Day 4 HUGE change today! I walked into the room and the tank is totally cloudy. Definitely a bacteria bloom from the filter cartridge that I had dropped in there. Well the ammonia last night was between 4 and 8ppm. Tonight it was just under 2ppm, so I added two caps of ammonia to the tank. I also took the filter apart and put some handfuls of gravel from my little betta tank into it, along with the filter cartridge and those ceramic disks. I guess I will bring my other test kits over and start testing nitrites tomorrow.
Cycle Thread: 46G Bowfront
- Thread starter FroggyFox
- Start date
Day 7 Tested the tank, but ammonia off the charts (oops guess that means I added too much)
Day 8 Ammonia lighter, but still above 4ppm
Day 9 Ammonia lighter today, between 2 and 4 ppm. I'll wait until tomorrow to add any more ammonia (and this time it will be only one cap). My roommate found the nitrite and nitrate test kits she borrowed from me, so today tested and the nitrites are off the chart (over 5ppm), nitrates harder to read but I'm going to say between 10 and 20ppm. SO It looks like the cycle is well on its way.
Sidenote: I would REALLY like for it to finish before Saturday but I'm not sure if thats gonna happen or not. I still have 3 fishtanks at the old house waiting to move to the new house and would really like to just move some of the fish ONCE instead of moving them to this house and then waiting a few days and moving them to their new tank. Of course we have to be out of that house by the 30th so I guess if its not finished cycling by Saturday thats what I'll have to do! I'll probably try seeding the tank once or twice more this week with some filter squeezings.
Day 8 Ammonia lighter, but still above 4ppm
Day 9 Ammonia lighter today, between 2 and 4 ppm. I'll wait until tomorrow to add any more ammonia (and this time it will be only one cap). My roommate found the nitrite and nitrate test kits she borrowed from me, so today tested and the nitrites are off the chart (over 5ppm), nitrates harder to read but I'm going to say between 10 and 20ppm. SO It looks like the cycle is well on its way.
Sidenote: I would REALLY like for it to finish before Saturday but I'm not sure if thats gonna happen or not. I still have 3 fishtanks at the old house waiting to move to the new house and would really like to just move some of the fish ONCE instead of moving them to this house and then waiting a few days and moving them to their new tank. Of course we have to be out of that house by the 30th so I guess if its not finished cycling by Saturday thats what I'll have to do!
I'll probably try seeding the tank once or twice more this week with some filter squeezings. 
Looking good Froggy! I would say that if you held off on adding that much ammonia agian, and seeded the tank with anything that you could then I would think that there is a very good chance that it will be done by then. If you start today.
And I wouldn't just add filter squeezings, I would add the filter media if your donor tank could take it.
And I wouldn't just add filter squeezings, I would add the filter media if your donor tank could take it.
You think so? I certainly hope so. I thought it was weird to see the nitrites so high when the ammonia isn't disappearing completely every day. I'll check them tonight and if the nitrates start piling up then I'll know its about over. I added 3 caps because thats what it took originally...but maybe because I was using that stupid test kit it was wrong? When I cycled my 29 (same ammonia) it only took like 1 cap to get it up to 5ppm...so a 46 isn't even double of that, so how could it take 3 caps to get it up that far?? I'll go with one and if thats gone the next day I'll try two or just a stitch over one cap.
Actually...the reason I didn't want to just add all the media is because to add media I'll have to take the whole thing apart and add it to the canister filter...whereas I need those filter cartridges for the tanks as they move...so all I can spare (after that one I took) is squeezings I'll see what I can spare as I move the other tanks over though...I might be able to do some more seeding than I thought. I'm moving the 15 over tonight and maybe I'll try to get the 29 too...although i'm not sure if I can pick that tank up by myself and roomie wont be home until 10 or so.
Does anyone else have troubles getting the lid off of their canister filter? Does it get easier? I look like a dope trying to pull mine apart (in the sink after disconnecting from the hoses) without giving myself a shower or breaking a nail (not that I have many nails left to break)!
Actually...the reason I didn't want to just add all the media is because to add media I'll have to take the whole thing apart and add it to the canister filter...whereas I need those filter cartridges for the tanks as they move...so all I can spare (after that one I took) is squeezings
I'll see what I can spare as I move the other tanks over though...I might be able to do some more seeding than I thought. I'm moving the 15 over tonight and maybe I'll try to get the 29 too...although i'm not sure if I can pick that tank up by myself and roomie wont be home until 10 or so. Does anyone else have troubles getting the lid off of their canister filter? Does it get easier? I look like a dope trying to pull mine apart (in the sink after disconnecting from the hoses) without giving myself a shower or breaking a nail (not that I have many nails left to break)!
