Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 26, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 26, 2014 Hi everyone, I am on my second week of my cycle process and the other day my ammonia went from 4.0ppm to 2.0ppm but I still have 0 nitrites. I tested again today same thing. I'm using the API liquid test kit..I thought I would have seen some nitrites as of now considering my ammonia dropped. Maybe it hasn't dropped enough I'm thinking. Here is the rest of my stats starting with my tap water . Ammonia 0 ppm nitrites 0 ppm nitrates 5ppm PH 7.4... I have same stats now with my cycling water now except ammonia started a 4.0ppm now 2.0ppm... I used pure ammonia to start in my tank water with Prime to condition. Tank temp is 83 degrees. Two filters Aqua clear 70 and aqua clear 30, and air stone. I don't have a GH/KH tester yet as it's on order. I also have one of those 20 gallon rated corner biological filters... My tank is a 37 gallon Sorry if this is long winded just trying to give as much info as possible....Anyway is this normal or am I doing something wrong? Thanks 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted September 26, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 26, 2014 I would take the temp down a bit. Try maybe 78f. Just to note: x ammonia doesn't equal x nitrite. In this thread I would like you to mark the pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate daily. Just try to do it at the same time. Since the ammonia is going down maybe just dose to 2ppm now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 26, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 26, 2014 I would take the temp down a bit. Try maybe 78f. Just to note: x ammonia doesn't equal x nitrite. In this thread I would like you to mark the pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate daily. Just try to do it at the same time. Since the ammonia is going down maybe just dose to 2ppm now. Thank you, I will do that 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 28, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 28, 2014 Stats haven't changed... Same as yesterday. Although ammonia looks in between 2.0 and 1.0ppm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted September 28, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 28, 2014 Nitrites? Nitrate? KH? pH? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 28, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 28, 2014 Nitrites? Nitrate? KH? pH? My GH/KH tester is on order so I don't have that but my Nitrites are 0 Nitrates are 5ppm and PH 7.4 my tap water is nitrites 0 PH 7.4 and nitrates 5ppm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin koko Posted September 28, 2014 Admin Share Posted September 28, 2014 Now we do a little Cycle break.... Let it sit a while we do the cycle dance 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted September 28, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 28, 2014 oh koko! I wasn't expecting that! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 I finally have nitrites yay.. I'm just impatient... Ok so stats today are Ammonia 1.0 ppm nitrites .25 Nitrates 10ppm temp 78 and PH 7.4 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 Now I wait until my ammonia drops to 0 then add back to 2ppm correct... Because now the nitrites have to convert to nitrates? I'll be more patient this time 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 I also read the thread on PH and Hardness. My PH is at 7.4 should I bump it up a bit with baking soda( I also read that thread to on how to do it) or should I just leave it alone? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted September 29, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 Yep, wait for your ammonia to drop. If you test it and it's around 0.50 or lower, go ahead and add more. I wouldn't mess with your pH if it's stable at 7.4. Do you know your KH? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 Yep, wait for your ammonia to drop. If you test it and it's around 0.50 or lower, go ahead and add more. I wouldn't mess with your pH if it's stable at 7.4. Do you know your KH? I don't know the KH yet. I ordered the GH/KH liquid test should be coming in soon 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted September 29, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 OK good. I'm sure you told me that before but I can't keep all these threads straight. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 29, 2014 OK good. I'm sure you told me that before but I can't keep all these threads straight. I bet lol. Thanks for all your help 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted September 30, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 30, 2014 Ok, so today .......ammonia 1.0ppm Nitrite 2.0ppm Nitrate looks In between 10 and 20 ppm PH 7.4 temp 78... A big jump in nitrites in one day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted September 30, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted September 30, 2014 Let it brew 24 hours and retest! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin koko Posted September 30, 2014 Admin Share Posted September 30, 2014 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted October 1, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 1, 2014 Today's results are ammonia . 25 nitrites is between a 2.0 and 5.0 hard to judge its so close to both colors on chart. Nitrate is 20ppm temp 78 PH 7.4... Heading into work now but I read on Tithras cycling thread that maybe should be doing a large water change if Nitrites get to this point and add ammonia back in as it can stall the cycle. Not sure or I might just give it another day wait on the ammonia to go lower idk. Ok. I'm off to work and doing the cycling waiting dance 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted October 1, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted October 1, 2014 I'd do a WC mainly because the nitrites will continue to rise and it will be so hard to tell exactly how high they are and when they start to drop. So, yes, when you get the chance do a nice big WC 75%+ and add ammonia back. Test again tomorrow. You're getting there! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted October 1, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 1, 2014 Awesome!! Will do right when I get home!! I'm so excited yay!! Thank you 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) Ok so yesterday I did a 80% WC and added ammonia back up to 1ppm. I tested again today. Ammonia .50 ...nitrites looks like it went back up to 2-5ppm nitrates are at 20ppm temp 78 PH 7.4.... I'm a little confused on how nitrites are still so high considering I did a large WC. Should I just add ammonia back up to 1ppm and leave it alone? Edited October 2, 2014 by Cdionne77 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted October 2, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted October 2, 2014 Once you get nitrite, they spike high and for a while, then all of a sudden they are gone. Sure, add a titch more ammonia (or leave it at 0.5 whichever you prefer) and speck again tomorrow. At that point I would do another huge (90-95%) WC and test to see where the nitrite is . . . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cdionne77 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 2, 2014 Will do... Thanks so much, I would be lost without this forum.... You guys ROCK!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member fantailfan1 Posted October 2, 2014 Regular Member Share Posted October 2, 2014 Yes, yes we do. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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