So i've started my cycle

[Jason04r]

Spoke to them and they said it was priced at 18 euros per kilo. However on the description it says 5kg. So i have got the correct amount.

Oh wells. Going to test the water tonight after adding my new rock to see how things are going.

I shall update :)

PS: Should i do a water change anytime soon?

 

[Waddi]

Leave your water change until your cycle is fully done.

 

[Jason04r]

11/24/11 Results

Temperature: 77F
Salinity:1.022
PH: 8.2
Nitrite: 0.5 mg/l (ppm)
Nitrate: 30mg
Ammonium: 1.0mg/l (ppm)
Alkalinity: 9dKH

Is it normal for my nitrate to be so high? i also purchased this little gadget :

Its telling me my ammonium is 0.02ppm safe but on my test kit i get 1.0ppm?

thanks

 

[little_fish]

Did you start your tank with tap water?

Also I dont put much faith in those little thingies, i would trust your test kit, but you can always go find a third test kit and compare results

 

[Jason04r]

I did use tap water with water treatment liquid.

I guess thats the cause of it? How can it be lowered?

 

[little_fish]

Well, you need to do water changes with either distilled or RO/DI water (two different methods of making pure water). Tap water has all sorts of nasty things in it that the water treatment stuff doesnt address.

 

[Jason04r]

Okay,

I can buy distilled water which im planning of using for my water changes in the future. I have a treatment called prime.

Shall i do a water change or add some prime to me tank?

 

[little_fish]

those water treatments only take care of the chlorine in the water, so it will do nothing for the nitrates and other stuff found in tap water. When you use distilled or RO/DI water you dont need to add the water treatment stuff

 

[Jason04r]

Says on the bottle it can remove nitrate from the water.

if i do a water change, will it need to cycle again?

Thanks :)

 

[little_fish]

You shouldnt do a water change until your cycle is over, doing it now will only prolong the cycle. And as you can see, it doesnt remove the nitrates

 

[Jason04r]

11/26/11

Temperature: 77F
Salinity:1.022
PH: 8.0
Nitrite: 1.0 mg/l (ppm)
Nitrate: 100mg
Ammonium: 1.0mg/l (ppm)
Alkalinity: 9dKH

Nitrite has gone up and nitrate as gone through the roof. Should i leave it or do something about it?

Thanks

 

[little_fish]

Leave it until the ammonia and nitrite go to zero, then do a water change and you can add your first fish

 

[Jason04r]

Today's tests are looking better:

I think I've been reading my tests wrong for nitrate.

Temperature: 79F
Salinity:1.022
PH: 8.0
Nitrite: 0.5 mg/l (ppm)
Nitrate: 15mg/l (ppm)
Ammonium: 0.1mg/l (ppm)

I'm going to buy another test kit as i think im colour blind lol. How am i looking then?

Thank you :)
Alkalinity: 9dKH

 

[little_fish]

looking fine! almost done with your cycle

 

[fastrd400]

Why is it that every time I see this thread title, I get a visual of a teenage girl having a womanly discussion with her mother? :shock: