A newbie 60L 'FISHLESS CYCLE LOG'

[jts123]

Yeah.... I will almost certainly redose ammo back up tomoz (pending it not risen by itself overnight for some obscure reason!).

So.. what I am now looking to do is try to and 'forceibly' maintain a Nitrite level under 5.0ppm (by doing a WC if it gets stuck higher for more than a few days) or just hope and ALLOW it to drop naturally toward the 0.0ppm level in due course?

As I have already had Nitrites for a good while now Im really hoping it won't be too long.

Thanks.

 

[jlk]

Hi again! Honestly, whether you wait it out or do wcs, is going to be up to you. The nitrite phase is extremely frustrating & long....when i did a fishless cycle on my last tank, the water changes gave me something to do with the tank while waiting & had the added benefit of moving things along. It took 9 days once i started doing big wcs for my tank to fully cycle. Everyones water has a different chemistry so i cant say absolutley this will happen for you but keeping the nitrites under some control seems to keep things from slowing down & adds buffers back into the water regularly which the bacteria are using up at quick pace. Its really about what works best for you & your situation.

 

[jts123]

Hi all

Yeah, just reading my last post back again, I realise I maybe should have phrased it this way: " So, whilst I wait and hope for the Nitrites to eventually drop to the 0.0 level I 'could' be helping the cycle along by trying to maintain a Nitrite level which does not stay over 5.0 for more than a few days or so by doing occasional water changes? "

I accept your point about each cycle being an 'individual' experiance, and what works for some 'may not' work so well for others. But I also hold your advice and your own experiences a vaulable thing to have access to in my 'novice' learning stage. ....which is why I tend to follow it too

 

[jlk]

Yes, doing some water changes (big ones-down to the bottom), every few days if the nitrites get insane will help things along by preventing a crazy nitrite level from hampering anything. I have found insane nitrite levels seem to slow/stall a cycle (bacteria are inhibited somehow by the levels) & after a few big wcs, things suddenly start moving forward again. Which is what we want to happen! I know the point of fishless cycling & not having to do any wcs but that doesnt work for everybody (incl me)!

 

[jts123]

DAY 26
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 1.0 -- Nitrite: 5.0 -- Nitrate: 20 -- PH: Not tested.


After taking these readings I redosed the Ammo back upto approx 4.0ppm.
Good to see Nitrates rising now too.

 

[jlk]

Looks good & im glad to see the nitrates rising too!!! Just make sure you keep an eye on the ph!

 

[jts123]

DAY 27
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 4.0 -- Nitrite: 5.0 -- Nitrate: 40 -- PH: 8.0


DAY 28
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.5 -- Nitrite: 5.0+ -- Nitrate: No test -- PH: No test -- Ammo redosed to approx 4.0 after readings took.

DAY 29
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.5 -- Nitrite: 5.0+ -- Nitrate: No test -- PH: No test

DAY 30
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.25 -- Nitrite: 5.0+ -- Nitrate: No test -- PH: No test - Ammo redosed to approx 4.0 after readings took.


So.. guess I'm back at the stage where a WC wouldn't hurt, considering the high Nitrite levels again? Can't really see them dropping to 0.0 any day very soon. Any thoughts?

 

[jlk]

I would check your ph first & make sure nothing is amiss. Other than that, i would def consider doing a wc. Does the nitrite test turn purple on the bottom before you shake it? If it does, then your nitrites are really high!

 

[jts123]

I would check your ph first & make sure nothing is amiss. Other than that, i would def consider doing a wc. Does the nitrite test turn purple on the bottom before you shake it? If it does, then your nitrites are really high!

Yeah, it does start to go purple right at the bottom even before I shake to tube. Ok, if PH shows no major drop or extreme rise tomorrow I'll do another water change.

I really wish Nitrites would have started to show a drop on their own by now though. (even a very slight one?). Given the amount of time they've been present now. I just get the feeling they'll just rise beyond readable levels again within a day or two due to the fact I'll continue to dose ammo up. Oh well... sticks with it I guess.

 

[jlk]

After doing a big wc (down to the gravel), only dose the ammonia up to 2ppm for 2-3days. This will give your nitrite bacteria a little time to catch up. Have you tested your nitrates? I would to see if they building up- if they are, then you already have some conversion going on!

 

[jts123]

After doing a big wc (down to the gravel), only dose the ammonia up to 2ppm for 2-3days. This will give your nitrite bacteria a little time to catch up. Have you tested your nitrates? I would to see if they building up- if they are, then you already have some conversion going on!

