Post your test data

[sixtyfou]

I'll post my weak log, but it's a hot firey mess littered with bad data, and newbie style thinking. I had my tank size wrong, I did my nitrate test wrong, and just generally messed up the whole process. Seeing sodbusters chart really helped to give me s structure to work with.

 

[threnjen]

Just downloaded that doc also. It's similar to mine but has more things logged than I had; I like the idea of logging more. More, more more!

 

[sixtyfou]

Me too!. That was the point of this post. I want to see how the experts do it.

 

[threnjen]

OK I'm embarrassed to have to ask what these are but oh well.
NH3/NH4+
= ammonia?

NO2- = nitrites?

What is Cl

PO43- ?

 

[sixtyfou]

I read Cl as Chlorine and PH43- as phosphates.

 

[sodbuster95]

I read Cl as Chlorine and PH43- as phosphates.

You are correct.

 

[Aqualady40]

Hmmm I entered data in today and I like doing it on the template verse writting it down....question I have 4 running tanks and want o keep data on all is there a way to do it all on one sheet?

 

[sodbuster95]

Hmmm I entered data in today and I like doing it on the template verse writting it down....question I have 4 running tanks and want o keep data on all is there a way to do it all on one sheet?

You can add columns at will (I.E., duplicate the ones that are there already so you can add data for multiple tanks). However, if you do, you'll need to adjust the name assignments for each column so that the chart renders correctly. This method would require the most work, but would keep all data on the same sheet.

Alternately, you could duplicate the sheet so that each tank has a separate sheet. This would keep things from getting confusing. There would still be work involved on the chart, though, as you would have to alter the dynamic names for each chart to reflect the proper sheet/data set.

Both these methods would work, but both would require manual editing for the desired result. The easiest way to keep multiple tanks would be to have multiple copies of the same Workbook, but with different names (I.E., Test Results 1.xls, Test Results 2.xls., etc.).

Personally, I'd go with option 2, but I won't pretend that wouldn't involve some work.

 

[Aqualady40]

You can add columns at will (I.E., duplicate the ones that are there already so you can add data for multiple tanks). However, if you do, you'll need to adjust the name assignments for each column so that the chart renders correctly. This method would require the most work, but would keep all data on the same sheet.

Alternately, you could duplicate the sheet so that each tank has a separate sheet. This would keep things from getting confusing. There would still be work involved on the chart, though, as you would have to alter the dynamic names for each chart to reflect the proper sheet/data set.

Both these methods would work, but both would require manual editing for the desired result. The easiest way to keep multiple tanks would be to have multiple copies of the same Workbook, but with different names (I.E., Test Results 1.xls, Test Results 2.xls., etc.).

Personally, I'd go with option 2, but I won't pretend that wouldn't involve some work.

Okay, thanks, I agree, option 2 is easier as I am not a pro working with Excel..just basic know hows....

 

[threnjen]

I'm cycling something new. So maybe in a week or two you can have some data to fill your data-loving heart

 

[sixtyfou]

Sweet, hopefully I'll be doing a new cycle soon too.

 

[sixtyfou]

-Father, forgive me, for I have sinned.

I'm running many tanks, I have a fancy digital water tester, all the API kits, and some weird test devices I bought from stoners; yet I have no good data to share I'm a bad organizer, and there is no way I can bring this data together. I couldn't do my homework in school, and I'm no better now.

Sodbuster is the man.

 

[threnjen]

LOL! Well it doesn't always work out.

I am still cycling a bucket, but I apparently had some problems with the initial bucket? Ages and ages went by with no nitrites. I moved everything to a different bucket and had nitrites in 4 days. Not sure what went wrong with bucket #1.
Anyway I'm only a week or so into it since 12 days was wasted with nothing happening. So still no data.

 

[sixtyfou]

I'm lazy, old school, and I have an endless supply of Danios. It's hard to care about the details. I can cycle a tank in two days. I want to do it for science, but I've yet to crack open that bottle of ammonia.

 

[threnjen]

I'm not even sure what I'm cycling the bucket for at this point. I could seed it, but I specifically wanted to see the cycle happen.

 

[sixtyfou]

I've heard fishless cycling is all the rage. The internet tells me it can't be done any other way, but it looks like a pain in the butt.

I've lost 4 fish in the last 6 months. I'm almost certain none were cycling related. Most I think were due to my daughter spilling 50 or so beta pellets in the tank.

 

[threnjen]

I think it's so weird you think that! I think fish-in cycling sounds awful. Totally awful. Fishless is so easy and painless to me. How often do you have to do water changes?

To quote myself in a post on another forum giving an opinion about this:

"If you follow the method given on this forum, [fishless cycling] will take you much less time [than fish-in]. Less than a month. 3 weeks, tops.

Now, fish-IN cycling can take WEEKS. It takes MUCH longer than fishless cycling and you have to keep on top of your parameters the ENTIRE time. EVERY SINGLE TIME your ammonia or nitrIte are over .25, water change! And guess what, that's going to be about every day! So you get to do a water change eeeveeeery day. sound fun?

Not to mention, since your parameters have to stay in the safe zone the whole time, you can barely have any fish. Forget the 50 fish planned for your 90g (extreme example). I hope you like those 3 danios because that's all you're going to have for WEEKS.

I haven't done a true fish-in cycle on purpose, but for the last two weeks I have had a quarantine/hospital tank set up. For specific reasons I could not seed it from my main tank so it has no cycled filter. I have had to do a minimum of 1 water change a day on it, and the last few days I have to do 2 a day!! I can't even comprehend doing 2 water changes a day for WEEKS ON END. I'm annoyed enough at this, I would never do it on purpose!

I mean no offense or disrespect to anyone who prefers it, but I think deliberately doing a fish-in cycle sounds crazy. It's so much more work!"

 

[sixtyfou]

No offence taken. I don't think we are talking about the same thing.

I can bring up a stable 20 gallon tank in 7 days. I have lots of seeding material. With seeding material it's all a cake walk. You don't even need to test.

I add the Danios to test the water. If they live I add more fish.

 

[threnjen]

Oooh sure. You're right, not the same topic. I thought we were talking about bringing something to a cycle from scratch.

One of the reasons I'm stubbornly doing the fishless on this bucket, despite having seeding material, is I was taught to fishless cycle quite differently from this forum and I want to know if it really works. I mean the info I have and use is way, way way different from what they teach here.
I did a fishless cycle on my first (only) tank but I did get some gravel from my LFS partway through so it wasn't a "pure" enough cycle for my research purposes

 

[Caliban07]

You should only ever have to do one fish in cycle. I fish in cycled my first tank then added extra media straight away for my other tanks and my quarantine.

If you do fish in cycling right there is no reason ammonia should reach 0.25ppm.
It's about choosing the right fish, the right amount of fish in the right size tank. Ammonia is really hard I get hold of here in the UK.

To me fishless cycling is much more stressful to the hobbyist. The amount of posts on here relating to stalled cycles and posts about giving up because nitrites won't come down is frightening. Far more water changes if you do a fishless cycle wrong.

I cycled my tank with 4 rasbora all I which are still alive and well.