Tank cycling -- ammonia still high?

[matthew]

Originally Posted by juliust

purigen does not remove ammonia. It removes tannis.

Purigen® is a premium synthetic adsorbent that is unlike any other filtration product. It is not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water at a rate and capacity that exceeds all others by over 500%. Purigen® controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates by removing nitrogenous organic waste that would otherwise release these harmful compounds. Purigen’s™ impact on trace elements is minimal. It significantly raises redox. It polishes water to unparalleled clarity. Purigen® darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with bleach. Purigen® is designed for both marine and freshwater use.

Source- http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod...s/Purigen.html

[juliust]

no3 did not reduce. water became crystal clear

[ken_yg]

Probably due to low ph that slow/halt nitrification.
Thus total ammonia will build up.
Normal occurrences I think for those who do not stabilise PH.

At PH 5, most of total ammonia existed in non toxic ammonium state.
As such any adjustment to PH must be done slowly (I used drip system if necessary for PH adjustment). Once PH is stabilised, I think total ammonia will reduce back to normal.
Of course sudden PH change can be disastrous.

Mine to share your setup - filtration, flowrate & current loading like?

Originally Posted by Epon

Hi. I got a new tank and doing the usual tank cycling process for past 6 weeks.

Something weird is happening.

Ammonia came and was high since day 1.

Nitrites shoot up and went down to zero 0.

Nitrates present and ph went down to 5.0.

Seems a normal and predictable process. Nitrite is zero now and ph being buffered at 7.0.

Everything seems as per pricess.
But ammonia is still high. Forgot the value, but was at its highest on the Api measurement scale.. I mean dark green on Api measurement scale.. 8 something..

Note that my PH went down to 5.0 .. that means nitrate are present. That should mean cycling process at the end.

Note also I am using seachem PRIME. It suppose to convert toxic ammonia to non toxic, so the nitrites can consume.

did seachem PRIME playing some trick here? Be cos it suppose to convert toxic ammonia to non toxic ammonia.. .. etc..
I am not sure what it means anyway.. taken directly from its website ..


Question, why ammonia still high at this stage where nitrites went high and go to zero? The ammonia should be consume by the nitrites... which also went high and now zero be cos of those nitrates.

Or should I get a new ammonia test kit? It's just 10 mths since I bought those test kits.

Now, nitrite is zero.

FYI, I buffer PH back to 7.0 already using 6 kg of OS and some baking soda/ baking powder. . The "arm and hammer " brand.

My tank is 8x4x3.


Any advise?

[Epon]

Guys.. tank cycle liao. Just check it today.

I believe tank was cycled before and ph plunged when I was travelling. And when ph dropped to 5. All BB died..
Then ammonia shoot up...etc

And after I get ph back to 7.5.
It take 1 week+ for tank to cycle again..

This is a 8feet tank.. with more than 50kg of bacteria media. Maybe that took longer time to cycle..

My older 6 feet tank took less than 1 mth to cycle..

[Gowling]

then probably you need to add a few kg of coral stones to buffer the pH.

[Epon]

I buy 4 bags of OS. each bag $10 at c328. Each bag at least few kg I guess.. all in my last compartment. .

That plus 2 spoon of sodium bicarbonate will buffer ph at 7

Looks this setup is good