mrfishybetta
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hello! This is my inaugural post! Not quite sure how to start, so I'll just dive in with my many questions!
I am about 10 days into a fishless cycle using pure ammonia on a 5g, heated, nonplanted, filtered tank for my rescue betta. I did a lot of research beforehand and settled on the "add and wait method," initially dosing to 5ppm (which I've since been told is too high...), and waiting til it drops to 1ppm, then redosing as needed, all the while monitoring the levels. Tank is heated to 84F, has aeration from a lower water level/splashing, water has some salt in it, and is dechlorinated.
Well, as I said, I'm 10 days in, and I'm not sure anything is actually happening and here is why: water evaporates out of my tank quickly (lid is on), so I have to replace some every 4ish days, or else my heater gets exposed. I'm wondering if that replacement water is giving me a false reading of falling ammonia levels? It started out at about 5-6ppm (the colors on the API kit look so similar to me!), and is now at about a 3? But how am I to know if that is legit falling? Ammonia is tested frequently, but I have a sneaky suspicion that I am just getting fake diluted readings. The other levels are at 0 so far.
Second concern is the pH. I use bottled spring water (dechlorinated) on my betta in his temporary 1g, and it has a pH of 6 (he's used to it). Used the same type of water to fill the 5g, but the pH is 7.6 in the cycling tank! I know that ammonia will raise the pH, but by this much? And will the pH go back down once my tank is cycled? I don't want to shock Mr. Fishy with such a drastic pH difference. Additionally, if the pH stays at about 7.5-6, and I acclimate Fishy to that, how do water changes work? If I keep using the 6 pH spring water on him, wouldn't that bounce the tank's pH all around every time I do a partial water change on the cycled tank?
I am wondering if the rocks I put in there are raising the pH (I'm in the process of testing my theory by leaving the water out for a few days). Did some reading on buffering and water hardness, but I don't have the supplies to test for that. Just hoping to get some insight on my issues! I want my little guy to be as happy as possible!
I am about 10 days into a fishless cycle using pure ammonia on a 5g, heated, nonplanted, filtered tank for my rescue betta. I did a lot of research beforehand and settled on the "add and wait method," initially dosing to 5ppm (which I've since been told is too high...), and waiting til it drops to 1ppm, then redosing as needed, all the while monitoring the levels. Tank is heated to 84F, has aeration from a lower water level/splashing, water has some salt in it, and is dechlorinated.
Well, as I said, I'm 10 days in, and I'm not sure anything is actually happening and here is why: water evaporates out of my tank quickly (lid is on), so I have to replace some every 4ish days, or else my heater gets exposed. I'm wondering if that replacement water is giving me a false reading of falling ammonia levels? It started out at about 5-6ppm (the colors on the API kit look so similar to me!), and is now at about a 3? But how am I to know if that is legit falling? Ammonia is tested frequently, but I have a sneaky suspicion that I am just getting fake diluted readings. The other levels are at 0 so far.
Second concern is the pH. I use bottled spring water (dechlorinated) on my betta in his temporary 1g, and it has a pH of 6 (he's used to it). Used the same type of water to fill the 5g, but the pH is 7.6 in the cycling tank! I know that ammonia will raise the pH, but by this much? And will the pH go back down once my tank is cycled? I don't want to shock Mr. Fishy with such a drastic pH difference. Additionally, if the pH stays at about 7.5-6, and I acclimate Fishy to that, how do water changes work? If I keep using the 6 pH spring water on him, wouldn't that bounce the tank's pH all around every time I do a partial water change on the cycled tank?
I am wondering if the rocks I put in there are raising the pH (I'm in the process of testing my theory by leaving the water out for a few days). Did some reading on buffering and water hardness, but I don't have the supplies to test for that. Just hoping to get some insight on my issues! I want my little guy to be as happy as possible!