10 gallon cycle log (& questions galore)

[librarygirl]

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

I'm honestly not sure about nitrate stalling a cycle. I suppose it's possible, but I have no evidence either way and not sure how high it would need to get and for how long before it potentially could stall. If you're really concerned you could do a pwc just to be safe. Pwc don't hurt anything, you just typically don't need to do them with a fishless cycle. If you'd feel better to get nitrates lower, go for it.

 

[alex07]

What are your levels?

You only do a water change if you over dose the ammo past 5 and/or both nitrite and nitrates are off the charts.

 

[Vol4Ever]

Amm is 3-4. Other 2 are off charts, but I may not have time to do WC. I feel like I'm repeating myself . . . . .

 

[alex07]

Amm is 3-4. Other 2 are off charts, but I may not have time to do WC. I feel like I'm repeating myself . . . . .

Do a 50% water change, test and dose the ammo back up to 4

 

[librarygirl]

Amm is 3-4. Other 2 are off charts, but I may not have time to do WC. I feel like I'm repeating myself . . . . .

If you don't have time to do one, you don't have to. If it had been a ridiculously long amount of time, way past the time your cycle should be finished then I'd say do one to get things moving. I don't think we're at that point. Again, it's up to you; if doing one would lessen your concerns then you can certainly do one, it won't harm anything, if you can't, don't worry about it.

 

[Vol4Ever]

My master plan of finally buying fish tomorrow has been sidetracked. But after this long I sure ain't about to take shortcuts now.

*sigh*

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

My master plan of finally buying fish tomorrow has been sidetracked. But after this long I sure ain't about to take shortcuts now.

*sigh*

I read the all thread and in my opinion you do to much water change and plus i made reserch and under 20 ppm there is no stall... Some nitrosomonas in dormant state need a 200 ppm ti wake up!!(industrial source). Its not that type in aquarium but for sure under 15-20 ppm theres no problem.(with no fish as Pwc in cycling slow the process, we ususally do it to prevent fish loss...)

Nutrafin cycle is good if the distributor didnt let it froze. Better around 29C and ph 7.4 to 7.8, optimal range for cycling!!


With nutrafin cycle well shake and the good parameter 5-7 days suppose to be ok!

Is that tank new or an old re-use??

Is the media filter new or old re-use??

Is there deco that are natural or a re-use??

What product do you put in??

Maybe the Eco solution looks better than it works!!

If your tired i'll help you but i dont cycle the Usual way!!!!
Bye

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Oh!! I jut look the date, your not late!! A month is not long, after 2 its consider a long cycle but wait for at least 4 other week before trying anything else!!!

 

[pdw1731]

lol....like i said. i'm forgoing testing until next week sometime. I know my ammo is zeroing out so i'll just re-dose every morning and call it a day.

 

[Vol4Ever]

The system is sucking the ammonia to zero REALLY fast now, but the -ites and -ates are staying WAYYY off the charts. Will do heavy ammonia dose today before leaving, but then I won't be back in the office to Monday to do anything else to it.

Hopefully the -ites will be zero Monday morning & I can move on with this thing. If not, I should be able to find some time to do a heavy water change next week.

 

[Vol4Ever]

LOG MON SEP 19

pH = 6.6 (dropped from 7.5 on Friday) - - crash?
Amm = 0.25
Nitrite = off charts
Nitrate = WAYY off charts - - looks almost like lipstick!

A *huge* water change is most definitely in order for me today. Given what's been going on for the last few days, I have a hopeful suspicion that this water change (maybe even 2 today) will speed the cycle along to completion. This has gotta be the week. We need an emoticon for crossed fingers.

 

[alex07]

LOG MON SEP 19

pH = 6.6 (dropped from 7.5 on Friday) - - crash?
Amm = 0.25
Nitrite = off charts
Nitrate = WAYY off charts - - looks almost like lipstick!

