Cycling my new tank with Dr. Tim's

[GoldLenny]

Did you happen to use your API ammonia and/or nitrite test kit on days 2, 3, 4?

On day 1, you posted your numbers with Ammonia and Nitrite at 0.0ppm and Nitrate at 5ppm (which you stated was your tap water baseline).

I don't see any numbers for day 2 and then on day 3, you posted a picture of your Seachem Ammonia Alert card, which I also have used and recommend to folks when cycling a tank... if they don't want to have to test their tanks daily. The maximum color that the Seachem card showed was around 0.05ppm (Alert Level) and the Seachem cards take into affect your pH level so it will register the free ammonia level dependent on what the pH level is in the tank. In other words, if your pH was 7.4, it would not have registered any kind of alert at such a low level of ammonia but since your pH is HIGH... around 8.2 according to your API test picture, it was showing an Alert. Remember that the Seachem card is talking 0.02ppm and 0.05ppm whereas our API test kits register total ammonia starting at the lowest level of 0.25ppm (ten times+ higher than the 0.02ppm Safe Level or five times higher than the 0.05ppm Alert Level of free or toxic ammonia) and certainly 0.25ppm of total ammonia is a level that causes concern with your higher pH but even that level isn't toxic.

Then yesterday, which would be day 5, you posted pictures showing your API test results showing ammonia and nitrites at 0.0ppm and your nitrates up to 15ppm. Did you do any API tests between day 1 and day 5? They would have been helpful and also could have verified/confirmed what you were seeing on the Ammonia Alert cards.

Here's what Seachem says on their website to show that the Ammonia Alert card takes into account the pH of the water when it comes to their color coded alerts...

...As little as 0.02 mg/L of free ammonia will produce a greenish hue on the detector surface. This corresponds to a total ammonia (both ionized and free ammonia) of 0.25 mg/L (ppm) in marine water at pH 8.3. In freshwater at pH 7.0, this corresponds to 3.6 mg/L (ppm) total ammonia. Free ammonia is much more toxic than ionized ammonia. As free ammonia, the ALERT color corresponds to about 0.05 mg/L, ALARM to about 0.2 mg/L, and TOXIC to about 0.5 mg/L. The ALERT concentration is tolerated for several days, ALARM for a few days, and TOXIC is rapidly harmful. This product is not recommended for use at acid pH

This page of charts shows that 0.25ppm of ammonia is only in the caution zone, not the danger zone, at 8.2 to 8.3 pH at 80F temperature. http://dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/AmmoniaTox.html#ammonia.25ppm

I guess none of the above is all that important any longer since your tank sure seems like it is fully cycling in 5 days or less... and probably started cycling immediately since you started getting nitrates so quickly.

Do you remember what day the Seachem Ammonia Alert card went back down into the yellow "Safe" Level... or has it yet? I remember now that yesterdays post included a picture showing the color as being in the Alert Level. Did it ever get above that level? I'm looking at todays post showing the color which seems to be close to the yellow but with still a hint of green in it... but it went closer to yellow since yesterdays picture so that's a good sign.

Keep us posted.

 

[Jannika]

Did you happen to use your API ammonia and/or nitrite test kit on days 2, 3, 4?

Sorry I haven't posted, but things have been hectic. I tested on days 3 & 4, no nitrite. I didn't test on day 2 because at that time ammonia hadn't even shown up yet, so there was no point.

Day 8, Tues. 9/14/10

Nitrites are starting to appear, at .25
Nitrates remain at 20
Very little, if any, free ammonia

 

[Jannika]

Day 9, Wed. 9/15

left - NH3, free ammonia, looks even better than yesterday.
right - The API test shows between .25 - .50, even though I haven't detoxed with Prime since day 3. I don't know why I bother to run this test.

To my eyes, the nitrite looks a bit more lavender than it did yesterday, but it's hard to tell from the pic. If it climbs any more I will have to add more Prime.

Nitrate still at 20

And, just for the heck of it I used a dreaded dipstrip to compare results.

The results jive exactly with my liquid tests.

 

[dundadundun]

any updates on the fish? any changes? all fairing well?

 

[GoldLenny]

It's hard to tell from the pictures if the API ammonia and nitrite tests are both at 0.0ppm or *maybe* just slightly above. I'm sure you can tell better when you're looking at them live. Your seachem ammonia alert certainly looks like it's in the "Safe Level" color... or far more in the "Safe" color than the "Alert" color. Your nitrates seem to be getting darker so that means they are climbing.

 

[GoldLenny]

I meant to add... just use a pinch of salt per 10G which will protect your fish from nitrite poisoning... instead of using Prime which may adversely affect your nitrifying bacteria colony growth. A pinch of salt per 10G will protect up to 1ppm of nitrite. I doubt it will get over that level but if it does, then a PWC will lower it... and then add another pinch of salt to the new water being added.

 

[Jannika]

any updates on the fish? any changes? all fairing well?

Yes, the fish! They are the ultimate test after all, and I'm happy to report they are all doing well. Eating and active, looking healthy. I even got another Betta so there's four again.

This one came in like she's the boss, so there's been a shakeup in the pecking order, but a peaceful one. Thanks for asking, Dun.

 

[KarlTh]

I meant to add... just use a pinch of salt per 10G which will protect your fish from nitrite poisoning... instead of using Prime which may adversely affect your nitrifying bacteria colony growth. A pinch of salt per 10G will protect up to 1ppm of nitrite. I doubt it will get over that level but if it does, then a PWC will lower it... and then add another pinch of salt to the new water being added.

"pinch" is a bit vague. ISTR that 0.5 tsp/10 gallons is the amount recommended.

 

[Jannika]

It's hard to tell from the pictures if the API ammonia and nitrite tests are both at 0.0ppm or *maybe* just slightly above. I'm sure you can tell better when you're looking at them live. Your seachem ammonia alert certainly looks like it's in the "Safe Level" color... or far more in the "Safe" color than the "Alert" color. Your nitrates seem to be getting darker so that means they are climbing.

Actually the nitrite test is one the easiest for me to distinguish. At 0 it's a very clear aqua color, like this:

Above that it takes on a purplish hue -

Previously, when cycling with Nutrafin 'Cycle' I've dealt with nitrite readings like the one below -

When it goes off the charts, it does get more difficult :lol:

Haven't tested yet today, but if my nitrite is still elevated will do partial water change and add salt.

 

[jpappy789]

"pinch" is a bit vague. ISTR that 0.5 tsp/10 gallons is the amount recommended.

Technically it is at least 10:1 chloride to nitrite ratio. Would really depend on your source water and how much nitrite you are dealing with...