Cycling Journal

[rae650]

I am 3 weeks into my cycle and have decided to log my findings here so we can try to predict when it will be done! Also so I have somewhere to compare readings.

The tests are in the following order:

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia after 1ml of ammonia is added.

Each day I add 1ml of flourish excel and 1ml of household ammonia.

Every other day I add 1 pump (2ml) of tropica fertiliser. This is my tank.

Ammonia= 1.0
Nitrite= 2.0
Nitrate = <5


Ammonia = 0.5
Nitrite = 2.0
Nitrate = 10

 

[rae650]

Ammonia = 0.25
Nitrite = 2.0
Nitrate = <5

I tested my ph today (26th June) and I believe it is around 8. Is this a worry?

 

[finnipper59]

Ammonia = 0.25
Nitrite = 2.0
Nitrate = <5 View attachment 450363

I tested my ph today (26th June) and I believe it is around 8. Is this a worry?View attachment 450364

A pH of 8 is a bit high, but your still cycling. You mentioned using household ammonia. In the section for ingredients on the back, it doesn't happen to say surfactants does it?

 

[rae650]

A pH of 8 is a bit high, but your still cycling. You mentioned using household ammonia. In the section for ingredients on the back, it doesn't happen to say surfactants does it?

This is the product I am using, I can't find an ingredients list though.

This is the product I am using, I can't find an ingredients list though.

I found the ingredients.

Ammonia= 0.25
Nitrite= 2
Nitrate= <5

 

[finnipper59]

This is the product I am using, I can't find an ingredients list though.View attachment 450622

It's good. A lot of bottles found in supermarkets are clear and just say ammonia on the front. But if you read the ingredients, they say ammonia and surfactants. Your's is just ammonia.

 

[rae650]

Ammonia= 0.25
Nitrite = 2
Nitrate = 5?

 

[rae650]

Ammonia = 0.25
Nitrite = 2
Nitrate = <5

Should I do a water change to help things along?

 

[rae650]

Last night I did a water change.
This morning's readings were higher for ammonia and lower for nitrate, have I undone some of my cycle?

Ammonia - 0.5
Nitrite - 2
Nitrate - <5