55g cycle diary

[country_boy454]

Day 1

PH=7.2
Ammonia=~5 ppm (test kit goes 4ppm - 8ppm and its a dark 4ppm) only took 80 drops of ammonia to get this.
NO2=0
NO3=0
KH=8 degrees
Temp: 80 degrees

So excited to finally have the cycle started on this tank. I have the HOB filter off the 42g on here, two nylon socks with established gravel in them also hanging in the 55g. I'll try to get a camera and take photos of it for everyone. This will be a day to day update!

[angelcakes]

glad youre cycles going good:19: :19: look forward to the pics

[Lady Hobbs]

Did you use a seasoned filter pad? That will help speed things up and so does wood. When I cycle, I move all the wood into the uncycled one. The wood is porous and holds lots of ucky stuff.

[country_boy454]

Did you use a seasoned filter pad? That will help speed things up and so does wood. When I cycle, I move all the wood into the uncycled one. The wood is porous and holds lots of ucky stuff.

Yeah I took the whole HOB filter from the 42 (haven't changed the filter cartridge for about 3.5 weeks....) and put it right on the 55g. The HOB for the 55 is on the 42 to get established. I'd take the wood out of the 29 gallon but then my clown pleco would go nuts without it. Thats all it does is hang out under that thing!

[Ryuu]

hmm a diary, sounds awesome I may make one in a note book I have

[country_boy454]

Day 2

PH=7.2
Ammonia= ~5ppm
NO2= .50ppm
NO3= 0
KH= 8 Degrees
Temp= 80 degrees F

NO2(nitrite) went up a little! Hopefully this cycle goes quick. In the 42g an Apisto Steel Blue female has turned a very vivid yellow color and wards off any fish that swim by her cave!

[country_boy454]

Day 3 before adding any ammonia

PH= 7.2
Ammonia= 1ppm
NO2= 2ppm
NO3= 5ppm
KH= 8 Degrees
Temp= 78 Degrees F

Is this my nitrite spike? Looks as if things in this tank are speeding along nicely. Hopefully everything works out that it cycles within the week.

Day 3 After adding 60 drops ammonia

PH=7.2
Ammonia= 5ppm
NO2= 2ppm
NO3= 5ppm
KH= 8 Degrees
Temp= 78 Degrees F

[letk0]

You'll have to wait a few more days to see if it increases further. It's very early for it to be a spike. Looks like it's going pretty fast though.

[donvichu]

Waiting to see the pictures very soon :19:

[country_boy454]

The tank is heavily seeded. I have two nylon socks with established gravel hanging in the tank along with an already established filter with well used filter media. I'm trying to get this to go as quick as possible.

As for pics, I'll try to borrow someones camera to get a few shots of it. Our camera was stolen from us during our move into this new apartment.

[country_boy454]

Day 4 Before adding Ammonia

PH= 7.2
Ammonia= .50ppm
NO2= 5ppm
NO3= 5ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 80 degrees F

After adding ammonia
PH= 7.2
Ammonia= 4ppm
NO2= 5ppm
NO3= 5ppm
KH= 8 Degrees
Temp.= 80 degrees

This is definately my nitrite spike. My tests won't reed any higher so I am assuming this is it!

[country_boy454]

Day 5 readings before adding ammonia

PH= 7.2
Ammonia= 0ppm
NO2= 5ppm
NO3= 80ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 78 degrees F

Added 3ml of ammonia to get up to 2ppm. Not too much longer and it should be completed. This will be my quickest cycle to date and it is on the biggest tank I have! Using an established filter really works great. Even if it is under rated for that tank. It took 4 days to get my nitrite spike!

Received my new filter today for the 55. It is an Emperor Bio-wheel 400. That thing is massive! Had to order a filter Asap as the one that came with this tank died on me. I got it for $26 on ebay including shipping. It was new in box. I would have gotten the AC110 but I don't have the money for it and it was an emergency.

[country_boy454]

Day 6 readings before adding ammonia

PH= 8.2
Ammonia= 0ppm
NO2= 5ppm
NO3= 80ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 78 degrees F


Added 3ml of ammonia to get up to 2ppm. Noticed a drastic swing in my PH. What could be the cause of this? I have done nothing different to it other than add the new Emperor filter to it. Could this cause the swing? It has carbon filters. All my other tanks read 7.0-7.2. This just happened today. I added some water from tap to top off the tank like I have been doing since the cycle started. It has some rock structures in it. I did the fizz test on them and none of them fizzed. I also added a piece of it to a bucket of water and have been testing it daily and the PH is still 7.2.

[country_boy454]

Day 7 readings before adding ammonia

PH= 8.2
Ammonia= 0ppm
NO2= 2ppm
NO3= 10ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 80 degrees F

Added 4ml of ammonia to reach 2ppm. PH is still up on this test so I don't think I messed up on the test. Noticed the NO2 dropped from 5ppm to 2ppm. The Nitrates(NO3) also dropped which is unusual without changing water or without having plants. The only thing I can think of is the new filter is somehow reducing the Nitrates(NO3). Each day I get a little bit closer to my tank being completely cycled. By the way I posted pics of this tank in the thread Lots of pics. Might take awhile.

[country_boy454]

Day 9 readings before adding ammonia

PH= 7.2
Ammonia= 0ppm
NO2= 2ppm
NO3= 80ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 80 degrees F

Added 4ml of ammonia to reach 2ppm. PH dropped back to where it was when I first started the cycle. Still no explanation to this. Everything was the same except nitrates went back up to 80ppm. After the test I did a small water change(~%5). Hoping this will bump the nitrites into action as they have been steady for a week now.

[country_boy454]

Day 11 readings before adding ammonia

PH= 7.2
Ammonia= 0ppm
NO2= 0.50ppm
NO3= 80ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 78 degrees F

Getting really close to being completely cycled. I think in the next couple days it should be done. If not tomorrow, then by Friday. So excited.

[country_boy454]

Day 15 readings

PH= 7.2
Ammonia= 0ppm
NO2= 0ppm
NO3= 80ppm
KH= 8 degrees
Temp.= 78 degrees F

It's done! Finally. Did an 80% water change and dropped the NO3 to 10ppm. Added my apistos to the tank and some plants. Lights out for the night! Now I need to think about what other type of Apistos to get.

[alerzl33t]

:22: you know you want to :11: