FIshless cycling: Finally ahve nitrIte and nitrAte readings, so what next??

[Perseusmom]

Yeah 80 percent sounds about right...since I did a fish in cycle I didnt have to do that. But once you do get Tommy in his new home keep checking your levels each day to make sure the tank is staying stable.

[TigerRegalia]

Thanks, Perseusmom!! I will keep you all updated, and I'll post some pics too once Tom is in his new home :)

[TigerRegalia]

Ok... I just retested the water params, and here's what I got:

-Ammonia: ~3.0 ppm
-NitrIte: 5.0 ppm (the highest nitrIte reading on the color chart-- the test tube water was a fuschia color)
-NitrAte: 5.0 ppm (the second to lowest nitrAte reading on the color chart)

Why are my nitrIte levels increasing with the nitrAte levels staying at 5.0 ppm?? Please don't tell me that my cycle is going to stall :( :(

[TigerRegalia]

p.s. the PH is approx. 7.8-7.9, can anyone explain what is going on and if I need to do a PWC?

[Hallyx]

No worries, TR. The nitrate increase always lags behind the nitrite spike.

However, having such high nitrite can slow your cycle. Do a 50% change and get your nitrite back to where you can monitor it.

That will get your ammonia down to about 1.5ppm. Some keepers like to cut back on ammonia after the nitrite spike (OFL does). I keep my ammonia up until the nitrite goes down, then stop dosing.

[TigerRegalia]

Thank you so much, Hallyx!! I am about to retest the water params now and then I'll do that. Will keep you updated here!

[TigerRegalia]

It looks like the ammonia has gone down a little bit and like the nitrAtes have slightly increased. The ammonia is now about 1-2 ppm, while the nitrAte is about 6-7ish ppm. Regardless, the nitrIte is still maxed out, so I'm doing a PWC now to bring those levels down a little bit.

[TigerRegalia]

Ok, here are the water params after the PWC:

-Ammonia: ~.5 to 1.0 ppm
-NitrIte: ~1.5 ppm
-NitrAte: ~5.0 ppm

Yay :) I may or may not redose the ammonia. I'll wait and see what happens before I do.

[TigerRegalia]

Yesterday I put precisely *one* drop of ammonia into the tank, and, even after doing that 50% PWC yesterday, today the nitrIte levels already are up to where they were yesterday. *However,* the ammonia is now starting to decrease and the nitrAte levels are increasing :))))) I am so happy that I am in the home stretch! Here are my levels now...

-Ammonia: .25 ppm
-NitrIte: at least 5.0 ppm (that's as high as the scale goes; the test tube water is fuschia color again)
-NitrAte:about 30 ppm

Sorry if this is kind of turning into a journal of the latter stages of my cycle!! I just really don't want to lose the cycle now that I'm this far into it!

Anyway, I might have to do another PWC tomorrow (don't have time to do it tonight). Or should I just leave it alone now?

[MSG]

If you have an air pump & air stone throw it in the tank and turn it UP.

• You want to add EXTRA oxygen to your tank for the new guests & leave everything else alone. No water change at all.
• Your results for ammonia & nitrites should be lower tomorrow morning.
• Nitrate levels should increase, but that's what you WANT to see.

• If you use the airstone on full blast like I suggest... on your next water tests, you will see....

Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrite = 2.0ppm (Ideally this number will be 0)
Nitrate = guessing 50-60ppm?


Also.....

• Do you have any live plants in the tank?
• What is the current temperature of the tank?