Regular Member bodoba Posted November 20, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2010 This is basically just a reference for me more than anyone else cause I am finding tank reading to be weird with a fishless cycle. All testing is done with API Drop tests the Ammonia kit and the NitrAte kit. Ammonia = 4 ppm NitrAte = 5 ppm Now I have been testing for 3 wks now and I haven't done a water change because eventually I'll see a drop in the ammonia when the nitrItes start up. I don't have to worry about fish or anything for the ammonia lvl but I do want that to drop before I get plants just incase the plants eating it up will give a false cycle level. I'm thinking I'll do a water change tonight once the children are in bed because if the ammonia lvl gets beyond my ability to read with my kit then I'll never know when the nitrItes will crop up. By the way, next week I'll be getting a air pump and tubing and a nitrIte and pH test kit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member blackteles Posted November 20, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2010 Way to go, Una! Here's hoping all goes well for a smooth cycle! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 20, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2010 Thank you dennis, my goal is to have it cycled by April when we move....let's hope I can do it by then. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted November 20, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2010 Are you adding ammonia to the tank, or is it creeping up on its own? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 20, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2010 It's creeping up on it's own, which is weird cause the tap water is zero but I'll check it again. I have a theory though, the tank is directly under a heater vent, and even though the vent is closed it's conceivable that dust and other particulates are still getting in there. The water is crystal clear though so you would think that there would be some dust the filter isn't getting. The other theory is that my cat is peeing in it. But I know my peeing cat and he isn't the most accurate when he is marking territory. So it would spill and I would smell it for cat pee smells nasty. Also he hasn't 'marked' anything since the foam blocks we threw away 9 months ago. But I have seen him on top nudging the light aside to drink from it. I'm just glad I won't have to worry about fish with this water source, we'll see if it's better or worse when I move to iowa. The plants I'll get won't really care about ammonia lvls. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted November 21, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 That's so strange, I've never heard of that happening before! Are you sure there isn't something rotting in there? Maybe in the filters? OR! Maybe your tap water is treated with chloramines? Chloramines break down into ammonia and chlorine, so that could explain why the ammonia is creeping up even without you adding any. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 21, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 It could be but my water treater treats chorine and chloramine... Since the filter is just made and brand new I doubt anything is rotting there. I can't remember if the water has chloramine with it, I remember the uranium is at 'safe levels' but nothing about the chloramine. So even if it's treated for chloramine with your conditioner the chloramine will still break down into ammonia byproducts? hmmm... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted November 21, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 Yes the water conditioner that treats chloramine breaks the chloramine down into chlorine and ammonia. Then, it gets rid of the chlorine and then "binds" the ammonia. So the ammonia will still be present, but it will be in the bound, harmless form. It will continue to be present until the bbs use it up. That must be what's going on! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 21, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 I'm glad it's just that and not the cat pee lol. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted November 21, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 Yeah that wouldn't be good! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 21, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 Okay so some recent thoughts on this, was reading some older posts and I realized that my tank is staying at the 68-72F range, I should probably get a heater to add to the tank seeing as it will take longer for the bbs to grow in a colder environment, so that is now priority one. Once the blizzard is over....then get a bubbler and a pH tester and nitrIte. then PLANTS Will do tank readings in the morning. Tap water Ammonia: spilled the sample >.< Nitrate: 0 ppm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 21, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 Did a 25% change last night, lets see what the params are today, Tapwater ammonia : 0.5 Tank: Nitrate:less than 5ppm :sad ammonia: 1ppm How is that possible? How do I go from 6 months of zero ammonia in tapwater to 0.5 ammonia this test. How does a 25% water change cause a difference of 4ppm prechange to 1ppm post??? This cycle isn't making sense! If there hadn't been a bizzard I'd be running into town to get a heater so that I can get my tank up to 75F and at least help the BBs grow. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted November 21, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 I think ammonia levels in tap water can fluctuate. But the ammonia levels in the tank are puzzling me. Very strange. I might try getting a different test kit. I suppose it's possible you have a dud or an old kit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted November 21, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2010 I guess I will call them on monday to find out the products date via the prodcution number. I refuse to use to website seeing as they require my full address >.> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bodoba Posted December 3, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 3, 2010 haven't tested in a while so I tested today. Ammonia 3ppm Nitrate between 0 and 5 ppm. So ammonia is taking longer to rise and I may now have the first signs of nitrate....really wish I could get a nitrIte test kit to see how that's going. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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