hannarrlouise
Hi, I need help, because I’m seriously confused.
So, on the 11th I started my fishless cycle (this is my first ever aquarium) on my 15 gallon fresh water tank.
My ammonia (Kleen Off) (read all the great reviews saying many people have used for their fishless cycles) arrived on the 17th, I added 14 drops and took the reading an hour later, which came back between 2.0 - 4.0 ppm. (I read most people aI'm to start their tank with 2.0, and maybe 4.0 depending on the quantity of fish they plan to keep. I will be getting a Betta fish when I have everything perfect, and established.)
The same day I purchased some drift wood, did a little research but was still none the wiser on what to do with it.
I soaked it in a bucket of water over night, and then changed the water first thing in the morning to allow the tannins to release. (Clearly I’d been reading the wrong forums.)
The day after my ammonia readings were the same as the day before and there was still no presence of nitrite.
On the second day after my readings were done, I placed my driftwood in my tank... only to find it releasing its tannins into my aquarium water, the next morning.
I wasn’t worried because I read online that the only thing it would effect is my PH level (which I’m not currently testing.)
Any way, I tested my readings again yesterday, my ammonia had dropped from 2.0 - 4.0ppm to 2.0ppm, so I checked my nitrite levels which were reading between 0.25ppm - 0.50ppm.
(Let’s bare in mind I’m getting my fishless cycle advise from WikI How, which said once your ammonia levels dropped and nitrite is present, to bring your ammonia levels back to what you started with.)
I then added 6 drops of ammonia, left it an hour, and tested it again, which came back at between 2.0 -4.0ppm again
This morning I looked in my tank, it hadn’t gotten any darker due to the tannins, but my driftwood has gotten a whiteish algae type stuff on the end of it (probably less than half a tea spoon amount.)
This made me panic. I read it up online, and it said it’s perfectly safe.
I then got highly bothered by the colour of the water (even though I know it’s just my fishless cycle) took my drift wood out of the water, and have been boiling it for the past 2 and a half hours.
My question is, has my driftwood messed with my cycle because of my putting it in too early?
And what do I do now that my cycle has started?
I tested for ammonia this morning which read at between 2.0 - 4.0ppm again, and my nitrite reading rose to between 1.0 - 2.0ppm. And now I have no idea what to do? Do I just watch the levels now and add ammonia as it declines? And has my driftwood messed up my cycle? Is it bad that I’m only boiling it now?
So, on the 11th I started my fishless cycle (this is my first ever aquarium) on my 15 gallon fresh water tank.
My ammonia (Kleen Off) (read all the great reviews saying many people have used for their fishless cycles) arrived on the 17th, I added 14 drops and took the reading an hour later, which came back between 2.0 - 4.0 ppm. (I read most people aI'm to start their tank with 2.0, and maybe 4.0 depending on the quantity of fish they plan to keep. I will be getting a Betta fish when I have everything perfect, and established.)
The same day I purchased some drift wood, did a little research but was still none the wiser on what to do with it.
I soaked it in a bucket of water over night, and then changed the water first thing in the morning to allow the tannins to release. (Clearly I’d been reading the wrong forums.)
The day after my ammonia readings were the same as the day before and there was still no presence of nitrite.
On the second day after my readings were done, I placed my driftwood in my tank... only to find it releasing its tannins into my aquarium water, the next morning.
I wasn’t worried because I read online that the only thing it would effect is my PH level (which I’m not currently testing.)
Any way, I tested my readings again yesterday, my ammonia had dropped from 2.0 - 4.0ppm to 2.0ppm, so I checked my nitrite levels which were reading between 0.25ppm - 0.50ppm.
(Let’s bare in mind I’m getting my fishless cycle advise from WikI How, which said once your ammonia levels dropped and nitrite is present, to bring your ammonia levels back to what you started with.)
I then added 6 drops of ammonia, left it an hour, and tested it again, which came back at between 2.0 -4.0ppm again
This morning I looked in my tank, it hadn’t gotten any darker due to the tannins, but my driftwood has gotten a whiteish algae type stuff on the end of it (probably less than half a tea spoon amount.)
This made me panic. I read it up online, and it said it’s perfectly safe.
I then got highly bothered by the colour of the water (even though I know it’s just my fishless cycle) took my drift wood out of the water, and have been boiling it for the past 2 and a half hours.
My question is, has my driftwood messed with my cycle because of my putting it in too early?
And what do I do now that my cycle has started?
I tested for ammonia this morning which read at between 2.0 - 4.0ppm again, and my nitrite reading rose to between 1.0 - 2.0ppm. And now I have no idea what to do? Do I just watch the levels now and add ammonia as it declines? And has my driftwood messed up my cycle? Is it bad that I’m only boiling it now?
