Cycling???

[liquidice79]

Howdy peeps,

Some serious confusion going on in this household regarding the cycling of my tank. Readings as follows:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
pH: 7.4
Temp: fluctuates between 27.4 and 29

As I've been keeping fish for years, I'm finding this a little weird as the nitrite reading has dropped over the last 2 weeks. Am I cycled or just beginning? These are readings after 2 weeks. No idea on gH or kH or how to buffer them either :( Oh, and should I do a water change? Or should I wait and see if the nitrite spikes? I really want to get the tank perfect for Discus.

Helup! Ta

[Aurora]

If you still have ammonia then it is not properly cycled yet. So you have had the nitrites rise and then fall again? Have you tested nitrates?

Depending on wether you add ammonia yourself (fishless cycling) and if you add seeded filter media, gravel, etc to the tank it can take about 4-8 weeks to fully cycle a tank.

Dont do a water change, you want to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrite high to encourage the growth of the bacteria. The tank will be fully cycled when you can add enough ammonia to get the reading to 5ppm, and the bacteria are able to convert it to nitrite then to nitrate in 24 hours.

Those temp fluctuations dont seem to big. Do you have it set on 28C? It changes a bit with the air temp. Also the heater probably has an accuracy of + or - 1C, and so will the thermometer.

[liquidice79]

I just went and bought a nitrate test kit.

Tested the water and results came back at 15ppm. Am I on the right track?

Also the hardness of my water is at 60ppm, which means my water is soft. Thank gods I won't have to buffer the hardness! At least I don't think I do.

[Merrilyn]

Hi liquidice, you are certainly on the right track. Nitrate is the end product of the cycle, so you are nearly there. Are you adding ammonia to do a fishlesss cycle.

When the bacteria colony have grown large enough, they will use all the ammonia you add, and convert it to nitrate within 24 hours. We are looking for zero ammonia and zero nitrite 24 hours after adding your last dose of liquid ammonia. Then the cycle is complete, and you're ready for fish.

[flukes]

And be sure too change 150% of the water before adding fish :wink: