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Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle forum. Some call it new tank syndrome, others call it a pain in the you know what. You have to understand this process in fish keeping. You may have issues related to the aquarium nitrogen cycle and if you do post your questions on this board. Also see:: Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle, The Cycle - How Mother Nature Cleans House

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Old June 19th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Nitrates But Never Seen Nitrites

I've been doing a fishless cycle since May 1. I've finally seen nitrates today, about 6 PPM. I've never seen nitrites, despite checking daily. Current ammonia is about 3 ppm, down from 6 ppm 3 days ago.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 19th, 2009  
Moderator
 
Did you seed it with something from your 46g?
Lucy is online now  
Old June 20th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
No, the 46 gallon hasn't arrived yet. I seeded with One and Only and have been using Proline Ammonium Chloride for ammonia. I had put in way too much ammonia originally (was well over 8) so that slowed me down for a few weeks before I realized that.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 20th, 2009  
Moderator
 
I don't have personal experience with One and Only, do you add that once or will you have to add it with water changes once you have fish?
What seems to have happened is you have more bacteria that process nitrite than bacteria that processes ammonia.
How that leaves you in the cycle, I'm not sure.
My best guess is to continue what you're doing until the ammonia you add can drop to 0 in 24 hours, your nitrites are 0 with some nitrates showing.
Lucy is online now  
Old June 21st, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Well I'd say today I detected the slightest amount of nitrite, perhaps 0.1. Nitrates have climbed to 15, ammonia had dropped to < 1, so I added some more.

Keeping my fingers crossed.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 22nd, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
I'm on a roll, now. Ammonia dropped to 1.5 after dosing yesterday to 4. Nitrites have risen to .25 and Nitrates have risen to 30.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 22nd, 2009  
Moderator
 
Getting there!
Lucy is online now  
Old June 23rd, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Today, ammonia dropped to 1.5 from 6, nitrite climbed to 1 and nitrates climbed to 80, so things are definitely moving along. The even better news is that my 46 gallon bowfront arrived today. I'm having a blast setting it up!
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 24th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Wow, today I'm at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 100 nitrate. All the action has taken place this week. I've dosed ammonia again to see if I can keep it up.

I did have a pH crash, though, down to 6.2. Tomorrow, I'll do a water change to bring ph back up if I haven't seen progress on today's dosing.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 24th, 2009  
Moderator
 
It would be a good idea to do a heck of a water change and get those nitrates down even though there aren't fish in there yet.
Not sure if that high of a reading can effect the cycle.
Lucy is online now  
Old June 24th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Thanks, Lucy. Will do.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 26th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Well, after doing two 90% water changes my tank is still at ph 6.2 (previously it had been 7.4). I'll do more water changes this weekend in hopes to get it back to normal.

There was a blizzard of what I can only guess is biofilm that was released from every surface in the tank. White/clear flakes that had been covering the ornaments. I guess this stuff would normally be eaten by fish (if I had any)?

Last edited by ZomZom; June 26th, 2009 at 07:48 AM.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 26th, 2009  
Moderator
 
What's the pH coming out of the tap?
Is there anything in the tank that's making it drop? Are you adding anything to lower it?
Lucy is online now  
Old June 26th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
pH out of the tap is right at 7. I haven't added anything to make it drop. I think it's dropped because of all the nitrates (nitric acid?) after two months of fishless cycling. It had held steady at 7.4 until two days ago when I my nitrites (and ammonia) dropped to zero.
ZomZom is offline  
Old June 26th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Brief update: After setting for 24 hours the pH has stabilized at 7.0. Ammonia dropped from 3.0 to 1.5 and Nitrites are staying at 0. Nitrates are at 15.
ZomZom is offline  
Old July 6th, 2009  
Fish Bum
 
Just to update, I'm having a problem with the pH dropping toward the end of the cycle. My tap water (from a well) has a pH of 7, but because we have a water softener the water is very soft and isn't able to buffer the nitric acid produced by the cycle. The pH crashes to 6 (or lower) and the cycle stalls.

I've ordered some mesh bags and will be picking up some crushed coral to put in my filters in hopes that this will give me the necessary buffering to keep the cycle going to completion.

Sure glad I'm doing this fishless. I'd hate to have to learn all of this while there are fish in the tank.
ZomZom is offline  
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