Tank Cycling

[BrendaW]

I’ve been trying to cycle my 5.5g tank for over a month. Seeded sponge, media from 30g tank but no luck. I have one Betta in the tank and use Prime every day.  Some days I have less ammonia and it appears I have some nitrates. No nitrites (API text kit). I took my water to Petco today to get a second opinion with their test strips and it says no ammonia.  My test tube shows light green and not yellow.  I’ve read that low PH can cause slow cycling. My PH is 6 or under.  I’m obsessing with this little tank. Every morning testing water.  Help.

 

[David W]

I think prime can some times give a false positive for ammonia. Maybe stop the prime and feed very lightly for the next few days. Test some more, you are probably cycled or real close. 

[HH Morant]

I agree that stopping the Prime is a good idea. Wait to see what happens with the ammonia level. If you are uncomfortable with the ammonia level or the fish shows distress, I would do a water change rather than using Prime.

[BrendaW]

Thanks for the reply.  My Betta is doing good.  I do feed him three times a day but very little and he eats all of it.  I will drop down to once a day and stop adding the Prime every day and see what happens.  I failed to mention I have floating plants, some Java Fern and one other thing my old brain can’t remember. Could that have anything to do with less Nitrates?

[TankofFish]

If your sure your tank is not cycled the prime is saving your fish but you do you.

Do a google search on fish in cycle, do a little reading on the subject and you will have a much better understanding.

a 6ph can slow down a cycle 

and yes the plants is helping

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by TankofFish

[The Goatee]

What was it, some treatments turn ammonia into ammonium, and the test kits cannot always distinguish? It may be worth buying some test strips just to compare against the liquid drops. Helps to compare in the event the drops go bad or got tainted over time. I typically rely on strips for the quick check and use the drops when I want a more precise reading.

[BrendaW]

On 7/21/2021 at 12:52 AM, The Goatee said:

What was it, some treatments turn ammonia into ammonium, and the test kits cannot always distinguish? It may be worth buying some test strips just to compare against the liquid drops. Helps to compare in the event the drops go bad or got tainted over time. I typically rely on strips for the quick check and use the drops when I want a more precise reading.

It’s Philodendron.  I have the whole leaves and roots in there.  It’s not an aquarium plant but I’ve seen it in other setups growing OUT of the water.  The test strip didn’t test for ammonium.  I mentioned it but I don’t believe she knew what that was.  

[Rory Waliser]

If you're worried about the pH, you could get some RO water from a grocery store (RO water not distilled) and mix it with the tap water you're using for water changes. This should help level it out a bit. I always do something about 40% RO water in my changes since my tap water pH is close to 8.

[Bobbie]

You’ve got a low PH, but what’s your GH and KH? PH changes often, but the GH will decide how hard your water is - bettas like soft water. 
 

And yes, a plant like philodendron with roots in the water will very quickly suck up all the nutrients. Do you ever have algae growth? 

[BrendaW]

I took the philodendron out although I hated to. My Betta loves them. My 30g planted tank has PH of 7.2 so I don’t understand why this one is so low. We’ll see if the ammonia reading is lower and PH rises.  I’m on well water and no, I haven’t tested for GH and KH.  No algae in the tank either.

[BrendaW]

I checked the tap PH, 5g PH and 30g PH.  The first one is tap water, second is Betta 5g tank and last one is 30g community tank filled with plants.  No philodendron though.  It makes no sense the PH is so low in the small tank.  Driving me crazy.

[Patrick_G]

What type of substrate are you using in the small tank? Aquasoils like Fluval Stratum can lower the PH. The nice thing is that a lower PH can make the Ammonia safer for the fish. 

[BrendaW]

I just have gravel in the tank, bought from Petco.  Yes I read that lower PH makes ammonia less toxic. But it also slows the cycle.  I wish I had paid more attention in Chemistry.

[MNG]

Note that Prime detoxifies ammonia, but your tests may still show that ammonia is present.

[BrendaW]

I don’t know anything about kh and gh but I ordered the kit today. When I do water changes the ph goes up slightly then as the day goes by it goes back down.  Something is causing it.  I’ve read that BB cannot survive below 6ppm PH so maybe kh is causing drop in PH and that’s why I’ve never seen nitrites.  Does this make sense?  Before this is over I’m going to know all about kh and gh.

[TankofFish]

On 7/23/2021 at 6:36 PM, BrendaW said:

I don’t know anything about kh and gh but I ordered the kit today. When I do water changes the ph goes up slightly then as the day goes by it goes back down.  Something is causing it.  I’ve read that BB cannot survive below 6ppm PH so maybe kh is causing drop in PH and that’s why I’ve never seen nitrites.  Does this make sense?  Before this is over I’m going to know all about kh and gh.

The Fish Keeper’s Guide to pH, GH, and KH | Water Chemistry 101 – Aquarium Co-Op (aquariumcoop.com)

[TankofFish]

Also BB will survive in low PH condition, it just takes a while to establish....

when cycling a tank its always best to keep PH above 7 for sure

Edited July 23, 2021 by TankofFish

[BrendaW]

Thanks all for advice on my Betta tank.  I received the kh/gh test kit and the results are 2d/3d.  Last Friday the PH was 6.6.  The next day it was 7.6.  Sunday it was 6. I did a large WC due to ammonia readings. Today the PH is 7.2.  The PH is all over the place. Should I put some crushed coral in the tank and if so how much? My cycle is stalled.  I have none or very little nitrate and zero nitrites.  Ammonia is still .25.