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Cycling my 5 Gallon - Wohoo!

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
I understand the ammonia part, but...

Day 8 - Ughhhh

Ammonia - 0ppm, adding a couple drops in a moment
NitrIte - 5.0ppm
NitrAte - 10.0ppm - 20.0ppm
pH - 7.6

I can't get my nitrAte to go down. Am I supposed to run a water change at this point? The water level in the tank is getting a little low anyhow so I should add some soon.
 
#22 ·
I don't know anything about a fishless cycle, but are you supposed to add ammonia once it gets to zero & your nitrites are showing? Doesn't that mean the nitrites are "eating" the ammonia & that's what you want? Also, you are showing nitrates, so wouldn't that mean the cycle is "almost" there?

I thought the ideal readings on a fishless cycle would be 0 ammonia & nitrites and some nitrates?
 
Discussion starter · #23 · (Edited)
Cycle: Ammonia to Nitrites, Nitrites to Nitrates, Water Change, add 2.0-3.0ppm ammonia, if nitrites and ammonia is 0 the next day, then tank is ready.

Yeah, I'm adding ammonia now. However, since the ideal readings for a cycle are 0 nitrites, adding MORE ammonia, wouldn't that heighten the nitrites? So confusing, ha ha. Readings of ammonia to come in a moment.

Edit: 1.0-2.0ppm ammonia after 3 drops >_>, adding 1-2 more..
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
It's really not confusing, I think I just make a big deal out of it all. It goes like this pretty much:

1. Add bacteria
2. Add pure ammonia (to get it between 2.0-4.0ppm)
3. Wait
4. Add ammonia until it disappears overnight and you have nitrites/nitrates.
5. Water change
6. Ready for fish

But step 4 is very odd. Especially if you see all my results, I've had a ton of nitrites and nitrates but now I'm just like @.@
 
#27 ·
"But step 4 is very odd. Especially if you see all my results, I've had a ton of nitrites and nitrates but now I'm just like @.@"

That's what I mean - if it were as simple as it sounds, it would be all good. BUT sounds like it isn't!!!

Anyways, good luck & hopefully it will be done for you soon!
 
Discussion starter · #30 ·
Shif's tail is doing fine now.

As for Survivor's tail... It's regrowing, slowly. Very, very slowly. Given his condition when I got him though, I'm surprised that it's growing back at all.
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
Lion Mom said:
Glad to hear about Shif's tail. As far as Survivor's tall goes - it may NEVER grow all the way back in, sadly. However, ya gotta love & admire him for his guts & will to live!!!!
Click to expand...
He's a lively little guy. :)
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
Day 10 - Almost there!

In two days, the water prams have changed to...
Ammonia - 0ppm from 2.0-4.0ppm
NitrIte - 5.0+ppm
NitrAte - 20ppm - 40ppm

This tank is death right now, even to my plants, which are slightly browning. >_> The fantastic news is that the ammonia went down completely to 0 in 2 days of adding the drops. The nitrIAtes are still high but I'm going to go ahead and do a 30-40% WC to get the levels down and add a couple drops of ammonia. I'm looking at this tank being ready by the end of this week. :)
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
Day 11 - Oh my God

Okay, so I never got around to that partial WC. So I never added more ammonia. Overnight, my nitrites went from 5.0+ppm... to nothing.

Water prams:
Ammonia - 0.0ppm
NitrIte - 0.0ppm
pH - not tested
NitrAte - still waiting for it to develop

Once I get done with this post, and the nitrAte develops, I'm going to do that water change since the levels are getting low and my wisteria isn't looking too good. This tank is a few days away from being cycled. :)

Edit: NitrAte is between 20ppm-40ppm. GO PLANTS! :D Doing a WC now, and adding ammonia. Stay tuned.
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Once the ammonia is 0 and nitrites are 0, and you do a water change to bring down the nitrates, adding 2.0-3.0ppm of ammonia is ideal to see if the tank really is fully cycled. If the tank is fully cycled, that 2.0-3.0ppm of ammonia will be gone the next day, and the tank is ready for the fish. <3

On that note, I still never got around to that water change because I had to go fabric shopping. I'm not going to my morning class in... 7 hours, so I'll do the water change then. To make sure the cycle will be fed though, I added a drop of ammonia. -.- But tomorrow DEFINITELY the water change. x.x
 
Discussion starter · #40 ·
Day 12 - lol

So, I just did that water change. I did not go to class, but I slept it off. :p Tomorrow I'm going to class, then coming back and cleaning the other two tanks, and studying for my test tomorrow night.

I didn't test the water before I did the change. Actually, I was going to get lazy, and not even do the change, so I added 3 drops of ammonia to the water. XD WELL, then I looked at the tank, decided I wanted to move my wisteria, and instead did a gravel vac to get debris out, and did about a 75% WC because I added ammonia and was trying to get the Nitrates down. After changing the water, I tested it again.

pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
NitrItes - 0ppm
NitrAtes - 5.0ppm

I'm adding 3 drops of ammonia, doing a re-test, and I'll let everyone know the results tomorrow night. :) If the ammonia is gone and nitrAItes are low, then I might just be acclimating Shif to this water, and moving him in. :)

Question, to everyone here. How high is too high for nitrAtes? My testing kit goes all the way up to 160ppm and I was wondering how high was too high for nitrAtes to determine when I'd have to change the water. Is 5.0ppm too high? :S
 
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