Fishless Cycle Diary

Day 19:

Day 19:
NH3 - 0
NO2 - 10 (10% tank/90%tap - tested 1ppm)

I know the NO2 readings will fluctuate wildly due to the 10x multiplier, but it definitely looked like a 1ppm today, while yesterday it was quite certainly 2ppm so maybe I am almost at the point of a balanced N cycle! I would be surprised if the little whisper 10 can consume 10ppm NO2 in a day.

My ratio is quite accurate - since I dose 0.5cc with a 1cc syringe, and the 4.5 cc tap with a 5 cc syringe - it is just the results dont quite have that accuracy. I shall just draw the happy conclusion that it is approaching the end and celebrate :dance2:.
 
Day 20:

Day 20:
:dance2: SOOON

NH3 - 0.5 - 1.0
NO2 - 5.0 (10%tank, 90%tap tested 0.5ppm)

Nitrites are plummeting at a rather rapid rate - So I think I am going to have a healthy nitrifying bacteria population soon. :bday:

What is odd is that the nitrosifyers are so finicky - they were unable to process 2cc of NH3 from yesterday - Should have checked pH etc.

Of course, the weekend is over so I will likely have to wait 5 days to get more fishies!! Which is fine, because I have to test feed ammonia a couple times and make sure I dont see any NH3 or NO2 in 24, and I still have to do the couple 90% wc to get the nitrates out.
 
Day 20: addon

The pH was 6.0 - no wonder the nitrosifyers were not happy.
I added 1.5 cc NH3, got NH3 to 2ppm, and pH to 7.6
That should keep both the nitrosifyers and the nitrifiyers happy!

Should be cycled in a day or two tops!!
 
Day 21:

Day 21:
:dance2:
NH3 - 0.5
NO2 - 0.0 :bday:
pH - 6.0

So I guess I am pretty much cycled - the NH3 seems to have trouble disappearing when the pH drops so much
I am going to water change, then re-dose NH3 to 5ppm, and do the 24hour test. That will fix my pH, give me a clean restart for test

Whew
 
Continuing Saga

I did drain and refill, dosed ammonia to 5ppm, and we will see what 24 hours brings...


I shall figure out how to post this whole diary in one shot, with graphs and all, and all the new things I learned.
 
Day 22:

Day 22:
Well, talk about a premature celebration
NH3 - 0
NO2 - 2+ :eek:
So NO, the tank is not yet ready:sad:. I had dosed NH3 to 5ppm yesterday, as prescribed, to test both the nitrosifying and the nitrifying bacteria.

While my nitrosifyers were clearly upto the task the nitrifyers lay down on the job and could not oxidize all the nitrites to Nitrates.

So I dosed 1ppm NH3 again - and will have to give it another 24hrs.
stay tuned
===================================
for other newbies like me a good read is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrifying_bacteria
the nitrosifyers are bacteria such as nitrosomonas and nitrosospira that oxidize NH3 to NO2, while the nitrifyers are the bacteria that oxidize nitrites to nitrates.
===================================
 
just wondering, but have you tried to stabilize the water (ex. by adding some crushed coral or sea shells to the water column)? The crash from high 7s to low 6s may affect oxidation of ammonia, but yuu were never certain. Adding some crushed coral will help buffer the water from changing pH.
 
kmail5776 said:
just wondering, but have you tried to stabilize the water ...? The crash from high 7s to low 6s may affect oxidation of ammonia, ... Adding some crushed coral will help buffer the water from changing pH.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, the fish I want in that tank want a low pH, my water already has too much hardness, and thus high pH - and if I add more buffer I will definitely going towards a even better buffered 8 something pH :eek:
But none of that matters - see next post :dance2:
 
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