Aquarium Cycling Excitement

So I’ve been waiting for nitrites while doing almost daily water changes and today my nitrate test turned very slightly purpley blue! I’m so excited!! I know it still needs to turn to nitrates, but I can see the beginning of my cycle.

Just wanted to share with a group of people who will geek out with me over this while others in my life just say “Nitr- whats? Wait aquariums are more than just water? Testing? Wow you sound really into this fish thing.”

Eeee I’m so happy guys!

Right now I would say it’s .15 ppm.
I will keep the numbers and timing updated on here.

 

You'll see ammonia drop and nitrites rise pretty quickly. You're on your way. Next stop, nitrates. Adding live plants can accelerate the process by introducing small amounts of the nitrifying bacteria.

 

Congratulations!

The first step.

I have an office tank. People take the chemistry and maintenance for granted. I appreciate the praise but try to caution others that it’s not always easy.

They are amazed that I stay late every Monday and every other Thursday to do water changes, trim plants, etc.

 

You'll see ammonia drop and nitrites rise pretty quickly. You're on your way. Next stop, nitrates. Adding live plants can accelerate the process by introducing small amounts of the nitrifying bacteria.

I added live plants recently. Could this be a false rise in nitrites due to adding plants? Or maybe they just helped the process go a little faster?

GuppyDazzle Hunter1
Tested my water this morning and its definitely progressing! Here’s a photo of last night’s nitrite and this morning’s nitrite.

 

Very cool! What temp is your water? Cycling at 80 or 82 can speed up the process a bit, just cool it back to your final temp before adding fish!

 

I added live plants recently. Could this be a false rise in nitrites due to adding plants? Or maybe they just helped the process go a little faster?

Not a false rise. Your readings are accurate. The nitrifying bacteria are in the biofilm in filter media, gravel, plants, other surfaces. If you just start with a perfectly clean tank, it takes a while for the bacteria to form (I've seen different theories about where it originates - air, water from the treatment plant, etc). When you put live plants in, they contain a small amount of bacteria. Without plants you'd see ammonia only for longer. When you put the plants in, you'll see nitrites right away. It probably shaves two weeks off the cycling time (a month as opposed to six weeks - or so).

 

Today levels are at 1 ppm ammonia, .5 ppm nitrite, 5 ppm nitrate.

 

Getting there!

 

Update:
My nitrite has been spiking but went down to zero today.
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

I would think my tank is cycled except for the ammonia levels.
If my tap water has chloramine in it, is the ammonia ever completely processed?

 

Hunter1 GuppyDazzle PonzLL
I tested again and my ammonia is either 0 or .25, nitrite 0, nitrate 5.
I think my tank is cycled!



Also my ph is hard to read. But I think it’s around 6.8.

 

I'll geek out with you!!! I'm going to check out my water parameters now to see how mine is going. Congrats and happy fish keeping!!!

 

I'll geek out with you!!! I'm going to check out my water parameters now to see how mine is going. Congrats and happy fish keeping!!!

Thanks!!!
Fingers crossed for you too.

 

Sorry if this is not supposed to be posted here but absolutely baffled as to how to start a thread as it keeps telling me I don’t have permission . But if anyone could give me some advice it would be much appreciated, so basically I have decided to turn my turtle tank in to a fish tank it’s 250 gallons been running for about 3 years with a fluval 406 filter I added the fish and had a few deaths within 24hrs so bought the API kit and found I have extremely high ammonia 8ppm 0 nitrites and 160 ppm nitrates I then found on removing plants and ornaments the turtles and left a mess behind with uneaten food which I have since removed and vacuumed, I have been doing water changes daily and can’t get the ammonia to drop

Ph is 6
Ammonia 8ppm
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 160

Fish seem happy enough now but just can’t lower the ammonia and confused by the 0 nitrites if the tank needs cycling again

Hope someone can advise

Thanks

 

Thanks!!!
Fingers crossed for you too.

I’m there too!!!! YAY!!!

 

I’m there too!!!! YAY!!!

Mine is like this. But I interpret ammonia as 0.25. It always has a green tinge. Drives me nuts.

 

Mine is like this. But I interpret ammonia as 0.25. It always has a green tinge. Drives me nuts.

It drives me nutty too. But it’s very slightly green. I noticed even when I had ammonia, it still looked more yellow before nitrites and nitrates showed up. The formula looks a little more muted once there’s nitrites and nitrates which makes the yellow look less brilliant, making it slightly green. That’s my logic using my knowledge of color theory.

 

It drives me nutty too. But it’s very slightly green. I noticed even when I had ammonia, it still looked more yellow before nitrites and nitrates showed up. The formula looks a little more muted once there’s nitrites and nitrates which makes the yellow look less brilliant, making it slightly green. That’s my logic using my knowledge of color theory.

Hahahaha. I end up not caring for a slight green tint, as long as my nitrite is 0. I’m ok with that 0.25 reading.