3/Ni-0/Na-0
**UNHAPPY WITH MY PROGRESS PURCHASED NUTRAFIN CYCLE AND ADDED DAY 1 DOSE**
Day 15 Am-3/Ni-.25/Na-<5 (but registering)
**ADDED DAY 2 DOSE**
Day 16 Am-4/Ni-2/Na-<5 (but registering)
**ADDED DAY 3 DOSE**
Day 17 Am-3/Ni-2/Na-5
Day 18 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-5
Day 19 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-5
Day 20 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-10
Day 21 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 22 Am-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 23 Am-1-2/Ni-5/Na-20 (Between 1-2 PPM Ammonia)
Day 24 Am-1-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 25 Am-1-2/Ni-2/Na-20
Day 26 Am-1-2/Ni-.5/Na-5
Day 27 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
Day 28 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
Day 29 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
Day 30 Am-1-2/Ni-0/Na-5
OVERALL REVIEW OF NUTRAFIN CYCLE (FAIR C)
Today is Day 31. NF Cycle definitely added Nitrate And Nitrite bacteria to the tank and did it quickly, but the 3 days it claims is FALSE. As you can see it took 11 days after adding to get through the spikes and on day 16 after Cycle there is still ammonia and Nitrates present, which is a little confusing and makes me wonder if something went wrong in which case I change my grade to an (F). Time will tell and I will keep everyone updated.
Does it work? KIND OF.
Would I use it again? I would try other similar products to see if they are any better but I would not run away screaming if I had to use it again.
OVERALL REVIEW OF JUNGLE TEST STRIPS (GOOD A-)
On a side note I used the API test kit every day once I got it but continued to use the Jungle test strips every other day to see if they were accurate and effective. I could not get as precise of a reading of the strips as I could with the API kit but I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE using the strips long term to protect the safety of my fish. They work well enough to let you know your levels are normal or high, just not a good job of letting you know exactly what they are.
Since strips are more expensive and I like the mad scientist feeling I will be sticking with the API kit for future testing, but ignore all of the people that poo poo the test strips. Unless you have a very specific reason to get exact levels on your aquarium the strips will do just fine.
API MASTER KIT (GREAT A+)
What more is there to say, we all know it is great. I wish is would have come with something for water hardness, but that is my only complaint.
MY QUESTION.
So I can see that my Ammonia spiked at 4ppm (day 16), my Nitrites spiked at 5ppm (day 23), and my Nitrates spiked to 20ppm (days 21-25). Why am I still registering 1-2ppm Ammonia in the tank if I have had the Nitrite and Nitrate spikes? Should I just to a pwc to get the levels down and assume my tank is cycled or should I wait to see if there is another set of Nitrate and Nitrite spikes (how long)? Where do I go from here?
