Ph problem...

KH <10ppm is also less than one degree (1 degree = 17.86ppm), so the nitrification did burn out the buffering as was suspected. Water change(s) should restore the buffering/KH. At least in the future you will be able to monitor it and avoid the issue.

Check the cycle for a couple of days to be sure the pH crash did not hurt the nitrification bacteria.
 
Test your source water for Kh. I'd like to know how it tests.
 
Ok, tested my tapwater and the KH is 90 ppm. Good? Bad? High? Low?

After doing a 50% water change last night, my results were

Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 80+ppm (colors are so alike, hard to tell)

I added 2 capfuls of ammonia after that to feed the bacteria. This morning my results are:

Ammonia = 1ppm (wow)
Nitrites = .5ppm
Nitrates = 40-80ppm (again, hard to tell the colors apart)
ph = 6.4
Gh = 120ppm
Kh = 40ppm

Significant difference in the ph/kh department, looks like the nitrate were to blame after all.
 
You kh is about 6 degrees (according to RTR's numbers). It's a good reading. With that Kh number, your periodic water change routines will keep your ph stable.

Your numbers look fine to me. Give some more water changes until you can reduce your nitrates below 20, and your Ph gets close to your tap water. Then you could start adding the fish slowly.

after you add the fish, keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels for safety.

In my experience and reading, nitrate can be up to 200ppm with no harm to the fish, however, I like to keep them as low as possible. Not worth the risk.
 
hmm

In Xielos' defense, I will say that I have seen several posts on these forums that abdicate fishless cycling because you don't have to worry about water changes. Also, most of the articles I have been pointed to mention nothing in regards to water changes.
 
Yoemen said:
Also, most of the articles I have been pointed to mention nothing in regards to water changes.
Click to expand...

Well, it's been said over and over:

1- NItrogen cycle eats Kh
2- Low Kh may lead to a pH crash (going too low)
3- Too low pH will kill your benefical bacteria

That's why you should not read only one explanation. If you get more info, you can use your own judgement and choose what is better.

The goal in the water changes adviced in this thread is to replenish that lost Kh, and avoid the ph crash. This is almost always done in the latter part of the cycling process, so you'll not be throwing away your added ammonia.

That's why understanding water chemistry helps the aquarist. It will allow you to do things right. If you had a Kh high enough to withstand the whole cycling process you wouldn't need to do any water change in the middle of the proccess. Just a large one at the end to get rid of all the excesive nitrates accumulated during cycle.
 
true

Definitely, my main point though was to show that some posters on here say to do fishless cycling expressly so that you don't have to do the water changes, and that was probably the reason that xielos didn't think he/she had to do a water change with it.
 
Cool. Knowledge is power. :bday: :bday: :bday:

Xielos! Happy fishkeeping :bday:
 
i'm glad things are working out for you, xeilos. this has turned into an informative thread, and i am glad i was a part of it.

RTS, i didn't realize that it was a publication subject to editing... like i said, good work, just a little hard to read. but thats neither here nor there.

i might still recommend a chunk of limestone or coral, since ~6 degrees of KH is not particularly high considering you've already had one crash. granted, its much less likely in the future, but better safe than sorry. and since you will not be changing 100% of the water upon finishing the cycle, you will not be restoring 100% of your taps buffering capability.

and as for the baking soda... yes, i realize it does contribute to the TDS of the system. as i said, it was recommended as short term. a small pinch every couple of waterchanges will not contribute solids to a problem point, especially if there is significant KH drop from change to change. but theres no point in dragging out the argument. just don't overlook the tannin/driftwood aspect of the system for the near future.

good point, yoemen. i cant think of a situation where a small waterchange is bad.

knowledge is power.

eric
edit: maybe you will change 100% of the water... in that case, nevermind. but the rest still applies, i think.
 
I did another 50% change just now and my ph is up to 7 and my Kh up to 50ppm. I think I'll do the big water change (80-90%) tomorrow and let the tank settle down and stablize before I get the fish on Friday.

Now my parents have been talking about getting a water softener filter thing, how is that going to affect my gh and kh?
 
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