Cycling My Fluval Edge

OK! I thought I'd post a new thread for my 'cycling story' and readings!

I set up my 23l Fluval Edge properly yesterday and added the first dose of 'nutrafin cycle' since a bottle came with my tank just to see what happens! My tank has a mixed colour gravel, two small pieces of bogwood and two small rocks and four plastic plants.

Eventually I'm planning to get a larger piece of bogwood (though only small given the size of my tank) with some java fern and one small moss ball, and some cherry red shrimp and probably 6 endlers!

So it's been running for around a day now and I've dosed with 2.2ml ammonia.

Day 1:

Temp= 30*c
Ph normal = 7.5 / 7.6
Ammonia = 4ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = somewhere between 5ppm - 20ppm

Yes it is quite possible.

Did you test the pH of your tapwater after standing 24 hours, I've forgotten 
The gravel could affect pH if it's made from limestone or coral
Ammonia dissolved in water does make the pH higher.

The pH will fluctuate quite a bit during a fishless cycle. The ammonia you add will push the pH up, then the nitrite and nitrate will push it down once they start to build up. You don't need to worry about pH during cycling so long as you check it every so often to make sure it doesn't drop below 6.5. If a cycle appears to get stuck, low pH is usually the cause.

You can eliminate the gravel by putting some in a tub of water, letting it stand a week and testing it. Have a tub of plain water standing alongside it as a control.



That reminds me, we had a thread on the old forum comparing different substrates for any alteration of pH and hardness. I think I saved all the data somewhere before the old forum disappeared..........

Aha, so it's your tapwater that went up from 7.5/7.6 to 7.8 after standing 24 hours!

It's quite common. Mine goes up from 7.4 to 7.6. A lot of water companies pump carbon dioxide into the water supply. It makes the water acidic, which helps reduce limescale build up in the mains pipes. When you leave a glass of water to stand, it's like leaving a glass of lemonade out overnight - the carbon dioxide gasses out. The acidic effect of the carbon dioxide is lost so the pH rises a bit.

If you are still thinking of endlers, it's not a problem. They like hard alkaline water.

Which shrimps were you thinking of, cherry or amano (aka japonicas)? They are both fine at your pH.

Day 4:
Temperature 30*c
Ph of actual tank = seems to be up to 8!
Ammonia 2ppm

No movement on my ammonia yet! My siphon still hasn't arrived either so I'm yet to rearrange my tank and retrieve the tangled up algae magnet! I'm guessing the best time to add my plants (java fern and moss ball) is going to be when eventually down the line I need to do a large water change before I get my fish?

That does sound like it makes sense! I don't want to mess around with my tank too much whilst it's cycling apart from to sort out the tangle so I can use my magnet again ha. I filter wool I ordered arrived the other day too... my filter's currently got two lots of biomax as I replaced the carbon with an extra biomax and one of the fluval sponge... should I add in the wool or would that be unneccesary? I've also got a pre-filter to put onto the intake tube at some stage...

The tank has been looking really clear so far, I test the lights every day just to make sure they're OK though as everyday I get some condensation under the hood and on the lights so I'm a little paranoid they might get damaged unless I wipe them down every day as I've heard that's happened to a few other people with these tanks. My heater needs moving as well as it seems to have dislodged slightly. I'm just wondering as well with the condensation - is this a normal thing or just something with these tanks?

Ahh I didn't know that thank you :-)
Day 5 and 6 both still 2ppm

That makes sense! My pump finally arrived today so I was able to retrieve my algae magnet and sort out the tank a little. My water has gone a little brown from my bogwood despite best efforts but in the tank itself it doesn't look too brown luckily!

Today the ammonia is potentially 1ppm, or edging that way from 2ppm - it seems much lighter than the last few days... so fingers crossed some of my little bacteria are growing!

Do you have a nitrite reading?

The main thing is the nitrite reading is above zero. That shows that you have some ammonia eating bacteria growing, as they are the things that make the nitrite. The actual amount is not too important, what you need to know is zero or not zero.

I notice that your ammonia seems to be staying at 1 - are you topping it up to that level or is it 'stuck' at that level?