10 gallon cycle log (& questions galore)

[pdw1731]

LOG TUE SEP 6

pH = 7.5
Amm = 2.0
Nitrite = off charts
Nitrate = 40-80

Seems like we are finally getting somewhere! Not going to touch it today, but planning to re-measure everything tomorrow & then do a massive WC (assuming the Nitrates have climbed even more). When re-dosing ammonia, I'm not planning to take back up to the 4.0 mark this time. Maybe keep it closer to the 2 to 3 range. Hopefully this week will complete it all, and I can finally add some fish.

I was (and still am) in the same bucket that you are. I did about a 80-90% pwc this morning to bring my trites and trates back to a readable level. At this point, I'm really thinking about sleeping for 3 days just so i can leave the thing alone b/c, you know, a watched tank never cycles.

G'luck Vol...hoepfully one of us can rub off on the other to get this thing moving

 

[Vol4Ever]

Agreed. Luckily mine is in my office, and I was just out for the long holiday weekend. It got to work for 4 days without me staring at it, and it did have some changes. Ammonia FINALLY dropped from 4.0, which is where it has been sitting for weeks now.

Got my fingers crossed that this will be the magic week that everything finishes up!

~Vol

P.S. What was up with Maryland's uniforms last night? No offense, but those things were horrid. Surely there is a story behind that.

 

[pdw1731]

P.S. What was up with Maryland's uniforms last night? No offense, but those things were horrid. Surely there is a story behind that.

The unis that remind me of Twoface from Batman...horrid is right. They were some kind of Md. pride thing. A fashion failure of epic proportions if you ask me. At least they won so that makes them a tad more tolerable

 

[Vol4Ever]

A fashion failure of epic proportions

Now that made me laugh out loud. My wife thought I was nuts. Georgia and Oregon debuted with some bad ones, too. Many an ugly jersey was had this past weekend.

 

[Vol4Ever]

LOG MON SEPT 12

Well, I think I'm FINALLY just about there.

Busy day today. This morning's readings:
pH = 7.5
Amm = 0
Nitrite = off chart
Nitrate = 80-160

Did a 70% water change & small ammonia re-dose. After a couple of hours:
pH = 7.5
Amm = 2
Nitrite = 0.5
Nitrate = 10

Since I was in the mood, and had all the stuff out, I did one more MAJOR water change almost down to the gravel, and re-dosed Amm. Waited an hour:
pH = 7.5
Amm = 2
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0-5

I'm hoping ammonia pretty much goes to zero tonight. If so, I'll re-dose a little heavier (3-ish) tomorrow afternoon. Then HOPEFULLY Wednesday will have both ammonia and nitrites at 0. If so, do a PWC on Wed to get things back down again and then on Thursday - - - BUY SOME COTTON PICKIN' FISH!!!!!!

 

[pdw1731]

god lukc with that...hopefully, i'm not to far behind ya

 

[alex07]

LOG MON SEPT 12

Well, I think I'm FINALLY just about there.

Busy day today. This morning's readings:
pH = 7.5
Amm = 0
Nitrite = off chart
Nitrate = 80-160

Did a 70% water change & small ammonia re-dose. After a couple of hours:
pH = 7.5
Amm = 2
Nitrite = 0.5
Nitrate = 10

Since I was in the mood, and had all the stuff out, I did one more MAJOR water change almost down to the gravel, and re-dosed Amm. Waited an hour:
pH = 7.5
Amm = 2
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0-5

I'm hoping ammonia pretty much goes to zero tonight. If so, I'll re-dose a little heavier (3-ish) tomorrow afternoon. Then HOPEFULLY Wednesday will have both ammonia and nitrites at 0. If so, do a PWC on Wed to get things back down again and then on Thursday - - - BUY SOME COTTON PICKIN' FISH!!!!!!

Bring up the ammo a little more

 

[librarygirl]

Just remember that ammonia AND nitrIte have to be at 0 on their own; if you do pwc to get them down, it doesn't count. I wouldn't do any more pwc and see what happens. If nitrite stay at 0 you're good to go, but not until then.

 

[Vol4Ever]

Oh believe me. I understand. A month of staring at clear water gives a guy plenty of time to read. Ha!

