Beginning to cycle..questions

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Hbbambislayer said:
I like the low light plants to there natural, fish like that more I guess and not much care is needed for them I can just focus on the fish, I have 3 broadleaf anubias, 6 java ferns, some good patches of Java Moss, and a bunch of hornwort my 55 has a messy pond look that was kinda my goal my only problem is the hornwort I love it but man it's messy my 2 canister filters were packed with junk from it may have to get rid of it get something else
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where did you get the moss? cant seem to find any
 
Mr either went to 5 lfs nothing. Went to eBay that's were all my plants and moss came from.
 
I never thought to look there myself couple people on here suggested it. Very happy with my purchases all plants were perfect also got my red cherry shrimp on eBay
 
I have a question first what are the nitrite readings and how long you gonna be awake
 
Ok that's very odd to drop that much in 1 day but if it did great. I'd say do a WC about 75% or more wait a half hour test your nitrites your goal is around .25. If there not down around there do another big wc wait a half hour again test. Once you get it down to that. 25 range or less add ammo to get you to 1ppm. DO NOT forget to add your prime with each water change and wait about 10 minutes b4 you turn your filters back on if you turn them off for the water change which you should be
 
Hbbambislayer said:
Ok that's very odd to drop that much in 1 day but if it did great. I'd say do a WC about 75% or more wait a half hour test your nitrites your goal is around .25. If there not down around there do another big wc wait a half hour again test. Once you get it down to that. 25 range or less add ammo to get you to 1ppm. DO NOT forget to add your prime with each water change and wait about 10 minutes b4 you turn your filters back on if you turn them off for the water change which you should be
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Ok i might have to wait til tomorrow to do wc.

should i put in some ammo for tonight?
 
If you're not gonna do the water change you done have to but if you do just add enough for 1ppm but I wouldn't bother no need to make more nitrites yet until you knock them down
 
Ok so since I did not change water, and don't think i will til tonight...I dosed just a little bit of ammonia last night, maybe got it to 2ppm.

Just tested on my lunch and nitrites were at 0!!!

Tested ammonia and it was at 0!!!

Then I tested nitrates, and it was around 10ppm.

I don't think it ever exceeded 20ppm so far. But I do have a fair amount of plants in the tank that could be absorbing some.

I left it and plan to do a water change tonight, then dose to see if I can get 0 0 and some nitrates.

Does that sound good?
 
That sounds really good I'd just do a 50% water change then just to restore some of the buffers in the water. Do Not forget to add your prime or what ever your using that would be a big disaster like I said last night if you shut your filter of four watrr change wait 10 minutes b4 you turn it back on. Try to just add 1ppm ammo if you can be gentle on the BB for the nitrites don't want to overwhelm it now and create a steal your moving along great. Nitrates with the plants you may not see that big rise in them but you should see more than 10-20 but if you don't and if every thing goes well over the next few days and you keep 0ing out as you get back up to 4ppm than owell. Just remember patience here I know readings look great but anything can happen 1 day at a time I promise you'll have fish by Xmas
 
Hbbambislayer said:
That sounds really good I'd just do a 50% water change then just to restore some of the buffers in the water. Do Not forget to add your prime or what ever your using that would be a big disaster like I said last night if you shut your filter of four watrr change wait 10 minutes b4 you turn it back on. Try to just add 1ppm ammo if you can be gentle on the BB for the nitrites don't want to overwhelm it now and create a steal your moving along great. Nitrates with the plants you may not see that big rise in them but you should see more than 10-20 but if you don't and if every thing goes well over the next few days and you keep 0ing out as you get back up to 4ppm than owell. Just remember patience here I know readings look great but anything can happen 1 day at a time I promise you'll have fish by Xmas
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Haha...yeah I definitely want to see nitrites down to 0 a few times before thinking im done.

Would you add prime to bucket before adding to the tank?

:dance::fish2::thanks:
 
You can is probably better that way I don't because I don't use a bucket. Just remember you adding prime for gallons in the tank nor just what you're adding. If it's a 20 gallon tank use enough for 20 gallons not 10 gallons. Overt the next few days you'll be slowly increasing the amount of ammo each day . Long as it and nitrites read 0 after 24hrs today 1ppm tomorrow 2 sun 4 mon 4 hopefully you'll be done Tuesday night after you test it
 
Hbbambislayer said:
You can is probably better that way I don't because I don't use a bucket. Just remember you adding prime for gallons in the tank nor just what you're adding. If it's a 20 gallon tank use enough for 20 gallons not 10 gallons. Overt the next few days you'll be slowly increasing the amount of ammo each day . Long as it and nitrites read 0 after 24hrs today 1ppm tomorrow 2 sun 4 mon 4 hopefully you'll be done Tuesday night after you test it
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ok so i did pwc. i tested nitrite twice before, it was at 0.

after pwc it has been testing for nitrites...what the heck?

or maybe did i test too soon after prime?
 
1 you have nitrites in your tap. 2 The test was funny 3 what I think they were never at 0 but you didn't give what they tested. Prime can alter readings a bit. If you are 100% sure they were testing 0 add 1ppm ammo test it tomorrow night. If you think they really weren't at 0 don't add any ammo let it be for the night test tomorrow night
 
Hbbambislayer said:
1 you have nitrites in your tap. 2 The test was funny 3 what I think they were never at 0 but you didn't give what they tested. Prime can alter readings a bit. If you are 100% sure they were testing 0 add 1ppm ammo test it tomorrow night. If you think they really weren't at 0 don't add any ammo let it be for the night test tomorrow night
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i tested twice at different times. the tube was purple, but then in the 5 mins turned light blue.

it was close to zero last night too.

ill test tap but i thought i tested it for nitrites before.
 
brybell said:
i tested twice at different times. the tube was purple, but then in the 5 mins turned light blue.

it was close to zero last night too.

ill test tap but i thought i tested it for nitrites before.
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Your nitrites are off the charts high and the test can not read the results accurately. If the tube turns purple immediately upon testing then they are off the chart and you do not need to wait. As nitrites start to drop to readable levels, your test will start off blue and gradually turn purple over 5mins- it never works in reverse (purple to blue/grey/white/hot pink etc).
 
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