First cycle and starting to get readings!

[tim98]

First cycle and starting to get readings!*update*

This is my first fishless cycle and I have some change. I started the tank 15 Jul with these readings
ammonia = 5.0ppm
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8

After 10 days I have got a Nitrite reading

Ammonia = 5.0
Nitrite = 2.0
Nitrate = 10
Ph = 8

My ammonia had not appeared to come down yet but this is the first Nitrite reading I have got so I would imagine it could take a few days. Hopefully it fully cycles without any problems. Here is a pic of my tank.

 

[mommytron]

nice! will probably be 2 or 3 more weeks now until you're completely done. do you know how you will stock it yet?

 

[StuG]

Nice looking tank. Congrats on the cycle "going as planned". I hope it continues to do so for you.

 

[tim98]

Not sure what is going in because its my wifes tank. She cant make up her mind right now. she wants to go brackish and put some moray eels in there.

 

[tim98]

I tested again today and got:
Ammonia = 4.9
Nitrite = 3ish
Nitrate = 50
PH = 8.2

I can tell that my nitrites are starting to rise and so are my Nitrates. Do I need to do a water change at all before my Nitrites start to lower, or do i just let it go.

Also my tap water has a PH 8.0, is this going to be a problem or should I try and lower it once my tank is ready to go?

 

[logansmomma1228]

26 G is too small for any type of eel. IMO

 

[mommytron]

26 G is too small for any type of eel. IMO

+1

also, you will need to change your water when the nitrates get too high. when i noticed that my cycle had stalled, nitrates were at like 160ppm. i did a 75% water change and got it down to 10 or 20 i think, added a little more seeded material, and the cycle was done in a matter of days. so don't be too worried if nitrate do get that high, it's fixable.

the pH is quite high, mine is probably 7.6 or so, which is also high but fish are able to adjust to different pH levels. to lower it, try getting a piece of driftwood. the tannins in the DW may stain your water, depending on the type you get, but they will also lower the pH of the water. plus, DW looks great in the tank and a necessity for some plecos.


edit: after going back to look at your tank, if you took the castle out of the middle and got a nice piece of driftwood, maybe a vertical piece, it would look really nice. plus if the piece you get is smaller than the castle, it will take up less space and there will be more water volume which is always good. also, filling the tank right up to the black rim helps with that, and looks better IMO (i'm guessing right now you have the water level lowered for more surface agitation during the cycle or from evaporation as there is no need for PWCs) just somethin to think about

 

[tim98]

Yes the water level is low for agitation and there has been some evaporation too.

My concern with a PWC change is I will not be able to tell when my Nitrite spike is done. I know I have to reseed but how will I know if the spike is coming down?

Do DW tannins hurt anything other than the color of the water?

 

[Aquarium1]

Besides, Moray Eels are saltwater fish. Tannins do not hurt anything. You won't have to do a pwc until its done cycling

 

[mommytron]

the tannins do not hurt, they may lower your pH a little. they color will slowly fade with weekly PWCs. don't worry about missing your nitrite spike. you will know when your tank is cycled when it processes ammonia to nitrite to nitrate in under 24 hours. so when your ammonia hits 0ppm you start dosing it up daily to feed the bacteria. once you see that the levels are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and a nitrate reading, you're good to go

 

[tim98]

Got it guys. Thanks

 

[tim98]

Well it finally finished. My nitrites started to go down until they finally hit zero.

A weird thing happened as well. My nitrates were at 110+ but they dropped to near zero. Is that what normally happens?