Hi Everyone
My very first post. Love this place - have been reading heaps but haven't posted until today. Am obviously a noob
Have read the "Almost Complete Guide to Fishless Cycling" about 10 times - I mean every post to make sure I am doing this right.
OK - fish less cycle driving me absolutely insane.
I have :
Juwel Lido
HOB Aquaclear Filter (took out the in built filter as I didn't like it and the parts are too expensive here)
I am about to add a C2 Fluval HOB as well
Juwel Heater
Water temp currently 30 degrees C - sorry, am Australia and speak in metric
Natural gravel with lots of plants
Plants thriving
The Juwel lights that came with the tank (T5 flouros?)
Lights only coming on 8 hours a day while cycling
Add 5ml Seachem Excel for CO2 every 2nd day - the whole CO2 set up with bubbles all a bit scary at present
My usual water parameters are 0 NH3, 0 nitrites/ates and pH at 7.4. This is straight out of the tap.
An using API master kit testing - appears to be in date. Shake the life out of all the bottles before using
Haven't tested nitrates because of large plant numbers and figured there probably wasn't much point yet.
Also add API tap water conditioner prior to adding new water.
Started cycling on the 3rd February
Seeded tank with large amount of ceramic noodles from LFS
Cannot get a pure source of NH3 here without using powdered form (amonochlor). Use that daily to get the ammonia to 4 ppm.
All seemed to be going well.
By the 19th Feb, the NH3 had come down to 0.25 ppm and nitrites sitting at 5+
On the 21st Feb, NH3 started going back UP. Went up to 2 ppm by the 23rd so did a large water change. pH was 7.2 at that stage.
By the 26 Feb, the NH3 was going down and reached 0
Today back at 0.25 ppm.
Can anyone tell me why the ammonia is going up and down?? I am getting really annoyed!!
One thing I realised this morning, is when I have been making up the amonochlor, I forgot to dechlorinate the water :face palm: - each morning as the ammonia goes down again, I am only adding about 3 tablespoons to the whole tank to get it back up to 4ppm. Would this be enough to kill small amounts of the bacteria??
My final bit of self-revealing is that I am actually a veterinarian
I have been practising for over 10 years but have never seen a fish in my life in practice. I had 4 fish lectures in my final year by our resident cow vet who apparently had a few tanks I have been rather stunned by the whole complicated process and feel like I now also have a PhD in chemistry. My husband is highly amused.
The fish tank looks great with no fish As I mentioned, plants are very happy.
I am not!
Any help appreciated.
My very first post. Love this place - have been reading heaps but haven't posted until today. Am obviously a noob
Have read the "Almost Complete Guide to Fishless Cycling" about 10 times - I mean every post to make sure I am doing this right.
OK - fish less cycle driving me absolutely insane.
I have :
Juwel Lido
HOB Aquaclear Filter (took out the in built filter as I didn't like it and the parts are too expensive here)
I am about to add a C2 Fluval HOB as well
Juwel Heater
Water temp currently 30 degrees C - sorry, am Australia and speak in metric
Natural gravel with lots of plants
Plants thriving
The Juwel lights that came with the tank (T5 flouros?)
Lights only coming on 8 hours a day while cycling
Add 5ml Seachem Excel for CO2 every 2nd day - the whole CO2 set up with bubbles all a bit scary at present
My usual water parameters are 0 NH3, 0 nitrites/ates and pH at 7.4. This is straight out of the tap.
An using API master kit testing - appears to be in date. Shake the life out of all the bottles before using
Haven't tested nitrates because of large plant numbers and figured there probably wasn't much point yet.
Also add API tap water conditioner prior to adding new water.
Started cycling on the 3rd February
Seeded tank with large amount of ceramic noodles from LFS
Cannot get a pure source of NH3 here without using powdered form (amonochlor). Use that daily to get the ammonia to 4 ppm.
All seemed to be going well.
By the 19th Feb, the NH3 had come down to 0.25 ppm and nitrites sitting at 5+
On the 21st Feb, NH3 started going back UP. Went up to 2 ppm by the 23rd so did a large water change. pH was 7.2 at that stage.
By the 26 Feb, the NH3 was going down and reached 0
Today back at 0.25 ppm.
Can anyone tell me why the ammonia is going up and down?? I am getting really annoyed!!
One thing I realised this morning, is when I have been making up the amonochlor, I forgot to dechlorinate the water :face palm: - each morning as the ammonia goes down again, I am only adding about 3 tablespoons to the whole tank to get it back up to 4ppm. Would this be enough to kill small amounts of the bacteria??
My final bit of self-revealing is that I am actually a veterinarian
I have been practising for over 10 years but have never seen a fish in my life in practice. I had 4 fish lectures in my final year by our resident cow vet who apparently had a few tanks I have been rather stunned by the whole complicated process and feel like I now also have a PhD in chemistry. My husband is highly amused.
The fish tank looks great with no fish As I mentioned, plants are very happy.
I am not!
Any help appreciated.