At last check (4 days ago) Nitrates had risen to 40. The highest they have been so far, so somthing MUST be happening then.

 

[jlk]

I would def start watching the nitrates! More may be going on than you realize. There isnt a 'high range' nitrite test unfortunately, so there is no real way to know exactly how high your nitrites are & exactly what they are reading-its probably dropping some but we dont have tests to measure this until it drops below 5ppm. The only way to judge this is by checking your nitrate levels to see if they are increasing.

 

[jts123]

DAY 31
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.25 -- Nitrite: 5.0+ -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: 7.6 - Ammo redosed to approx 4.0 after readings took.


DAY 32
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.25 -- Nitrite: 5.0+ -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: 7.6 - After I took these readings I did a 50% WC


DAY 33
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 0.25 -- Nitrate: No test -- PH: 7.6 - Ammo redosed to approx 2.0 after readings took.


DAY 34
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 1.0 -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: No test - Ammo redosed to approx 2.0 after readings took.


DAY 35
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 2.0 -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: No test - Ammo redosed to approx 2.0 after readings took.


DAY 36
NO TEST - AS IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY

DAY 37
NO TEST - AS IT'S BOXING DAY


DAY 38
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 0.0 -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: No test - Ammo redosed to approx 2.0 after readings took.


DAY 39
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 2.0 -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: 7.4 - No Ammo added - hoping to drop Nitrites to 0.0 again tomoz?

 

[jts123]

Have to admit I really had hoped I'd reached the time when I could get 0.0 readings in both Ammo AND Nitrites in 24 hours after getting to DAY 38's results, but I'm now puzzled as to why Nitrites have risen again to 2.0, espcially as AMMO falls back to 0.0 in 24 hrs after being redosed to approx 2.0.

Any comments or suggestions guys?

 

[jlk]

Your ph dropped slightly from 7.6 to 7.4 & this may have been enough to slow things down a bit. But, your ammonia is steadily dropping to zero in 24hrs which is great!! You are very close to being done! Check everything again tommorrow & see how things look-if the nitrites still arent dropping & your ph is still 7.4, i would do atleast a 50% wc before dosing ammonia again. Keep us posted!

 

[jts123]

DAY 40
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 0.0 -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: 7.4 - Redosed Ammo to 2.0


DAY 41
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 2.0 -- Nitrate: 80 -- PH: 7.4 - Nothing added due to Nitrites still not dropping to 0.0


DAY 42
NO TEST DONE - buzy with NYE party preparations.


DAY 43
NO TEST DONE - recovering from last nights party


DAY 44
Temp: 30o -- Ammo: 0.0 -- Nitrite: 0.0 -- Nitrate: <160! -- PH: 7.0 - having got a GH/KH test kit I decided to take readings: KH: 8-12 degrees, GH: approx 13 degrees.

 

[jts123]

I guess all the signs now indicate that a WC would be really useful now its SO close to being completed?

Am I right in thinking a WC will help raise the PH again and lower both KH & GH down to a preferable lower levels? Not to mention bring down the NitrAtes which are now really high.

Any input guys?

 

[jlk]

Lets do a water change & redose ammonia. If your ammonia & nitrite zero out in 24hrs, you are cycled!!! I would just continue to dose ammonia daily for 2-3 days to be positive your ammonia & nitrites continue to zero out in 24hrs. If they do, on the day you plan on purchasing fish skip the ammonia & do a 100% water change (it may take more than 1) to get your nitrates as low as possible. Dont forget the water conditioner & adjust the temp to the proper degree for your fish. Let us know what happens!!!

 

[jts123]

Lets do a water change & redose ammonia. If your ammonia & nitrite zero out in 24hrs, you are cycled!!! I would just continue to dose ammonia daily for 2-3 days to be positive your ammonia & nitrites continue to zero out in 24hrs. If they do, on the day you plan on purchasing fish skip the ammonia & do a 100% water change (it may take more than 1) to get your nitrates as low as possible. Dont forget the water conditioner & adjust the temp to the proper degree for your fish. Let us know what happens!!!

Ok.. what extent of WC do you feel I should do?

I'll do it tomorrow and redose ammo, like you advise.

Thanks again for all your help

 

[jlk]

A big one- 50 to 75% to bring your ph back up a bit. Lets keep our fingers crossed that you are cycled!!!