Kuhnini's 40 gal freshwater fishless cycle has commenced!
- Thread starter Kuhnini
- Start date
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librarygirl
Look It Up
Wow, great progress! That seeded media helped a lot!
Today's water test added to the log
3/29/12
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
Maybe...just maybe tomorrow will be the day for ammonia and nitrites to be 0.0 ppm!!
3/29/12
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
Maybe...just maybe tomorrow will be the day for ammonia and nitrites to be 0.0 ppm!!
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your tank is doing wonderful! Just keep a close eye on that ph- its starting to drop. If it drops any further, its time for a water change to re-establish buffers to prevent a ph crash (which can stall or slow your cycle). 
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
It's bit situation dependent. If your ph crashes & drops below 7, a big (90+%) water change will be necessary to stabilize your water. If it drops another .2 or so, a 50-60% change should be enough. Don't be afraid to do more- as long as the water is properly conditioned & temperature matched, things will be fine. You have a large amount of conversion happening right now so this is not unusual to see the ph start to drop- just continue to monitor your water & do a water change if needed.
3/29/12
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
BUMMER! I thought today might be the day. ph buffered a bit again though so I will take that as good news. Man I want fish!
4/7/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
BUMMER! I thought today might be the day. ph buffered a bit again though so I will take that as good news. Man I want fish!
4/7/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your almost there! You have a great set of amm>nitrite bacteria! Your nitrite>nitrate bacteria are working hard but they are just not quite up to speed yet to convert everything in 24hrs. I would like you to try something but need to know if you already dosed ammonia today?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks! Lets see how your numbers look tommorrow. If theres still nitrites, skip dosing ammonia tommorrow (no- your bacteria will not starve either!) & we will see how things look on monday.
3/29/12
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
BUMMER! I thought today might be the day. ph buffered a bit again though so I will take that as good news. Man I want fish!
4/7/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
4/8/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite .50 ppm (almost!)
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
I will not dose with ammonia and see what we get tomorrow.
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
BUMMER! I thought today might be the day. ph buffered a bit again though so I will take that as good news. Man I want fish!
4/7/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
4/8/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite .50 ppm (almost!)
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
I will not dose with ammonia and see what we get tomorrow.
Gish
Aquarium Advice Freak
So. What flora and fauna are you planning to add to the tank?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looks great! Tommorrow should be all zeroes but keep us posted!
As far as the flora, I've never had live plants in an aquarium. I think I'm gonna walk before I run and stick with plastic plants until I feel comfortable with the fauna part of things. Our plan is to start with six serpae tetra. Then follow up with 6 Panda Cory, a bristlenose pleco, 3 Dwarf Loach, a Guorami, and debating on a Red Tailed Black Shark. Beyond that I don't know yet. Any suggestions are welcome.
I will definitely keep you posted on how things progress.
I will definitely keep you posted on how things progress.
Gish
Aquarium Advice Freak
Go for some live plants. There are quite a few low light and hardy ones that look great. They will help your cycle, compete with algae, and your fish will like them. So far they haven't required much work in my 30 days of experience.
Like the fish choices. You could probably have more than that in a 40 gallon. Check the compatibilities with the shark
Like the fish choices. You could probably have more than that in a 40 gallon. Check the compatibilities with the shark
3/29/12
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
BUMMER! I thought today might be the day. ph buffered a bit again though so I will take that as good news. Man I want fish!
4/7/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
4/8/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite .50 ppm (almost!)
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
I will not dose with ammonia and see what we get tomorrow.
It's official...I'm FRUSTRATED! Did not dose with ammonia for 24 hours and nitrites went up!
4/9/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrites 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.2
Should I dose ammonia back up to 4 ppm and work on my patience?
Ammonia 4.0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
4/3/12
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
4/4/12
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
High ph 7.8
4/5/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
Hig ph 8.0
4/6/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 7.8
BUMMER! I thought today might be the day. ph buffered a bit again though so I will take that as good news. Man I want fish!
4/7/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
4/8/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite .50 ppm (almost!)
Nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.0
I will not dose with ammonia and see what we get tomorrow.
It's official...I'm FRUSTRATED! Did not dose with ammonia for 24 hours and nitrites went up!
4/9/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrites 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 160 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.2
Should I dose ammonia back up to 4 ppm and work on my patience?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thats very odd! Is it possible the .50 was a testing error? Leave things be for another night & we will work from tommorrows numbers.
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