A few beginning questions
- Thread starter Kruse
- Start date
I started the cycle last night. Put the ammonia to around 3-5ppm and raised the temperature to ~82F.
The cloudiness seems to have reduced some. I'd say the visibility is around 85-90% right now, up from probably about 65-75% a couple days ago.
I think the Nitrate readings were coming back kind of high already because water straight out of my tap is giving me a 10ppm reading.
The cloudiness seems to have reduced some. I'd say the visibility is around 85-90% right now, up from probably about 65-75% a couple days ago.
I think the Nitrate readings were coming back kind of high already because water straight out of my tap is giving me a 10ppm reading.
Weird thing is the water is going through a softener, so I don't know why I'm getting those kind of readings. I'll have to test it again and test it directly from the tap. Otherwise it looks like I will need to get something to lower the pH a little.
I have some wood that will be going in there eventually, so that may help the pH as well.
I have some wood that will be going in there eventually, so that may help the pH as well.
Water softeners gennerally just remove Mg and Ca, and replace it with either Na or K. It does not make the water 'soft' in the sense that there is a lack of minerals like RO water would be.
Get readings for GH and KH. pH is just part of the water-picture. If you have high buffering ability in your water, driftwood will not lower you pH much.
Get readings for GH and KH. pH is just part of the water-picture. If you have high buffering ability in your water, driftwood will not lower you pH much.
You can get a separate water hardness test kit. I don't have one (yet).
Edit: Here's the API kit: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255ND2/?tag=myfnet0c-20
Probably cheaper after S&H at your LFS.
Peat is supposed to soften your water more than driftwood and remain fairly stable.
Edit: Here's the API kit: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255ND2/?tag=myfnet0c-20
Probably cheaper after S&H at your LFS.
Peat is supposed to soften your water more than driftwood and remain fairly stable.
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Ok, a couple more questions.
It appears that my ammonia levels are starting to drop slightly and I'm getting very low nitrite readings. Should I keep adding a little ammonia to keep the levels up, or just let it be?
Should I begin to add plants while this process is going or should I just wait until it's complete?
It appears that my ammonia levels are starting to drop slightly and I'm getting very low nitrite readings. Should I keep adding a little ammonia to keep the levels up, or just let it be?
Should I begin to add plants while this process is going or should I just wait until it's complete?
From what I've heard, plants will help the cycle if they're in. I'm not sure if you'll burn them or not in a fishless cycle though.
Since you're adding pure ammonia you're trying to maintain a specific ammonia level through "adding more" pure ammonia. So if the ammonia goes too low and you haven't got your nitrAtes kicking in yet you should add "some" ammonia.
Since you're adding pure ammonia you're trying to maintain a specific ammonia level through "adding more" pure ammonia. So if the ammonia goes too low and you haven't got your nitrAtes kicking in yet you should add "some" ammonia.
after you see your ammonia dropping around 1ppm from the original 5 ppm that you targeted, then its time to start adding a few drops of ammonia daily. keep monitoring ammonia and start monitoring nitrite. when nitrite and ammonia have dropped to 0, AND you've been adding a few drops of ammonia to the tank daily, you should test for nitrates. if theyre higher than 20-40 ppm then do a large water change and add more drops of ammonia. about 2 drops per gallon or so. test the water after a few hours. if ammonia and nitrite is 0 do another identical dose, wait and retest. if you do get a reading then wait until the next day and retest. if you get 0 then next day, and the nitrates are around 20ppm or less, its safe to get fish that day. if you dont go that day then put more drops of ammonia to feed the bacteria for that day.
Test your water the day you plan to get fish (and dont add any ammonia on that day). if all is good, then go get your fish. if nitrates are too high by now, then do another water change(to reduce nitrate) and go get your fish.
Test your water the day you plan to get fish (and dont add any ammonia on that day). if all is good, then go get your fish. if nitrates are too high by now, then do another water change(to reduce nitrate) and go get your fish.
now wait until you are back to below 1ppm. this can take a while so don't add any more ammonia daily until you get the lower reading. try your best to catch it around 1ppm or so. even if this keeps happening (it spikes again) each time the time to process the spike will be less than before and eventually you'll get to the point where you will always see 0 ppm ammonia the day after you added some drops.