Typical noob stuck with fishIN cycle

[HeatherW]

looks like you are progressing nicely! I bet it won't be too much longer - just keep feeding those bacteria. now is the time to really keep an eye on your ph - yours is fine, just keep an eye on it. this is where some people have it drop and it can cause problems, but since you have the seeded filter I bet you will be fine. we will watch and see.

looking good. and yes - keep dosing to the 4ppm of ammonia

 

[librarygirl]

You're doing well! The only time to do a water change during a fishless cycle is if PH drops significantly, or if nitrite has been 5+ for over a week straight (this is normal, but sometimes a water change can help replenish nutrients in the water), or if conversion starts to slow.

The nitrite phase can take up to 3 weeks on average but every tank is different. Mine were high for 2.5 weeks before they fell. Completely normal. Your nitrates will rise too, that's normal and a good thing.

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Tested this morning... Ammo: 0
Nitrites: 5+
Nitrates: 80+
Oh: 8.0
I moved my active sponge filter last night from my ten gallon to the fifty gallon. Ten gallon is obviously still testing on track and this morning in the fifty I had a slight reduction in ammo levels and some nitrites showed up.

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Ok... Got both tanks dosed back to 4 ppm.

The ten gallon is humming along. Ammo was zeroed out this evening and nitrites were 5ppm with nitrates 80+. Ph is holding at 8.0.

The fifty gallon dropped from 4ppm to 2 ppm and had 1ppm nitrites with a trace of nitrates. Ph holding at 8.2.

Nice to see action in both tanks...

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

The ten gallon is still zeroing 4ppm in less than 24 hrs and ph is steady at 8.2. Nitrites are still 5ppm+. They have been 5ppm+ for days now... Is this normal?

The fifty gallon has a good start. After adding the sponge filter I bought from angelsplus (transferred from the ten gallon) it is now eating some ammo. I dosed it to 4ppm and after 2 days it is now at 1ppm with 5ppm+ nitrites and 20ppm nitrates. Ph steady at 8.2.

 

[mozcheez]

Yep, that's completely normal re: the nitrites. This is exactly what happened for a large part of my cycle. In my case, the ammonia would 0 out in 24 hours and the nitrites stayed at 5ppm+ for this whole portion of the cycle, until one day the nitrites were down to about 1ppm (I knew the 0 was coming!!) and then 0ppm the next day

Steady pH is awesome, glad you haven't had any issues with that yet.

You're just playing the waiting game now. Just keep dosing and testing and crossing your fingers

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

I dosed between 2 and 4 ppm tonight. Will probably do it again tomorrow night too so I can see if it helps alleviate some of my nitrites. I read it on some of the other threads... Plenty of time to read those.

My neighbors friend asked why I was cycling a freshwater tank. He was confused why I am testing for nitrites and nitrates... Says only saltwater aquariums need to cycle. I won't be asking them for any help with my freshwater tanks!

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

My ph plummeted!! Now what? It was holding steady at 8-8.2

I posted the high range and low range tests...

 

[librarygirl]

My ph plummeted!! Now what? It was holding steady at 8-8.2

I posted the high range and low range tests...

Is that the normal PH test or the high range test? If it's the high range it's on the low end (7,4) so you'll need to use the normal PH test to see where it is. If it's below 7.2 you should do a large (100% if you can) water change to replenish the buffers in the water and bring PH back up.

 

[mozcheez]

Looks like you posted pics for both the low and high range pH tests. Since it's dropped that much (which still isn't "low", by the way, just low for what's normal for you), I definitely echo what librarygirl says that you need to do a really large water change to restore the buffers in the water to bring the pH back up. You didn't do anything wrong, this just happens! (Happened during my cycle too!)

Don't forget to dose the ammonia back up again after the waterchange.

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

I did both... Here is the full test with a low range ph test included... This is the first time the ph has even moved! It has been holding steady at 8-8.2 (hard to tell between colors).

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Ok... I'll do a big water change and dose ammo. Should I dose to 4ppm or lower? Also, when I do a water change I am walking gallon jugs a distance... Should I float my bio filter media in the tank to keep it wet and alive?

 

[mozcheez]

My HOB filter chamber doesn't completely empty when I do water changes, so I never messed with moving the filter media around. I'd say that as long as you don't leave them out of water for more than 15 minutes (really just a guess.... if I'm wrong on this, someone will let us know), you'd be safe. But it wouldn't hurt to let them float out in the tank. Not like you'll risk hurting any fish I'd dose back up to 4ppm.

I don't have a python water changer yet, but I'm looking into getting one. I carry a 5 gallon bucket (filled with 3-4 gallons of water) back and forth from the bathroom to fill. Gets old after awhile I can only imagine what it'd be like using gallon jugs.

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Ok... I'm confused. Did a huge water change... Like 90% and did a high and low range ph test. What is going on?


I am in Florida and have my tanks in a separate garage. I can reach a hose out here, but the temp is not ideal. I carry two gallons at a time to do my water changes at the ideal temp. I wish I could do a python, but I would need to run plumbing and a hot water heater to the garage.

 

[mozcheez]

Hmmm.... Have you tested your tap water's pH? If not, leave a glass/bowl of water out overnight and test the pH in 24 hours or so.

I'm thinking that the high range test is actually returning below the lowest result, and that the 6.8ish result you have is accurate. Hopefully someone else can chime in with other possible suggestions/comments?

Either way, it's way different from your initial pH tests.... Hmmmm...

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Never mind... I messed up the low range test some how. The high range test was accurate. My low range test shows dark blue( redid it twice). So I should dose to 4ppm with ammo or less?

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Here are my current parameters before dosing and after huge water change... The nitrites and nitrates must hide in the substrate or something to stay so high?!!

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

Oh... Forgot to mention... There is a green hairy algae growing on the back glass and on my airline... Normal?

 

[mozcheez]

I would redose back up to 4ppm. Wow that's really high for the nitrites and nitrates after such a huge waterchange. The nitrates actually look HIGHER? Are you sure you did those right, too? (jk) A 90% water change should have reduced everything by 90%. I don't think it's even possible for your parameters to have been so off the chart that 90% still leaves them off the chart!

Perhaps test the NO2 (nitrite) and NO3 (nitrate) one more time? You can do this either before or after you dose. If they are still that high, would you consider doing another big water change to try to reduce them?

I don't really know anything about algae. How long do you leave your tank lights on, if at all? I know that a lot of light (sunlight included) can cause it to grow. Hopefully that info will help someone give you a better diagnosis.

 

[Ghostriderphoto]

I will go out and retest again in a minute... The only light the tank gets is indirect dim sunlight through two small windows through the day and an led lighted bubble bar. There isn't much algae just a couple hairy strands...