Roxi's 10 gallon startup

[Rosebud]

Hi all,

About a year ago I joined this list and wrote my intro. (http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f59/first-time-going-solo-167422.html)

I finally set up my 10 gallon tank today and did my first testings and I have a problem. I got my ammonia to the desired 4ppm. My pH is 8.3. Nitrites are 0 as expected. My nitrAte readings are the problem. My reading was about 7.5. I tested my tap water and it read 7.5

How do I deal with this and tracking my tank cycle?
Help!!!

Thanks,
Roxi

 

[Fishanatic]

There are many things that you can do. There are plants that utilizes nitrates, there are chemicals, water changes... Don't put too much oxygen in the tank as that can add to the nitrate. Also, pH 8.3 Is too high, so you have to watch out on that.
Test all the factors of you're tap water.

 

[Rosebud]

Also, pH 8.3 Is too high, so you have to watch out on that.
Test all the factors of you're tap water.

Here are the readings of my tap water:
pH = 7.8
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
NitrAte = 7.5

I tested tank today:
pH still at 8.3
Ammonia dropped to 2.0
Nitrite still 0
Nitrate looks closer to 6.0

Since I used the CaribSea Instant Aquarium black sand (didn't realize this when I ordered it), how is this affecting my cycle and pH? Have I skipped the nitrite cycle? Has it boosted my pH? Should I start over with a different black sand?

Thanks for any and all advice,
Roxi

 

[Fishanatic]

Here are the readings of my tap water:
pH = 7.8
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
NitrAte = 7.5

I tested tank today:
pH still at 8.3
Ammonia dropped to 2.0
Nitrite still 0
Nitrate looks closer to 6.0

Since I used the CaribSea Instant Aquarium black sand (didn't realize this when I ordered it), how is this affecting my cycle and pH? Have I skipped the nitrite cycle? Has it boosted my pH? Should I start over with a different black sand?

Thanks for any and all advice,
Roxi

No, because the ammonia cycle comes first. And if this is a fish less cycle, then leave it accumulate ammonia(With some fish food or pure ammonia).
If you have fish, lower the ammonia, because that level will certainly kill any fish sooner or later.
Ammonia cycle is the shortest one.
Also, i doubt the sand affected you're pH, but it might have sped up you're cycle a bit

 

[Rosebud]

And if this is a fish less cycle, then leave it accumulate ammonia(With some fish food or pure ammonia).
If you have fish, lower the ammonia, because that level will certainly kill any fish sooner or later.

It is a fishless cycle. I am using ammonia from Ace. It is a 10% solution. I bought two plants tonight - Didiplis deandra and an Anibias.

I'll check the tank levels again tomorrow.

 

[Fishanatic]

It is a fishless cycle. I am using ammonia from Ace. It is a 10% solution. I bought two plants tonight - Didiplis deandra and an Anibias.

I'll check the tank levels again tomorrow.

Sounds good.
Good luck

 

[Coursair]

Do you have any Rocks in the tank ? Some will mess with your PH.

CaribSea sand, unless for Africans will not raise PH.

Had to look up that first plant, nice
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=41

 

[librarygirl]

Since you just set up the tank I wouldn't worry about the cycle yet. It'll take a while to get things going. Nitrites typically don't show up until about the third week on average, so you have some ways to go yet. The nitrate in your tap is pretty low, I wouldn't worry about it.

For your PH, leave a glass of tap water out for 24 hours (stir it occasionally) and then take the PH reading---this is your true PH and what your tank's PH should be. Sometimes PH can change from what it is out of the tap after the water gasses off. If it is 8.3 then that's your natural PH; it'll be fine for fish as most fish can adapt to your PH as long as it's stable. If it's different from 8.3 then there's likely something in the tank that's raising PH.

 

[Rosebud]

Do you have any Rocks in the tank ? Some will mess with your PH.

I did put in a few rocks that have always been used in past aquariums.

Had to look up that first plant, nice
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=41

My iPhone changed the spelling of the second plant. It is Anubias.

 

[Rosebud]

Since you just set up the tank I wouldn't worry about the cycle yet. It'll take a while to get things going. Nitrites typically don't show up until about the third week on average, so you have some ways to go yet. The nitrate in your tap is pretty low, I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks for that.

For your PH, leave a glass of tap water out for 24 hours (stir it occasionally) and then take the PH reading---this is your true PH and what your tank's PH should be. Sometimes PH can change from what it is out of the tap after the water gasses off.

Thanks for that suggestion. I'll try it.

If it is 8.3 then that's your natural PH; it'll be fine for fish as most fish can adapt to your PH as long as it's stable. If it's different from 8.3 then there's likely something in the tank that's raising PH.

The guy at my lfs told me to take a little of the sand out and pour some vinegar over it and see if there was a reaction - bubbling. I forget what he said that would mean. Would the same test tell me something about the rocks as well?

Also, my water has turned cloudy.

 

[Rosebud]

My iPhone changed the spelling of the second plant. It is Anubias.

I got home late with the plants so left them in their bags last night. After I took the Anubias out of the bag to wash it, there were 7 tiny Malaysian snails left behind in the bag. I am rinsing and rinsing and rinsing and hunting the leaves for snails. I'm hoping that the nature of the leaves of the Didiplis won't harbor snails. They will still get a good rinse and look over.

 

[Rosebud]

I am really having a hard time "reading" my test results. Do you hold the vial in front of the white card or against it? Do you have your light source at your back? overhead? front? Do you try for sunlight outside?

Today is overcast and my ammonia looks like 3, not 2 like I thought yesterday. The pH color looks more pink than the magenta of 8.4, but definitely not the brownish color of 8.2 on my color chart.

I am frustrated already and I have weeks to go.

 

[Fishanatic]

I am really having a hard time "reading" my test results. Do you hold the vial in front of the white card or against it? Do you have your light source at your back? overhead? front? Do you try for sunlight outside?

Today is overcast and my ammonia looks like 3, not 2 like I thought yesterday. The pH color looks more pink than the magenta of 8.4, but definitely not the brownish color of 8.2 on my color chart.

I am frustrated already and I have weeks to go.

Is this a fishless cycle?
Weird you're pH is that high. Usually, when you have more ammonia/nitrites/nitrates, pH should drop. Maybe you're tap water contains high levels of pH.
Also, what company is you're test kit? I have API and Hagen(Nutrafin...), and i like hagen a lot, and that is the one i use.

 

[Rosebud]

Is this a fishless cycle?

Also, what company is you're test kit?

Fishless cycle and I have the API test kit.

Got my plants in tonight. The Didiplis was a pain. What I thought were about 4 stalks ended up being about 30+ two to three inch pieces and 30+ one to two inch pieces.

I took a pic will see if I can upload.

 

[Rosebud]

I've got movement in my cycle! Yay! I had a reading of 0.25 nitrites this morning. Ammonia was close to 1.0 so I added 1.0ml and that brought it back up to 4 ppm. Now that the nitrites have started do I test every day or every other day?

Thanks,
Roxi

 

[Fishanatic]

Every day to check if you're ammonia will convert into nitrites.

 

[Rosebud]

Every day to check if you're ammonia will convert into nitrites.

Ammonia still looks close to 4, but the nitrites increased to 0.5.

Roxi

 

[Fishperson]

Yup, if the rocks bubble when you put vinegar on them, they are screwing up your ph.

 

[Rosebud]

Update - in the past 24 hours ammonia dropped from 4ppm to 1 ppm and the nitrites are at 5.

 

[Rosebud]

Where am I? In the last 24 hours ammonia went from 4ppm to 0.25ppm. Nitrites still look to be 5.0.

Roxi