180 cycling results

[new2natives]

just making sure i'm on track- please look over what ive done, and leave any feedback for me

day 1- added water, sand, got filtration running, added 180g worth of API STRESS COAT, added 190g worth of API stress zyme
day 3 - added 90 comets, have been feeding them a good amount every day since
day 7 - added another 190g worth of Stress zyme (as directed on bottle)

day 8 - ph 6.2, ammonia 2, nitrite 0, nitrate 5
day 10- ph 6.2, ammonia 4, nitrite .25, nitrate 10
day 12- ph 6.2, ammonia 4, nitrite 0, nitrate 10

i still need to get ph buffer, so that i can get it to 6.8-7.0 or so ...
other than that does everything seem on track?

also, the water temp is at about 75, i will need to get heaters in it before i add my monsters...
and the filters were both basically new, i had very little seeded bacertia. i am using a eheim 2217 canister and 2 70g HOB's

 

[zennzzo]

just making sure i'm on track- please look over what ive done, and leave any feedback for me

day 1- added water, sand, got filtration running, added 180g worth of API STRESS COAT, added 190g worth of API stress zyme
day 3 - added 90 comets, have been feeding them a good amount every day since
day 7 - added another 190g worth of Stress zyme (as directed on bottle)

day 8 - ph 6.2, ammonia 2, nitrite 0, nitrate 5
day 10- ph 6.2, ammonia 4, nitrite .25, nitrate 10
day 12- ph 6.2, ammonia 4, nitrite 0, nitrate 10

i still need to get ph buffer, so that i can get it to 6.8-7.0 or so ...
other than that does everything seem on track?

also, the water temp is at about 75, i will need to get heaters in it before i add my monsters...
and the filters were both basically new, i had very little seeded bacertia. i am using a eheim 2217 canister and 2 70g HOB's

You'll need to get a NITRITE reading above 0, then as the tank becomes cycled the Ammonia AND Nitrite will be zero and you'll see 10-40PPM nitrate...
If your tap is 6.2 PH everything will adjust to 6.2 fish included, so I wouldn't adjust for that...Benificial Bateria breeds better in 80f and higher...
I would just let it run at the higher temp, don't add anything else. Take your Perameters ever other day and write them down...

 

[new2natives]

update --
nitrite has been as high as .5, and now it has been at zero for several days
ammonia is at about 6-8
nitrate is around 5

*** my question is this -- when people talk about a nitrite "SPIKE", is 0 to .5 then back to 0 enough to signal that it has cycled?? **

and now is there any way to get my ammonia to zero out, or do i just have to let it sit??

 

[zennzzo]

update --
nitrite has been as high as .5, and now it has been at zero for several days
ammonia is at about 6-8
nitrate is around 5

*** my question is this -- when people talk about a nitrite "SPIKE", is 0 to .5 then back to 0 enough to signal that it has cycled?? **

and now is there any way to get my ammonia to zero out, or do i just have to let it sit??

NO...your Ammonia and Nitrite need to be at zero...
It's not going to happen in 4-5 days...

What do you have in the tank now to create a bio-load? Still the 90 comets?

 

[zennzzo]

Did you get your temps up over 80f?

 

[new2natives]

still the comets, but i was feeding them heavy in the beginning, i have backed it down some. temps have been at 80-84 for about a week

 

[zennzzo]

still the comets, but i was feeding them heavy in the beginning, i have backed it down some. temps have been at 80-84 for about a week

OK good on the temps...
Just feed regular feedings...you'll get there in about 4-6 weeks...
No need for a waterchange before then.
Add nothing else besides food to the tank.

The only thing you can do to speed the process is to seed from another established tank...
I have used like 2-cups of media from a friends filter before. I put it in a nylon bag and put it in my filter.