Next phase of cycling

[Lauren B.]

I've looked through so many posts (in an effort not to keep repeating the same subjects), but it's taking forever so I've just decided to ask outright.

I did the 5ppm ammonia additions, and yesterday I noticed a tiny tiny rise in nitrites (.12ppm). This morning I blew that reading by adding in a good amount of water that I'd lost due to evaporation, and my nitrite reading was back to 0 after the water addition.

Today's ammonia addition I kept at around 3-4ppm, and I added in a packet of BioSpira. Now what?

I know I'm supposed to keep adding in the ammonia drops, but do I keep it at 3-4ppm? And for how long?

I know my nitrites are supposed to rise very soon, but what do I do after that?


Thanks for your answers. I'd read the e-book more times than I can count, but I wish the chapter on cycling was a little more detailed because I think it's the most important part. I thought it would be better to ask you guys because you can give me a very precise and exact answer. It's taken me so long to get to this point in cycling that I don't want to mess it up by guessing at what I should do.

[Chrona]

I've looked through so many posts (in an effort not to keep repeating the same subjects), but it's taking forever so I've just decided to ask outright.

I did the 5ppm ammonia additions, and yesterday I noticed a tiny tiny rise in nitrites (.12ppm). This morning I blew that reading by adding in a good amount of water that I'd lost due to evaporation, and my nitrite reading was back to 0 after the water addition.

Today's ammonia addition I kept at around 3-4ppm, and I added in a packet of BioSpira. Now what?

I know I'm supposed to keep adding in the ammonia drops, but do I keep it at 3-4ppm? And for how long?

I know my nitrites are supposed to rise very soon, but what do I do after that?



Don't worry about asking. The only time I use the search function is when I am looking for something funny that was said before that I can quote. ;)

You should be adding the same amount of ammonia each day until you get the nitrite spike. How many drops did it take to get to 3-4 ppm? By tomorrow night, I can more or less guarentee that you will have a huge nitrite spike, at which time you should cut the number of drops in half and maintain that dosage till the day before you get the fish.

[Lauren B.]

You should be adding the same amount of ammonia each day until you get the nitrite spike. How many drops did it take to get to 3-4 ppm? By tomorrow night, I can more or less guarentee that you will have a huge nitrite spike, at which time you should cut the number of drops in half and maintain that dosage till the day before you get the fish.

Thanks for your answer....and apologies to anyone who's tired of reading about beginners and their fishless cycling problems! :11:

I'm adding in 3 drops of ammonia to get the 3-4ppm reading. I just took a reading, and my nitrites are .35ppm (the color in the tube never exactly matches the color on the card, so I take the mean of the two closest colors).

So tomorrow's ammonia addition should be cut down to 1-2 drops? (assuming that I get the nitrite spike by then). After that, what am I looking for in my readings?

As well, my ph is high...around 8.0. What type of product should I buy for ph regulation, and at what point should I use it (add it now, or just before the fish arrival?).

Thanks again! :1luvu:

[Chrona]

Are you planning on keeping live plants? If not, Proper pH is probably the easiest way to go. If you are, then I would suggest Seachem's Acid Buffer. Also, and this is probably the best way, if you inject CO2 with a DIY rig, it is fairly easy to lower your pH as well. You would want to make all changes to the water before the fish arrive, so they don't need to acclimate twice.

Yes, by tonight, you should be reading much more nitrite, so tomorrow, cut it to half dosage. By the next day, you should have zero ammonia and nitrites, but probably a ton of nitrates, so do a large water change, making sure not to touch the gravel or filter.

You're welcome :)

[Lauren B.]

Are you planning on keeping live plants? If not, Proper pH is probably the easiest way to go. If you are, then I would suggest Seachem's Acid Buffer. Also, and this is probably the best way, if you inject CO2 with a DIY rig, it is fairly easy to lower your pH as well. You would want to make all changes to the water before the fish arrive, so they don't need to acclimate twice.

Yes, by tonight, you should be reading much more nitrite, so tomorrow, cut it to half dosage. By the next day, you should have zero ammonia and nitrites, but probably a ton of nitrates, so do a large water change, making sure not to touch the gravel or filter.

I just took a nitrates reading since you mentioned it, and I'm at 0 right now. I hope that's normal for the stage I'm in.

I'm an all-plastic plants type of gal, so Proper PH it is. That's the powder stuff available in different ph's (6.5ph, 7.0ph, 8.2ph), correct? I'm planning to have tetras or rasboras in my tank. Should I go with 6.5 or 7.0....or is either fine?

Thanks for your advice, Chrona. You are truly a god amongst Twinkie Chinamen. :1luvu:

[Chrona]

I just took a nitrates reading since you mentioned it, and I'm at 0 right now. I hope that's normal for the stage I'm in.

I'm an all-plastic plants type of gal, so Proper PH it is. That's the powder stuff available in different ph's (6.5ph, 7.0ph, 8.2ph), correct? I'm planning to have tetras or rasboras in my tank. Should I go with 6.5 or 7.0....or is either fine?

Thanks for your advice, Chrona. You are truly a god amongst Twinkie Chinamen. :1luvu:

Eh, I would have expected some nitrates by this point....but we shall see. Either 7.0 or 6.5 is fine. Try to match the store's water in any case.

I will...uh....take that as a compliment. :P