I'm SOOO close to being cycled but...

[Water Wiggler]

Hi! I need your help...please? My big plan, when I'm done cycling, is to add 8 neon tetra to my 10 gallon tank and then add cherry shrimp later on. I've been using the cycling instructions on this forum using no shortcuts. I've been cycling since June. On Sept. 20th, I hit the no nitrites (API Easter egg blue) and no ammonia (yellow) for the first time after dosing with 4 ppm of ammonia 24 hours before. FFFFINNNALLLY!

My problem is the PH. It keeps falling until it's dangerously low and then I have to do a water change. I dose ammonia to 4 ppm after the water change. The PH reading for tap water without waiting is 7.6 on the API low PH scale (blue) and 7.4 on the high scale (tan). The low PH test is happily blue for one day, and then it falls again. The nitrites and ammonia do as they should that day. Obviously, when it falls, my ammonia doesn't disappear completely. Will my PH eventually stabilize or is this an endless cycle because of the 4 ppm of ammonia that I add causing the PH drop? What should I do? Please help!

I added three 4" pieces of cured and pre-boiled cholla wood on Sept. 13th and attached a thin layer of java moss to them on Sept. 20th. I have no other live plants. I don't think the cholla wood can cause a PH fall like this, right?

Thanks in advance for your help. I have been secretly stalking this forum all along, and it has really helped. Now I need to bow your expertise!

 

[loona-chan]

I had largely the same problems near the end of my cycle. I've read it's because nitrifying bacteria have acidic waste, and cycling means there's lots of them eating and reproducing. It could also be because you local water supply is a bit acidic (though testing tap water for pH isn't as easy as it sounds).

What I did after struggling with a pH of around 6 was eventually use a pinch of baking soda. See how well adding baking soda works (just a small pinch at first), and then if it works for more than a day, go get your fish. Once you have the fish, things should stabilize in the tank, they may even be a bit basic, I know a few days after I added my fish it ended up being around 7.6-8.

For stocking, I would suggest going with something less than 8, somewhere around 5-6. A 10 gallon might be able to hold 8, but you don't want to stock it it to capacity right away.

 

[Water Wiggler]

I had largely the same problems near the end of my cycle. I've read it's because nitrifying bacteria have acidic waste, and cycling means there's lots of them eating and reproducing. It could also be because you local water supply is a bit acidic (though testing tap water for pH isn't as easy as it sounds).

What I did after struggling with a pH of around 6 was eventually use a pinch of baking soda. See how well adding baking soda works (just a small pinch at first), and then if it works for more than a day, go get your fish. Once you have the fish, things should stabilize in the tank, they may even be a bit basic, I know a few days after I added my fish it ended up being around 7.6-8.

For stocking, I would suggest going with something less than 8, somewhere around 5-6. A 10 gallon might be able to hold 8, but you don't want to stock it it to capacity right away.

Thank you! I will try the baking soda. I'm afraid to add neon tetras to a PH fluctuating tank since they're so sensitive.

I thought that since I've been "training" my bacteria with 4 ppm of ammonia, it was o.k. to add 8 neon tetras since they are small. I will start with 6. Can I add two more later on or is that too many?

 

[loona-chan]

Thank you! I will try the baking soda. I'm afraid to add neon tetras to a PH fluctuating tank since they're so sensitive.

I thought that since I've been "training" my bacteria with 4 ppm of ammonia, it was o.k. to add 8 neon tetras since they are small. I will start with 6. Can I add two more later on or is that too many?

I'm not really an expert on stocking, especially with neon tetras. There's a lot of conflicting stocking advice, some sources will say that most livebearers are suitable for 10 gallons, others will say that even neon tetras and zebra danios are unsuitable for 10. I would probably aim for no more than 6 neons for a 10 gallon tank, and to start I might go lower than that.

 

[Water Wiggler]

I had largely the same problems near the end of my cycle. I've read it's because nitrifying bacteria have acidic waste, and cycling means there's lots of them eating and reproducing. It could also be because you local water supply is a bit acidic (though testing tap water for pH isn't as easy as it sounds).

What I did after struggling with a pH of around 6 was eventually use a pinch of baking soda. See how well adding baking soda works (just a small pinch at first), and then if it works for more than a day, go get your fish. Once you have the fish, things should stabilize in the tank, they may even be a bit basic, I know a few days after I added my fish it ended up being around 7.6-8.

For stocking, I would suggest going with something less than 8, somewhere around 5-6. A 10 gallon might be able to hold 8, but you don't want to stock it it to capacity right away.

My PH appears to have risen a little bit since this morning. At any rate, it's still in a safe range. I will hold off on adding the baking soda for now. I'll see what my readings are when I hit tonight's 24 hour mark and decide from there, I suppose. Maybe the PH will stabilize on its own? Should I continue dosing ammonia to 4 ppm?

I will add only six neons. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Water Wiggler]

My PH has risen even further, without any help from me, since my last post! I really hope it levels off and stays there. The secret seems to have been talking to you and going out to buy baking soda! I'm glad I don't have to use it. Playing with PH is not my idea of a good time...ha, ha! My ammonia and nitrite levels were both zero, as well! I will keep dosing to 4 ppm and hope that this trend continues!

 

[loona-chan]

My PH appears to have risen a little bit since this morning. At any rate, it's still in a safe range. I will hold off on adding the baking soda for now. I'll see what my readings are when I hit tonight's 24 hour mark and decide from there, I suppose. Maybe the PH will stabilize on its own? Should I continue dosing ammonia to 4 ppm?

I will add only six neons. Thanks for the tip!

You can always try waiting more, there's never much harm in that, I suppose. Instead of dosing it up to 4, you can go to 2ppm just to keep things going.

 

[catface]

Once the cycle is complete, you don't need to be adding 4ppm of ammonia every day. Drop it down to 1ppm ammonia per day until you get the fish.

4ppm is considered to be at the top end of the scale when it comes to cycling. going from 2ppm ammonia to 0 and 0 nitrite is more than adequate. You'll be creating masses of nitrate with all that ammonia going in which would explain the fluctuating PH.

 

[Water Wiggler]

Once the cycle is complete, you don't need to be adding 4ppm of ammonia every day. Drop it down to 1ppm ammonia per day until you get the fish.

4ppm is considered to be at the top end of the scale when it comes to cycling. going from 2ppm ammonia to 0 and 0 nitrite is more than adequate. You'll be creating masses of nitrate with all that ammonia going in which would explain the fluctuating PH.

You are so right! I'm a dingbat for continuing to dose to 4 ppm. Should I do a pwc just to reduce some of the nitrates or is that unnecessary since I will be doing a 90% water change before getting fish?

At the 12 hour mark, my PH was back down to the 6.8-7.0 range because it's processing that 4 ppm of ammonia. The PH is trying to bounce back, but I'm not letting it due to the massive amount of ammonia. I shall dose only 1 ppm and watch the PH and then get my fish! I thought the day would never come. THANK YOU!!!