Did my tank experiment work??

[isabeldiwata]

I started my tank on March 16th (2 weeks ago today) and I have nitrates recorded at 25 ppm earlier today, nitrites 0 ppm. I haven't detected nitrites in several days. Can anyone help me figure out why this might be? I want this tank fish safe!

When I got my tank two weeks ago, I immediately planted it up and installed my new filters. A few of the plants from my LFS came with an infestation of bladder snails (not that I care... they're cute ). I immediately started feeding my tank daily to kick off the cycle and my bladder snail population, of course, boomed... so did the amount of waste. To keep up, I vacuumed and did 50% water changes every other day. Maybe 4 or 5 days in, I also started dosing my tank with Tetra SafeStart nitrifying bacteria - 2mL a day into the water and my customized filter (coarse sponge, bio rings, activated charcoal). Obviously I didn't follow bottle instructions here, but I'm not in any rush to get my fish, so I thought I would experiment just for fun while the stable ammonia in the SafeStart solution couldn't hurt the fish.

I'm not intending to wipe out my bladder snail population any time soon and I'm hoping that will give the bacterial colonies sufficient food for now, but can anyone help me understand what's going on here?

 

[Dunk2]

What are you using to test and are you testing for ammonia?

 

[isabeldiwata]

What are you using to test and are you testing for ammonia?

I'm using multi-test strips because my store was somehow out of API master test kits. I'm not testing for ammonia. Do you think I should try again to get this test kit and one for ammonia? I know my multi strips are reliable for pH because I was able to get the API pH test, but not sure about everything else.
And I'm keeping a 6.6 pH in here right now, so does that mean I'll have ammonium in here rather than ammonia? If its ammonium prompting nitrite production and I've only seen nitrates in my tests, do you think it's safe to continue with this for another week without a master kit before getting fish at the end of the second week of April?? Sorry for these long replies and THANK YOU for your help!

 

[Dunk2]

I'm using multi-test strips because my store was somehow out of API master test kits. I'm not testing for ammonia. Do you think I should try again to get this test kit and one for ammonia? I know my multi strips are reliable for pH because I was able to get the API pH test, but not sure about everything else.

I’d definitely suggest you get the API Master Test kit and that you test for ammonia. The Master Test kit includes a test for ammonia.

About your nitrite question, in my experience I’ve never tested positive for nitrites when using bottled bacteria. If you haven’t already, you should also test your tap water for nitrates.

 

[isabeldiwata]

I’d definitely suggest you get the API Master Test kit and that you test for ammonia. The Master Test kit includes a test for ammonia.

About your nitrite question, in my experience I’ve never tested positive for nitrites when using bottled bacteria. If you haven’t already, you should also test your tap water for nitrates.

I did test negative for nitrates when I first started the tank and the same is true for my tap water. I will definitely try to get the master test kit tomorrow though! Again, thank you for the help!

 

[isabeldiwata]

I’d definitely suggest you get the API Master Test kit and that you test for ammonia. The Master Test kit includes a test for ammonia.

About your nitrite question, in my experience I’ve never tested positive for nitrites when using bottled bacteria. If you haven’t already, you should also test your tap water for nitrates.

Searched two stores and they're still out of master tests, but one of them had the ammonia test! Its reading closer to 0 with a very slight greenish tinge and I haven't done my water change today yet. Any thoughts?

 

[Momgoose56]

I started my tank on March 16th (2 weeks ago today) and I have nitrates recorded at 25 ppm earlier today, nitrites 0 ppm. I haven't detected nitrites in several days. Can anyone help me figure out why this might be? I want this tank fish safe!

When I got my tank two weeks ago, I immediately planted it up and installed my new filters. A few of the plants from my LFS came with an infestation of bladder snails (not that I care... they're cute ). I immediately started feeding my tank daily to kick off the cycle and my bladder snail population, of course, boomed... so did the amount of waste. To keep up, I vacuumed and did 50% water changes every other day. Maybe 4 or 5 days in, I also started dosing my tank with Tetra SafeStart nitrifying bacteria - 2mL a day into the water and my customized filter (coarse sponge, bio rings, activated charcoal). Obviously I didn't follow bottle instructions here, but I'm not in any rush to get my fish, so I thought I would experiment just for fun while the stable ammonia in the SafeStart solution couldn't hurt the fish.

I'm not intending to wipe out my bladder snail population any time soon and I'm hoping that will give the bacterial colonies sufficient food for now, but can anyone help me understand what's going on here?

Sounds like you got yourself a REALLY fast tank cycle completed there! What is your ammonia level? If you are producing nitrates, your nitrite level is consistently at 0 ppm and you have a 0ppm ammonia level your are already cycled!

 

[isabeldiwata]

Sounds like you got yourself a REALLY fast tank cycle completed there! What is your ammonia level? If you are producing nitrates, your nitrite level is consistently at 0 ppm and you have a 0ppm ammonia level your are already cycled!

Ammonia and nitrites are 0 second day in a row and I have nitrates at 10ppm. That's incredible, I was fully anticipating a month and a half long wait!

I'm guessing it was my tank feeding, army of pest snails, and nitrifying bacteria dosing. I've been keeping a careful watch on my nitrogen compound readings and not sure what else I can attribute this to. Thanks for the input!
This is going to make my next tank startup sooo much easier. I'm definitely obsessed with the hobby now and one tank is just not enough :')

 

[Momgoose56]

Ammonia and nitrites are 0 second day in a row and I have nitrates at 10ppm. That's incredible, I was fully anticipating a month and a half long wait!

