Author Topic: Help with fish tank cycle please (Read 20502 times) 107 replies

Paddy60 · « **Reply #40 on:** January 14, 2017, 07:29:15 AM »

@Matt ammonia and nitritre no change. Have now dropped tank temp to 27degC as i have read around 30degC and above can kill the bacteria and can possibly cause more limestone build up on heater. Had previous temp running at 29.5 degC

Matt · « **Reply #41 on:** January 14, 2017, 07:31:40 AM »

Good shout this was going to be my next suggestion.

Paddy60 · « **Reply #42 on:** January 14, 2017, 07:34:16 AM »

ph has risen a few points as well which i believe happens during cycling, so maybe a good sighn

Paddy60 · « **Reply #43 on:** January 18, 2017, 07:38:29 PM »

have re checked KH and now think i might havegot the reading wrong ,as the strips are hard to read.I told @Sue it was above 10 ,but i now think its between 3 and 5.
I believe i can adjust this with baking soda ,what reading do i need to aim at ?

fcmf · « **Reply #44 on:** January 18, 2017, 07:46:09 PM »

Quote from: Paddy60 on January 18, 2017, 07:38:29 PM

have re checked KH and now think i might havegot the reading wrong ,as the strips are hard to read.

While I do like the test strips for nitrate, nitrite and chlorine, I don't find them at all reliable for KH and GH - they inflate the readings considerably, and tend to give me a lower PH reading (in comparison with my water/utility website and liquid-based tests). I'd read them with caution for those particular ones.

Sue · « **Reply #45 on:** January 18, 2017, 07:50:24 PM »

For during cycling, aim for 10. Remove a bit of tank water, dissolve the bicarb in that then pour it back into the tank.
Start off small, 1 level teaspoonful for 50 litres tank water. Test again after half an hour and if it is still below 10, add some more - the level from 1 spoonful per 50 litres will tell you how much more you need to add.

When the cycle finishes you will need to do as big a water change as possible, near 100% leaving just what's in the substrate, to get rid of the bicarb.

Paddy60 · « **Reply #46 on:** January 18, 2017, 08:07:51 PM »

ok thanks @Sue and @fcmf, i dont like the strips, and did find they where giving a low ph reading and really hard to read KH.
So i am going to asume my reading is at 4 and will boost up to 10 tomorrow

Paddy60 · « **Reply #47 on:** January 28, 2017, 01:51:55 PM »

update . 28 days into new cycle after strip down and no ammonia drop or nitrite,have used two lots of tetra safestart from different suppliers,have seeded tank with biomax and filter sponge from my 23ltr cycled tank, have dosed to 1.5 ppm with kleen off ammonia ,have been adding some fish food and a prawn to try and get things going still no change.
ammonia 1.5
nitrite 0
nitrate 20 same as tap
gh 10
kh 10
chlorine 0
temp 27.5 deg C
fluval u3 filter with carbon clean and clear catridges removed leaving just sponge media.running at high turnover
something still does not seem right,thought i would have some change by now.
any suggestions or thoughts on this please

Matt · « **Reply #48 on:** January 28, 2017, 06:29:07 PM »

Am I reading right that your ammonia has dropped from 1.5ppm to 0ppm?

Have to redosed with ammonia?

Paddy60 · « **Reply #49 on:** January 28, 2017, 06:33:22 PM »

@Matt no sorry have modifyed that .It is still at 1.5 ppm

Paddy60 · « **Reply #50 on:** January 28, 2017, 07:32:38 PM »

have not redosed as ammonia has not droped from 1.5ppm

Sue · « **Reply #51 on:** January 28, 2017, 07:37:17 PM »

Something odd is going on. With mature media from the 23 litre,, something should be happening.

Have you ever at any point done anything to the tank that could kill bacteria? For example, washed anything with detergent, not used dechlorinator. Kleen Off ammonia is fine - I used that and it was OK for me.

Paddy60 · « **Reply #52 on:** January 28, 2017, 08:02:38 PM »

no pretty sure i have not.i did strip the tank down washed everything in dechlorinated water including gravel ,stripped filter washed impellor etc,removed some decor i thought could be the problem.when i started first cycle attempt i got some readings ammonia and nitrite and thought this is going to be alot quicker then my other tank.I posted these readings and @Sue thought them ai bit strange.I then put in the tank decor and then ammonia stuck on 3ppm ,nitrite disappeared and then no change for 30days plus.Then did tank strip.I removed some decor that i thought might be the problem.All the remaining decor bought from maidenhead aquatics and fully washed in dechlorinated water.
everything in my inexperienced opinion points to the decor but why? other people have said this would not be the problem so l have kept going.
So should i keep being patient or should i do water change and remove decor or just remove decor. Or should i do re stripp again and remove decor and start from fresh

Andy The Minion · « **Reply #53 on:** January 28, 2017, 08:34:08 PM »

@Paddy60 This defies logic! There must be something we are missing. Have you tried taking a water sample to your LFS and asking them to confirm your readings, could it just be a test kit problem??

Paddy60 · « **Reply #54 on:** January 28, 2017, 08:37:55 PM »

have got two different api test kits and colombo kits

Matt · « **Reply #55 on:** January 28, 2017, 09:00:32 PM »

What decor have you got left in the tank now @Paddy60 ?

In fact, if you can face it listing everything in the tank might not be a bad idea!! I'll see if anything jumps out...

Paddy60 · « **Reply #56 on:** January 29, 2017, 09:03:20 AM »

Moss Covered Thai Warrior (9 x 7 x 21.5cm)
https://fishkeeper.co.uk/product/moss-covered-thai-warrior-9-x-7-x-215cm

Blue Ribbon Cambodian Temple Ruins (19 x 15 x 27cm)
https://fishkeeper.co.uk/product/-cambodian-temple-ruins-19-x-15-x-27cm

Blue Ribbon Ancient Stone Head Ruin (14 x 10 x 17cm)
https://fishkeeper.co.uk/product/-ancient-stone-head-ruin-14-x-10-x-17cm

Majestic Ocean Plant 32cm
https://fishkeeper.co.uk/product/majestic-ocean-plant-32cm

i have a number of plants made by sydeco, the above is an example , all bought from Maidenhead aquatics.
The stone head and temple ruins also bought from Maidenhead aquatics.
The tai Warrior was bought new on ebay and looks identical to the ones sold at Maidenhead aquatics

Paddy60 · « **Reply #57 on:** January 29, 2017, 09:11:44 AM »

hear is a link to the tai Warrior purchase on ebay
Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331926429335

looks genuine to me although not a pure aquatics site

Littlefish · « **Reply #58 on:** January 29, 2017, 10:28:18 AM »

All looks quite normal, stuff I've seen in various LFS.

The situation that you are in sounds so frustrating. I can't really add anything apart from sympathy as I can't understand why your cycle hasn't completed.

Paddy60 · « **Reply #59 on:** January 29, 2017, 12:04:46 PM »

so any suggestions what my next step is??

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Help With Fish Tank Cycle Please

Help With Fish Tank Cycle Please

Author Topic: Help with fish tank cycle please (Read 20502 times) 107 replies

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