RawketGurl
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« on: October 09, 2009, 07:38:47 PM » |
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I'm making this post so I can keep people up to date on my first cycling attempt, this is my first aquarium, so excited and having so much fun.
I'm fishless cycling a 20gal, using fish food as my ammonia source.
Ammonia was building up pretty slowly, but when I finally got my NitrIte and NitrAte test kits (drop test kits) and tested them Monday I was seeing NitrIte readings at about 1.5-2. Tested it tonight and NitrIte is reading 0.2!!
Ammonia is 0
NitrAte are showing 6-7 (but the test kit states that presence of NitrIte can interfere with NitrAte readings)
Still, to my understanding things look like they are going well?!
I'm so proud because everyone I know was telling me just to add fish that this was pointless, and I tried to explain the whole fishless cycling process to them many times with little to no success.
Pretty happy that my first attempt at cycling is fishless and going pretty well apparently!!
So I've been reading up on it but I'm still not clear what my next step is.
When I have
Ammonia 0
NitrIte 0
and a NitrAte reading what should I do?
I read in a post that I should add more ammonia and test again and if the readings are still the same I'm fish ready? I don't have ammonia, like I said my source has been fish food.
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LittlePuff
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« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2009, 09:45:02 PM » |
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When you have no ammonia, no nitrites, and some nitrates,do a water change to bring nitrates down and add a few fish.
Your ammonia is fish food. Testing one more day couldn't hurt.
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90gal Oscar
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spudfeger
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« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2009, 09:58:26 PM » |
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And keep adding ammonia until the day you plan on adding fish, doing the wc, etc.
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LittlePuff
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« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2009, 10:06:42 AM » |
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Thank you.
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90gal Oscar
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20gal True Perculas
10gal Cherry Shrimp/Snails
10gal Cories/Khuli loaches
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RawketGurl
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« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2009, 03:08:49 PM » |
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awesome thanks  That's what I thought. How many fish can I start by adding? I want to get a school of 5 or six black skirt tetra's but I want to get them all at the same time, from the same place. Is that too much to start off with?? |
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« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2009, 03:30:53 PM » |
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That should be fine.
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90gal Oscar
55gal Goldfish
29gal Dwarf puffers
20gal True Perculas
10gal Cherry Shrimp/Snails
10gal Cories/Khuli loaches
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RawketGurl
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« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2009, 03:58:02 PM » |
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Great thanks again. Ammonia is 0 NitrIte is 0 NitrAte has a minimal reading Did a small water change. Getting my fish tomorrow or the next day.  |
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wendyjo
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« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2009, 08:37:45 PM » |
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Keep on testing after you add the fish as you could get an ammonia spike. If so, just keep doing water changes until the bacteria catch up to the new bioload.
Good job!
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RawketGurl
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« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2009, 03:05:41 PM » |
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Yeah I will keep testing for sure. Picked up five black tetras and two otos today. They're so cute. Make me happy For a 20 gal is that all I should have? Or could I add something else in a little while? |
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RawketGurl
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« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2009, 03:17:21 PM » |
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And I just came across an article on otto's and now I'm terrified I will lose mine. Did not acclimitize them for as long as I should have, and apparently you should only add them after there is a huge amount of algae. I may have failed this one, should have researched it further.  Dissapointed in myself now. |
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