Just when I am trying to pull the top apart from the bottom...there's nothing to hold onto and with that little seal thing it is really stuck together well...but it comes apart...eventually
Day 10 Ammonia tested 0ppm so I added a little more than a cap. Nitrites were off the chart. Nitrates were higher...and now into that top of the chart where I can't tell the difference between them. I moved my 15G over so swished the filter cartridge in the tank...the tank was all cloudy for an hour or so and then the filter cleaned it all up, I was actually pretty impressed.
Day 11 Tested this morning and the ammonia was back down to 0ppm. I figured since it was down to 0 after less than 12 hours, I added two caps of ammonia this time. We'll see what the other stuff is tonight. I need to go past the pet store tonight for dog food, so I think I'll pick up a new nitrite test kit as the one I have is almost empty and I'm not sure how accurate the results are.
Day 10 Ammonia tested 0ppm so I added a little more than a cap. Nitrites were off the chart. Nitrates were higher...and now into that top of the chart where I can't tell the difference between them. I moved my 15G over so swished the filter cartridge in the tank...the tank was all cloudy for an hour or so and then the filter cleaned it all up, I was actually pretty impressed.
Day 11 Tested this morning and the ammonia was back down to 0ppm. I figured since it was down to 0 after less than 12 hours, I added two caps of ammonia this time. We'll see what the other stuff is tonight. I need to go past the pet store tonight for dog food, so I think I'll pick up a new nitrite test kit as the one I have is almost empty and I'm not sure how accurate the results are.
Day 12 Ammonia this morning was down to about .25 or .5ppm so I added a little more than a cap. I either did the nitrate test wrong yesterday or wrong today, because today it looked like it was only about 40ppm, whereas yesterday it was so dark I thought it was off the chart...it wouldn't make sense that the nitrates went down...so I must have done something wrong. At any rate...I forgot to go to the pet store yesterday, but the nitrite test I have now (and I could be wishing it true) looked like the nitrites were down from yesterday. Closest guess was between 2 and 4ppm... Hopefully not wishful thinking Its driving me crazy having this big empty tank in my room!
Its driving me crazy having this big empty tank in my room! Day 13 ITS FINISHED!!! I picked up a new nitrite test kit last night when I went to get dog food and tested this morning...no nitrites! BRIGHT BLUE test tube...not a hint of pink. -=happy dance=- woohoo party.
Now the right thing to do would be to do as close to a 100% water change as possible and then dechlor and fill it back up, get the temperature right and fully stock it.
Since I'm in the process of moving right now and I have fish waiting at the old house to be transferred into this tank, I need to decide if I'm going to do the water change tonight, go buy my fish for the tank, and transfer the waiting fish to this tank....OR continue adding ammonia for a few days and then transfer the waiting fish over on Saturday afternoon and add the rest of the fish on Sunday. I'm still wavering...a LOT
Now the right thing to do would be to do as close to a 100% water change as possible and then dechlor and fill it back up, get the temperature right and fully stock it.
Since I'm in the process of moving right now and I have fish waiting at the old house to be transferred into this tank, I need to decide if I'm going to do the water change tonight, go buy my fish for the tank, and transfer the waiting fish to this tank....OR continue adding ammonia for a few days and then transfer the waiting fish over on Saturday afternoon and add the rest of the fish on Sunday. I'm still wavering...a LOT
Update: On the 28th after work I went and picked up the stock for my tank. Unfortunately in the hustle and bustle of moving I haven't been able to pay too much attention to the tank. I've been feeding the tank and wow they are all very good eaters, even the little rubberlip pleco is doing his share and doing well. The pictus and rubbernose would probably prefer some more caves etc to hide in, I'll pop a picture up tonight if a get a chance. The tank is still bare except for a piece of driftwood and gravel...so my plan this weekend (or after work this week if I get a chance) is to find a good 'cave' or two...and then keep looking for some more good driftwood. The lone piece of driftwood I have finally completely sunk a couple days ago...so it took what 3+ weeks of soaking for that to happen...it looked kinda neat while it was just floating though...so I might end up just getting some more of the same type and adding it a piece at a time.
The hatchet fish are a blast to watch, their little tummies get all puffed out when they've eaten, and the rest of the time they're flat. The blue tetras are SO happy to be out of that little 10G and the pictus just seems to be happy doin whatever, although very skittish if someone moves fast by the tank or the lights suddenly come on etc.
(Had a little mishap with some frozen food...gonna go start another thread for that.)
The hatchet fish are a blast to watch, their little tummies get all puffed out when they've eaten, and the rest of the time they're flat. The blue tetras are SO happy to be out of that little 10G and the pictus just seems to be happy doin whatever, although very skittish if someone moves fast by the tank or the lights suddenly come on etc.
(Had a little mishap with some frozen food...gonna go start another thread for that.)