has my cycle stalled

[yaioa]

I did look at the pearl gouramis, and they were nice, but they had beautiful electric blue rams and they are stunning. I believe they are dwarf rams so won't get too big. Guy in lfs said they would be better as a pair. What's your thoughts on them?

 

[Hholly]

They would be awesome!

 

[yaioa]

Think I'll go with a pair of electric blue rams, some dwarf cory's,some threadfin rainbows, probably some galaxy rasboras and some red cherry shrimps.
I'm off to bed now, as it's 1.30 am over here in Scotland and I need to get some sleep.
Thanks very much Hholly for your input. The world really is a smaller place thanks to the internet!!

 

[Hholly]

Think I'll go with a pair of electric blue rams, some dwarf cory's,some threadfin rainbows, probably some galaxy rasboras and some red cherry shrimps.
I'm off to bed now, as it's 1.30 am over here in Scotland and I need to get some sleep.
Thanks very much Hholly for your input. The world really is a smaller place thanks to the internet!!

yes it is. Can't wait to see your tank when you get it stocked. Sleep well!

 

[yaioa]

Todays readings are basicaly the same as yesterday-: ammonia showing slight colour, so not quite zero, nitrite = zero, nitrates slightly darker than yesterday, ( looks like blood colour )but not much in it so I estimate about 100 - 120 ppm and ph = 7.2
Dosed ammonia back up to 2ppm

 

[Hholly]

You should probably do a water change to get your nitrates down. A 90% change is alright. Be sure and dechlorinate. Then redose ammonia.

 

[yaioa]

Todays readings are-: ammonia = zero, nitrite = zero, nitrate = no change, about 120 - 130ppm and ph = 7
Will do big water change today and then redose ammonia
Do you think that is my tank cycled now?
Should I add fish stock a little at a time, or should I add about 50 - 60% to start with? What fish should I add first?
I want to get galaxy rasboras, threadfin rainbows, dwarf cory's, and a pair of electric blue rams and some rcs. I have checked with my lfs and they have all of the above fish in stock.

 

[Rare]

Congrats!!! How long have your Ammonia & Nitrite been 0? I can't help with your load or what to put in, but will say you can get fish

 

[yaioa]

I think my ammonia has been zero when I have thought it was slightly above it. If I hold the test tube next to the zero colour on the ammonia chart I thought it might not have been quite zero, but if I compared it to the yellow zero mark for the nitrates, which is a much lighter yellow it is an exact match and it is a really pale yellow. I think when reading against ammonia chart the reflection from the 0.25 was giving me a false reading!

 

[yaioa]

OK, did a big water change, ( about 95% )double dosed dechlorinator and dosed ammonia back up to 2ppm. Waited for an hour after changing water and dosing to measure parameters. Ammonia = 2ppm, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 5ppm, but worryingly ph = 8.
If my ph goes up to 8 after a water change, won't that be bad for fish when I do water change in a stocked tank?

 

[Hholly]

It will be fine. There is usually a difference in pH from the tap and after it gasses off. Just don't change more than 50% at a time when you have fish.

 

[yaioa]

I measured my ph this morning, and it has gone from 8 to 6.4-6.6 in only 10 hours. I added a pinch of sodium bicarbonate to bring it back up as I don't know if a low ph will harm my bb now that I'm cycled. If I do a big water change the night before adding fish and this will happens again what can I do as I can't use sodium bicarbonate if I'm putting fish in? Could the crushed coral in filter be causing this, and should I remove crushed coral before adding fish? I was hoping to go and get some fish tomorrow
.

 

[librarygirl]

The high ammount of ammonia causes a lot of conversion for the bacteria so PH can tend to plummet. Once you get fish this shouldn't happen. The coral shouldn't be causing PH to drop; if anything you might just need to add more. Once you get fish the conversion will slow (unless you massively overstock the tank, the fish won't produce anywhere near 4 ppms of ammonia) and PH should level out. If you see it's still dropping with fish then you can add more coral to get it stabilized but the drops shouldn't be as significant.

 

[yaioa]

Thanks for that info library girl. I have been dosing ammonia to 2ppm, should I be dosing higher now?

 

[yaioa]

Sorry it's been a few days since my last post, been busy with elderly Mum.
Readings on 22 feb were ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 5ppm and ph = 7
Readings on 23 feb were ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, nitrate = 20ppm and ph = 6.6
Did 95% water change on evening of 23 feb, going for fish next day.
Measured on morning of 24 feb before going for fish, ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 0 and ph = 6.6
Got 6 galaxy rasboras, 6 threadfin rainbows, 6 dwarf/pygmy corys
Will get pair of electric blue rams and cherry shrimps in week or two. Was thinking of getting 2 or 3 dwarf otto's but don't know if that would be too much for my tank, any advice appreciated!!