# Past 72 Hours Results, Cycling New Tank.... Questions Still



## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

to make a long story short. the 1st few days of my cycling i had a 0 reading for all my param's just a 7.6-7.8 ph because it comes out the tap like that so it's never changed much, although it comes out of my tap at 7.6 but i'm still getting a reading of a 7.8 in the tank, i've done side by side test of the tank water and tap and the results are a slight bit darker blue on the api test kit results. so not really sure whats that telling me right now...... after a few days i guess what try called a cycle started so i stared getting reading on my nitrite, nitrates, and ammonia, then the tank began so have a bit of a odor, assuming it was a ammonia spike and it was, so i the began changing the water daily say 20% or so and was still getting reading , so i went with a active carbon bag to help take the odor out and try to lower the ammonia without doing so many water changes assuming that the more im taking away from the tank it's kinda slightly starting the cycle over. the smell went away but the ammonia didnt as much as i expected. now with my tank being really dark and cloudy i did a 30% wc, to filter out some of the lose active carbon and add new water to lower ammonia levels, then to help with the process i bought some nutrafin cycle starter which contains beneficial bacteria , so i poured it directly on my scrubbies in my sump buckets hoping it seed my filter and seed my bioballs and all that good stuff lol , i also added some ac filter pads (without the metal wires) on top of my scrubbies , plain white ones and i washed them in a bucket of my tanks water to make sure no soap was it it, this was to take out all the fine particles from the carbon filter and any other fine particles that may slip thro the scrubbies and thur the bio balls back into the tank. here are a few pics from 3days ago up until today. my water stared clearing up within 12 hours of adding the cycle starter and the ac pads. yea and i also only feed lightly in the morning once a day to help with the ammonia. my reading are ammonia 0.50 , nitrite 1.0 , nitrate 10, ph 7.8, do the numbers seem or sound normal ? will the nitrate and nitrite go down on there own without water changes as the tank cycles ? any suggestions on lowering the ph without tinting the water? or will that work its way down as tank cycles also?
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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

dmackey said:


> to make a long story short. the 1st few days of my cycling i had a 0 reading for all my param's just a 7.6-7.8 ph because it comes out the tap like that so it's never changed much, although it comes out of my tap at 7.6 but i'm still getting a reading of a 7.8 in the tank, *A bit high, but just leave it alone *i've done side by side test of the tank water and tap and the results are a slight bit darker blue on the api test kit results. so not really sure whats that telling me right now* its normal for tank pH to be a bit different then tap pH*...... after a few days i guess what try called a cycle started so i stared getting reading on my nitrite, nitrates, and ammonia, then the tank began so have a bit of a odor, assuming it was a ammonia spike and it was, so i the began changing the water daily say 20% or so and was still getting reading , so i went with a active carbon bag to help take the odor out and try to lower the ammonia without doing so many water changes assuming that the more im taking away from the tank it's kinda slightly starting the cycle over. the smell went away but the ammonia didnt as much as i expected. now with my tank being really dark and cloudy i did a 30% wc, to filter out some of the lose active carbon* did you put it in loose or...- just use a media bag* and add new water to lower ammonia levels, then to help with the process i bought some nutrafin cycle starter which contains beneficial bacteria , so i poured it directly on my scrubbies in my sump buckets hoping it seed my filter and seed my bioballs and all that good stuff lol , i also added some ac filter pads (without the metal wires) on top of my scrubbies , plain white ones and i washed them in a bucket of my tanks water to make sure no soap was it it, this was to take out all the fine particles from the carbon filter and any other fine particles that may slip thro the scrubbies and thur the bio balls back into the tank. here are a few pics from 3days ago up until today. my water stared clearing up within 12 hours of adding the cycle starter and the ac pads. yea and i also only feed lightly in the morning once a day to help with the ammonia. my reading are ammonia 0.50 , nitrite 1.0 , nitrate 10, ph 7.8, do the numbers seem or sound normal ?* They sound like your starting to establish some bacteria, but your cycle still isn't done yet * will the nitrate and nitrite go down on there own without water changes as the tank cycles *nitrite will go down soon, but nitrate will go up. As long as nitrate stays under 30-40ppm your fine*? any suggestions on lowering the ph without tinting the water?*dont* or will that work its way down as tank cycles also?*You can use some chemicals, but that means you have to commit to dosing on a consistent basis. i would also worry about the cycle before even thinking about altering the ph*


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I would leave things alone and let the tank cycle properly

Just keep a close eye on params and do small waterchanges as needed


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