Cycling

Hiya again! Well I have been keeping my head down and getting on with the fishless cycle. You might remember that I put too much in at the first and so had to wait for ages for it to get down to 4 but it did in the end. It was stuck on 4 for a while and I did a water change in the end because I thought I would strart from scratch as I didnt really know what was happening.

Now though I think things are moving because the past couple of days I have had the same results - ammonia 4 nitrite 0.25 ph 7.6. Thing is though that it has been like that for 3 days now and nothing seems to be moving at all. Is this what happens during this thing or is something wrong?

Dont worry evie, iit's all ok. All you have to do really is make sure you keep topping up the ammonia to 4 when it is needed and let the bacteria do the rest.

Your readings can be a bit up and down, and sometimes come to a halt for a while but in the end it gets there anyway.

Keep posting your results on here if you like, it can reassure you that it's all going ok

It's quite common for the cycle to stall for a couple of days and then suddenly take off again so hang in there, evie. You look right on track.

might as well carry on this thread if that's ok - so here's the results for the past couple of days

Wed - ph 7.8, amm 4, nitrite 0.50 !!, nitrate 10

Thurs - ph 7.8, amm 4, nitrite 0.5 - 1.0, nitrate 10.

I still havent had to add any ammonia to the tank - the reading has stayed at 4 all the time, but the nitrite is definately going up.

Is it ok that this is happening but the ammonia is staying the same? I thought that the bugs that eat amonia make the nitrite go up, so wouldnt that mean that the ammonia should be going down?

That's the general idea. Sometimes it can take a couple of days for the nitrite to increase. Then the ammonia will start to decline.

how's it going now evie?

Hiya Munchycarrot, sorry I didnt know you has asked about this plod!

Well, I have been trying not to bother you all with endless questions and queries, but here's where I am now.

For two days I had an Ammonia of 0.5 - 1.0, then it went up to 1.0.

Today though here's my results = ph 7.4, Ammonia 0.5, and the Nitrite has gone up to 2,0.

I am still topping up the Ammonia to 4.0. Is this ok? I know the ammonia should go down and the nitrite should go up, and I have been doing it since Sept 15th, so is this about right for this time along?

it all sounds ok evie, it can take a while but it will all sort itself out.

Well if there's one thing that this hobby teaches you - patience is indeed a virtue!

I have NEVER been that patient Mary!

ph 7.4, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 2.5

I have topped the tank up to 4 again - I think that is right, and now I have to wait for the nitrite to spike and then reduce the amount I add - tell me if I have it wrong please!!. It's a good sign though that the amonia has gone to 0 isnt it - I am really excited about it

When you get the nitrIte spike you can drop the ammonia to 2ppm, it should rocket up soon....
i'm not very patient either

evie123 wrote:

I have NEVER been that patient Mary

It's never too late to learn...

So they say!

And so we plod on. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 5, Nitrate 40 - 80!!!

I have still topped up to 4 but do you think this is the time I need to just dose up to 2 now?? The Nitrate has just shot up which I guess is good isnt it, but the ph has also gone upo fro 7.4 to 7.8 which is a bit high isnt it? Does that usually happen?

Im getting excited now and am beginning to think I might soon be able to go and get some fish

Thats what I would do evie, next time you check just take the ammonia up to 2. Youre on the final leg now!

pH is fine, with the fluctuating am, nI & nA it will be acid/alkaline/acid/alkaline

Looks like it is all going really well. As ff says, if the results are like this then next time just dose up to 2 next time.

Have you decided what fishies you are going to get?

Well you must be right Munchycarrot because the ph today iss 7.4!

Ammonia still 0 and the nitrite 5 so I have just topped up to 2 now. It is so good to know I have reached that stage of the cycle, it's quiite exciting.

How sad is that??

evie123 wrote:

How sad is that??

Not sad at all. Very exciting...

Today, ph 7.8, Ammonia 0 and topped up to 2, Nitrite 2, Nitrate 40-80!!

God, I wish this would finish

I WANT FISH!!

Wont be long now evie

Have you thought about what fish you want? What size tank do you have by the way = let us know what you are thinking of and someone will be abke to let you know if they are ok or not for your size tank.

Looking good, evie.

now comes the problem of deciding what fish to get. let us know what you are thinking of evie, so we can tell you why not to get them

I have been thinking of what fish to get, and looking around what is available at the pet shop. I have a list as long as your arm so I need to cut that down a bit I think!!

I will put the shortened list on here though for advice. I dont want to end up with a fighting tank

sorry, I meant to add todays results - No Change

Ammonia 0, nitrite 1 (its gone down !!!!!) and I think I might be finished soon.

I've been looking at the fish info on here and like the look of these so how's this for fish in 180l tank -

2 Bristlenose plecs
2 Zebra loach (but are they ok with gravel on the bottom of the tank?)
6 Zebra Danio
6 Neon Tetras
2 Kribensis
6 Cherry Barbs

Does that sound ok? I dont want the tank to be overcrowded