 

[Vol4Ever]

LOG SEP 14

Amm = 0
nitrites and -ates both off the chart

Didn't have time for WC today, so I just dosed ammonia back up to the 3-4 range and let it sit.

Will nitrates ever reach saturation and just stop the process? I know I'm due for a WC. Just wondering if the cycle would eventually complete itself if I did nothing. Not sure when I'm gonna find time to do it this week.

 

[pdw1731]

i gave up testing this week. I'm just gonna redose every morning for another week or 2 and then test. Testing daily is kind of an anti-climax for me right now. My ammo zeroes out from 4ppm with 24 hours, nitrites are still that horrid shade of purple and nitrates...i hate color wheels now...lol

 

[librarygirl]

It really shouldn't be too much longer. Since you just did a pwc a couple of days ago I'd say it's Ok to let it sit for a week or so at least. I'm not sure about nitrates stalling the cycle and when. During my cycle my nitrates got over 160 but it still completed although they weren't that high for an excessive amount of time. I'd redose daily this week and then test everything on the weekend and then continue into the next week if you have to. You should be pretty close by now. How long have nitrites been high? I think mine were high for 2.5-3 weeks before they zeroed out.

 

[pdw1731]

if you meant me (hate to think i hijacked this thread), mines have been high since the Aug27th (excluding those days where i think i just got a bad reading)

 

[librarygirl]

LOG SEP 14

Amm = 0
nitrites and -ates both off the chart

Didn't have time for WC today, so I just dosed ammonia back up to the 3-4 range and let it sit.

Will nitrates ever reach saturation and just stop the process? I know I'm due for a WC. Just wondering if the cycle would eventually complete itself if I did nothing. Not sure when I'm gonna find time to do it this week.

Sorry, I replied above and got you confused with PDW. I'm not sure about the nitrates stalling the cycle. When is the last time you did a pwc? You shouldn't "need" to do one in a fishless cycle unless PH crashes or nitrites are very high for a long time. How long have the nitrites and nitrates been off chart?

 

[librarygirl]

if you meant me (hate to think i hijacked this thread), mines have been high since the Aug27th (excluding those days where i think i just got a bad reading)

Oops, yep, I replied to you thinking you were the poster. lol

You should be finishing soon; if nitrites have been high for 2.5 weeks it should be about done. Just keep an eye on your PH to make sure it doesn't crash and stall the cycle. Hopefully it'll be any day now!

 

[Vol4Ever]

My tank and pdw's seem to be almost parallel. My nitrites started noticeably climbing around Aug 22. It's only this week that they've started shooting off the charts very quickly after a water change. I did 2 changes, the 2nd almost down to the gravel on Monday and ites and ates were both off the chart this morning. Mines gotta be close, but I may not have time to do another change this week.

 

[pdw1731]

You should be finishing soon; if nitrites have been high for 2.5 weeks it should be about done. Just keep an eye on your PH to make sure it doesn't crash and stall the cycle. Hopefully it'll be any day now!

Ph holding steady at 7.5. I havent done any sort of pwc in over 2weeks now. SHould i be doing one? I think it was mentioned before that I should avoid doing them. If so, i can do it tomorrow, no biggie

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

My tank and pdw's seem to be almost parallel. My nitrites started noticeably climbing around Aug 22. It's only this week that they've started shooting off the charts very quickly after a water change. I did 2 changes, the 2nd almost down to the gravel on Monday and ites and ates were both off the chart this morning. Mines gotta be close, but I may not have time to do another change this week.

Every one does it different but water change by vacuum in gravel is never a good move in cycling!! Changing in water coloumn is ok but if you can just wait ( you can in fishless cycling) its always better!!
Also dont touch the filter while cycling and better not to do both even when cycled! You can if you cycle is strong tough!

My opinion!

 

[librarygirl]

Ph holding steady at 7.5. I havent done any sort of pwc in over 2weeks now. SHould i be doing one? I think it was mentioned before that I should avoid doing them. If so, i can do it tomorrow, no biggie

No I don't think you need to do one. Your PH is good. If you want to go for it, but don't think it's needed right now.

 

[Vol4Ever]

I haven't been gravel vac'ing. Just dipping out water My main concern is that it's no problem for me to let it sit even though the nitrAtes are sky-high. Ph is stable at 7.5