10g cycling log

[lmsyah]

Im currently cycling a 10g tank, seeded with a big decoration, a heater, and a bio wheel from an established filter. No real plants. My ph is mostly stable.

Day 1 (10/7/11)
Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - 0ppm (dose to 4ppm)

Day 4 (10/10/11)
Ammonia - 4ppm
NitrItes - 0.25ppm

Day 5 (10/11/11)
Ammonia - 2ppm
NitrItes - 2ppm
NitrAtes - 10ppm

Day 7 (10/13/11)
Ph - 8
Ammonia - 1ppm (dode to 4ppm)
NitrItes - off charts
NitrAtes - 40ppm

Day 8 (10/14/11)
Ammonia - 1ppm (dose to 4ppm)
NitrItes - off chart
NitrAtes - 40ppm

Day 10 (10/16/11)
Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - 0ppm (dose to 4ppm)

Day 11 (10/17/11)
Ammonia - 0ppm (dose to 4ppm)
NitrItes - off chart
NitrAtes - off chart
PWC before dosing, brought Ites and Ates to 0ppm

Day 12 (10/18/11)
Ammonia - 0ppm (dose to 4ppm)
NitrItes - off chart
NitrAtes - 40ppm
PWC brought Ites to 0.25ppm and Ates to 20ppm

Day 13 (10/19/11)
Ammonia - 0ppm (dose to 4ppm)
NitrItes - 5ppm
NitrAtes - 40ppm

Shoult I do a PWC? If so how much?

 

[jlk]

You are doing a great job!!!! Your amm is steadily dropping to zero & your producing nitrites & nitrates! I would leave things alone for now and skip the pwc. If your nitrites shoot off the chart again, i would do a pwc just to get them readable. Otherwise, things look great and you should see your nitrites dropping soon!

 

[lmsyah]

Thanks you very much and yes hopefully! I want to stock my tank already >.< lol

 

[librarygirl]

You're doing very well for 2 weeks into the cycle! I agree you could wait on the pwc as it's only been a week that nitrites have been high; the nitrite phase tends to be the longest of the phases so just hang in there. If another week goes by and they are still high you could do a 100% water change to get them readable on the chart and see what happens. I'd also test your PH every couple of days at least to make sure it doesn't fall. Nice job.

 

[lmsyah]

Okay will do, thanks for the advice I appreciate it will keep you guys updated!

 

[lmsyah]

Looks like I have to dose every day now, my ammonia goes down from 4ppm - 0ppm within 24hours but my NitrItes and NitrAtes are off the high!

Is this normal?

 

[librarygirl]

Looks like I have to dose every day now, my ammonia goes down from 4ppm - 0ppm within 24hours but my NitrItes and NitrAtes are off the high!

Is this normal?

Yes, completely normal, exactly what you want to have happen.

 

[lmsyah]

Okay thank you

 

[jlk]

If your nitrites get crazy high again, do a pwc to get them readable (@2ppm) and continue dosing daily with amm. Things are looking good!!!!

 

[lmsyah]

I woke up this morning and my NitrItes and NitrAtes were 0ppm I'm guessing this means I have now cycled my tank?? just have to do the 24hr test and finish it off with a 95% water change

 

[librarygirl]

I woke up this morning and my NitrItes and NitrAtes were 0ppm I'm guessing this means I have now cycled my tank?? just have to do the 24hr test and finish it off with a 95% water change

Wait, nitrates were 0 too? Was ammonia 0 as well? You should have some nitrate in there. Did you do a water change recently? Reducing the levels with water changes doesn't count.

I'd test it for another couple of days at least to make sure ammonia and nitrite stay at 0. Then the day before you add fish, do a 100% water change and test the water about a half hour afterwards to make sure nitrates are well under 20 (as close to 0 as you can get them is best), turn down your heater if you had it set high for the cycle, and then get your fish. Do a youtube search on drip acclimation; it's the best way to safely acclimate the fish to a new tank.

 

[lmsyah]

Sorry I meant ammonia 0ppm and NitrItes 0ppm xD this morning they were also 0ppm