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Cycling cheat sheet

Calgarycoppers

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Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
Cycling

You need your tank set up with filters running and substrate as the more surfaces for bacteria the better. Always over filter by minimum of double.

You need....
Ammonia - Pure liquid ammonia (cleaning but no scents, surfactants or additives) OR Ammonium Chloride powder
Liquid freshwater master test kit - pH, High range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate - NO strips
Heater - even if tank will be a cold water tank the bacteria need the heat to populate properly
Nitrifying bacteria supplement

To start cycling add enough ammonia to get 4ppm - start with less than instructions say and work up but keep track so you know your dosing later.
Add a heater 76-78 degrees
Add nitrifying bacteria supplement daily at highest dose for 7 days

Test daily - 24 hours after adding ammonia
Dose your ammonia back to 4ppm daily
repeat - keep a journal of dates, results and how much you added


In your testing daily you should see....
-ammonia dropping at some point
-nitrite starting to rise at some point
-eventually you will start to see nitrates - do a happy dance

Once you have nitrates keep testing daily and dosing ammonia to 4ppm.
When you notice you dose ammonia and within 24 hours and retest you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and all nitrates do a massive happy dance time for your 3 day challenge!!

3 day challenge is status quo - test, dose ammonia to 4ppm and wait 24 long hours repeat 24 hours repeat.
If your tests came to 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and all nitrate for 3 days in a row you are cycled !!

Cold water axolotl tanks - Now to get your temp down very slowly i.e. 1-2 degrees per day - get your pH (7.2-7.6) and nitrates (10-20) in check - feed your cycle 1ppm daily until you add your axolotl always check pH and nitrate first.
Tropical - do water changes as needed to get your pH and Nitrates back in check - nitrates to 20 or below. You are ready to add stock asap or feed 1ppm ammonia until you add stock to feed your cycle.

If ....
Ammonia is over 4ppm - 33% water change and retest to verify 4ppm still
Nitrite is over 2ppm - 33-50% water change
Nitrate is over 160ppm - 75% water change
pH lower than 6 or higher than 8.2 AND your cycle has stalled - 50% water change

These factors may STALL your cycle - never over do water changes while cycling always err on the side of caution.

Examples of nitrifying bacteria supplements
Seachem Stability
Seachem Pristine - if you have low ph sometimes you need this one
Dr Tim's one and only
Tetra Safe Start plus
API stress zyme
Nutrafin Cycle
 
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