A *huge* water change is most definitely in order for me today. Given what's been going on for the last few days, I have a hopeful suspicion that this water change (maybe even 2 today) will speed the cycle along to completion. This has gotta be the week. We need an emoticon for crossed fingers.

Yes, do a 50% water change. You're almost there

 

[librarygirl]

I hope you're close!!

If you're going to do a pwc, I suggest doing a large a pwc as you can (don't forget to add dechlorinator!). Good luck!

 

[pdw1731]

I suggest doing a large a pwc as you can (don't forget to add dechlorinator!).

You and a few others, each and every time you mention a pwc, you always add that last instruction. "Don't forget to add dechlorinator" is getting right up there with "make sure you have on clean underwear"...sage advice...lol

 

[pdw1731]

pH = 6.6 (dropped from 7.5 on Friday) - - crash?
Amm = 0.25

Wow! You're ammo only to .25 after a weekend. Mine won't last 24hrs from 3ppm till it drops to nada

I'm doing a pwc, like to the gravel today/tomorrow....right after i pop a few Advil. By the way, my water company is loving me right now

 

[eco23]

You and a few others, each and every time you mention a pwc, you always add that last instruction. "Don't forget to add dechlorinator" is getting right up there with "make sure you have on clean underwear"...sage advice...lol

You'd be surprised how many "My cycle stopped after a pwc!" posts we see, lol. That little bottle of dechlorinator can be easy to forget...especially for the newbies who are just setting up their first tank. Chlorine and bacteria don't make very good friends. But yeah, clean underwear is always a good idea, haha.

 

[Vol4Ever]

Man. My concentrations must've been really high. I did a water change down to the gravel a couple of hours ago. Couldn't have gotten much more out if I turned the thing on its side and poured. Put in the NovAqua conditioner when the fresh water was going back in.

pH = 7.5
Amm = 0
Nitrite = still off chart
Nitrate = still off chart, but not nearly as "blood" red this time

I'm going to let it sit overnight without re-dosing the ammonia and see if the Nitrites drop some. Chances are I'm looking at another huge WC tomorrow. It's almost like my water got super saturated and stalled everything over the weekend?? Nothing was put in after Friday.

 

[Vol4Ever]

LOG TUE SEP 20

pH=7.5
Amm = 0
Nitrite = off chart
Nitrate = off chart

Around lunchtime, I did another huge water change down to the gravel. Just did all the API measurements a few minutes ago, and got the following:

pH = 7.5
Amm = 0
Nitrite = 0.25
Nitrate = 5

Redosed ammonia back to 4 & will check everything in the morning. My gut tells me I'm about there now.

 

[Vol4Ever]

LOG WED SEP 21

Well, Ammonia went to zero as planned overnight (and I re-dosed to around 4 ppm this morning). Even though I did TWO full water changes yesterday, both my -ites and -ates skyrocketed off the charts again overnight/today.

Do I just need to be patient and sit & wait, or do I need to do yet ANOTHER water change? It appears that the cycling is working. It's just not able to fully pull the -ites down to zero yet.

It's just odd to me that the -ates can skyrocket to thick lipstick red without a noticeable effect on the -ites. Maybe that's normal?

 

[eco23]

LOG WED SEP 21

Well, Ammonia went to zero as planned overnight (and I re-dosed to around 4 ppm this morning). Even though I did TWO full water changes yesterday, both my -ites and -ates skyrocketed off the charts again overnight/today.

Do I just need to be patient and sit & wait, or do I need to do yet ANOTHER water change? It appears that the cycling is working. It's just not able to fully pull the -ites down to zero yet.

It's just odd to me that the -ates can skyrocket to thick lipstick red without a noticeable effect on the -ites. Maybe that's normal?

Just let it ride IMO. No sense in changing water everyday. If that was part of the plan...you may as well have added fish on day one. Super high levels are all part of the process. We're just training the bacteria how to handle them.