I'm guessing it was my tank feeding, army of pest snails, and nitrifying bacteria dosing. I've been keeping a careful watch on my nitrogen compound readings and not sure what else I can attribute this to. Thanks for the input!
This is going to make my next tank startup sooo much easier. I'm definitely obsessed with the hobby now and one tank is just not enough :')

Let this one run a few months and add extra media in your filter and type can use that extra media to jump start a new tank. Good luck!

 

[Dunk2]

Ammonia and nitrites are 0 second day in a row and I have nitrates at 10ppm. That's incredible, I was fully anticipating a month and a half long wait!

I'm guessing it was my tank feeding, army of pest snails, and nitrifying bacteria dosing. I've been keeping a careful watch on my nitrogen compound readings and not sure what else I can attribute this to. Thanks for the input!
This is going to make my next tank startup sooo much easier. I'm definitely obsessed with the hobby now and one tank is just not enough :')

That’s awesome if you got a full cycle in 2 weeks, but I’m a bit skeptical if I’m being honest.

Maybe I’m missing it, but I’m not clear on what you did that would have caused this tank to cycle so quick (including the use of bottled bacteria)?

When you refer to “tank feeding”, what exactly does that mean? Please keep us updated.

 

[isabeldiwata]

That’s awesome if you got a full cycle in 2 weeks, but I’m a bit skeptical if I’m being honest.

Maybe I’m missing it, but I’m not clear on what you did that would have caused this tank to cycle so quick (including the use of bottled bacteria)?

When you refer to “tank feeding”, what exactly does that mean? Please keep us updated.

just saw this! It ended up being a month cycle. I recorded water parameters a week into getting the tank and when writing the original post the pandemic’s ~Time Means Nothing~ syndrome got the best of me. So I was actually three weeks in on bacteria dosing, snail army cultivating, adding fish food, planting, and daily water changing when I wrote the post. Following the post, I gave it another week and a half of getting good readings before adding my new fish a few days ago.

By feeding the tank, I mean that I was adding fish food to the tank every day (as Fishlore’s tank cycling article suggests). The foods had ingredients like salmon and krill meal and as they broke down, I think they contributed to kickstarting the cycle.

Next tank will be so much easier since I can pop my second filter and some gravel into the tank.

just saw this! It ended up being a month cycle. I recorded water parameters a week into getting the tank and when writing the original post the pandemic’s ~Time Means Nothing~ syndrome got the best of me. So I was actually three weeks in on bacteria dosing, snail army cultivating, adding fish food, planting, and daily water changing when I wrote the post. Following the post, I gave it another week and a half of getting good readings before adding my new fish a few days ago.

By feeding the tank, I mean that I was adding fish food to the tank every day (as Fishlore’s tank cycling article suggests). The foods had ingredients like salmon and krill meal and as they broke down, I think they contributed to kickstarting the cycle.

Next tank will be so much easier since I can pop my second filter and some gravel into the tank.

I think it was ready sooner than the full month, but better safe than sorry. I was skeptical too.

 

[Dunk2]

just saw this! It ended up being a month cycle. I recorded water parameters a week into getting the tank and when writing the original post the pandemic’s ~Time Means Nothing~ syndrome got the best of me. So I was actually three weeks in on bacteria dosing, snail army cultivating, adding fish food, planting, and daily water changing when I wrote the post. Following the post, I gave it another week and a half of getting good readings before adding my new fish a few days ago.

By feeding the tank, I mean that I was adding fish food to the tank every day (as Fishlore’s tank cycling article suggests). The foods had ingredients like salmon and krill meal and as they broke down, I think they contributed to kickstarting the cycle.

Next tank will be so much easier since I can pop my second filter and some gravel into the tank.




I think it was ready sooner than the full month, but better safe than sorry. I was skeptical too.

Thanks for the update!

I wanted to make sure you weren’t keeping a cycling secret from us.

 

[isabeldiwata]

Thanks for the update!

I wanted to make sure you weren’t keeping a cycling secret from us.

Nope, I regret to report that I simply have no grasp on time right now
Thanks for all your guidance and input! Super appreciated even though I didn't have my own facts straight!
*sigh* that was supposed to be a laughing emoji. Long week haha!

 

[Dunk2]

Nope, I regret to report that I simply have no grasp on time right now Face with Tears of Joy Emoji
Thanks for all your guidance and input! Super appreciated even though I didn't have my own facts straight!
*sigh* that was supposed to be a laughing emoji. Long week haha!

Not a problem. The last 12 months are a blur to me.

 

[Momgoose56]

just saw this! It ended up being a month cycle. I recorded water parameters a week into getting the tank and when writing the original post the pandemic’s ~Time Means Nothing~ syndrome got the best of me. So I was actually three weeks in on bacteria dosing, snail army cultivating, adding fish food, planting, and daily water changing when I wrote the post. Following the post, I gave it another week and a half of getting good readings before adding my new fish a few days ago.

By feeding the tank, I mean that I was adding fish food to the tank every day (as Fishlore’s tank cycling article suggests). The foods had ingredients like salmon and krill meal and as they broke down, I think they contributed to kickstarting the cycle.

Next tank will be so much easier since I can pop my second filter and some gravel into the tank.




I think it was ready sooner than the full month, but better safe than sorry. I was skeptical too.

Yay! Good job!