Fishles cycle question

[Mustangman11224]

Ok I'm on day 6 almost 7 of my fishless cycle. And I have a couple of questions. My first is I still have no signs of nitrites at all my nitrate is 5.0 and my ammonia is between 1.0 and 2.0 I added water because my water level dropped a little. I'm adding more ammonia drops tonight. But am I doing something wrong. My second question is every time I check my ph levels they seem to get higher to start of with my water has a high ph but now it's way above 7.6 it's a dark blue... Is this supposed to happen... Also my tank has been cloudy for about 4 days now... I have had the light on all the time. I just turned it off will this clear up the water? Or do I have to add clarifier..
Lastly how long should I soak driftwood for before adding it to My tank just started today and already can see the tannins that came out.
Thanks for all the help
Dan

 

[PockX]

Do you have any substrate in? Could be cloudy due to not washing it good enough. You are only doing ammonia drops? Or using shrimp too? What filter are you currently running?

 

[Mustangman11224]

Well I added tetra safe start which said it had live bacteria in it... Other then that I am only adding ammonia. My filter right now is a cheep one its a aqueon quiet flow 50. I'm going to get a better one soon I just wanted something to get the tank going... I won't get rid of that filter just add another filter... A exterior canister filter .. Idk if this matters but I have alot of aeration in the tank 3 airstones at full blast... I read somewhere bacteria likes alot of aeration.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Sounds like its all going well. Don't worry if you don't see nitrite for another week. The cloudiness is from a bacteria bloom.
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/246850-bacterial-blooms-explained/
Normal and it will clear on its own.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Ok thank you. Can I add my driftwood into the tank while its cycling... Does it matter if I add stuff in or should I keep it empty I was going to put in the driftwood after its soaked, a cave, another root driftwood, and 2 or 3 fake plants... After its cycled I wanted to get 2 real plants as well,

 

[Mumma.of.two]

You can add it at any stage during the cycle. Live plants too. They consume ammonia.

 

[PockX]

Ok thank you. Can I add my driftwood into the tank while its cycling... Does it matter if I add stuff in or should I keep it empty I was going to put in the driftwood after its soaked, a cave, another root driftwood, and 2 or 3 fake plants... After its cycled I wanted to get 2 real plants as well,

That should be fine. The driftwood might lower the pH but that's about it. Driftwood has tannic acid in it. But depending on your fish you want to add that might be what you want anyway.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Ok thank you so much for the help.

 

[PockX]

Ok thank you so much for the help.

You're very welcome!

 

[Mustangman11224]

Well I turned the light off before going to bed this morning it was a little clearer, so I left it off all day. When I got home tonight it is Crystal clear... I was wondering should I keep the light off all the time since there's no fish, or just treat it as if fish were in there and turn it on in the day and off at nite

 

[librarygirl]

No need to put the lights on unless you have live plants or you enjoy looking at an empty tank. The lights won't affect the cycle at all either way.

 

[PockX]

No need to put the lights on unless you have live plants or you enjoy looking at an empty tank. The lights won't affect the cycle at all either way.

Yup, sunlight accelerates algae growth, not sure how much lights would do for that. But they also need a food source and things like that, which you aren't really giving it so I wouldnt worry too much about that happening to your cycle either.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Lol ok thank you