5 gallon fish IN cyling - Nitrites finally

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What were your nitrates?btw

I am only testing nitrates on a weekly basis. since I am doing so many water changes it is not going to be very high. last time I checked I think I was at 5 but it doesn't really tell you anything until I quit doing multiple water changes EVERY day! :ROFLMAO:
 
things are looking better. it seems like I have my nitrites under control for now. how long will this continue?
temp - 80.4
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - .5
PH - 7.4
 
eh,. it really depends all sorts of factors, but I'd say your getting near the finish line. My favorite part of tanks is cycling, because after that, for the most part, its just lookin, because everything just balances itself.
Homeostasis is dope
 
things are going pretty well. back down to daily water changes. had to scrub off my heater suction cups today. hope that wasn't all my good guys cuz I sucked 'em up! :lol:
temp - 79.9
ammonia - 0
Nitrites - .25
PH - 7.4
NitrAtes - 10
NitrAtes are starting to get higher - this is good right? soon I will have to worry about keeping those in line and everything else will take care of itself. what is my top number for NitrAtes? 40ppm right?
 
5 gallon fish in cycle - complete?

wow! I think I just might be (almost) done with my 5 gallon cycle!!

woke up this morning and tested my water - no nitrites!!

temp - 79.7
ammonia - .25
nitrite - 0
PH - 7.6

I am so excited! I couldn't believe it - just like everyone said - bam! the nitrites just dissappeared!
 
This is where some other poster are more knowledged than me but... i believe that the trates should stay at an even 5 maybe...and a bit higer depending on ho planted, this will be used and lowered by plants
 
You're safe up to 20. Some people argue that you're safe much higher than that--higher than the generally recognized 40--but 20 gets you less arguments :D If you have plants, I wouldn't go lower than 10, honestly--they need to eat too. :)

I may change my mind as I get further into this, but I don't worry about changing water outside the scheduled change unless the nitrates really spike. Doing my weekly 50% changes has pretty much ensured that hasn't happened as of yet (that and a lot of plants), so I don't use it as a gauge unless it spikes for some reason between changes. Ammonia or nitrites, otoh, get a mid-week water change if they get above .25 (cycled tank). Otherwise, I check it the next day to see if it resolved itself--it usually does.
 
yay! so excited! I think I am actually cycled now! checked the tank and everything is at 0 (ammonia and nitrites) so now I get to go into maintenance mode
So... keep the Nitrates below 20 (I don't have any plants) and just do weekly or biweekly water changes? how often do I need to be checking the water now? weekly or every few days?
 
Yay! It's nice once it's finished cycling. ^_^

I tested every day for the first two weeks after the cycle was finished, then a couple times a week for two or three weeks until I was sure about how the tank was settled into the cycle. Every time I add a fish, I test more often. And yes, I would say weekly to bi-weekly depending on your nitrates--weekly if you only hit at or below 20 over the course of the week, bi-weekly (or add plants :D ) if you climb above that. I know some people like to go every other week or monthly, but I wouldn't do that with a small tank--I'd be worried about trace metals, buffers, pH crashes...lots easier to just change the water *lol* I tend to err on the side of caution, if you can't tell. :)
 
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