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Has my system stalled?
http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=18541		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Sep 25th, '13, 14:42 ]
Post subject:  Has my system stalled?
Hi fellas me again. The last weeks readings have hardly changed: Ph 7.4, Ammonia .25, Nitrite off the scale, Nitrate 160. Been very little fluctuation at all. Adding nothing to the tanks but have done a few 200L water changes in about 900L tank water (ibc). Do I just need to be patent or do something? :flower:

:dontknow:
Author:  arbe [ Sep 25th, '13, 15:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Sounds like things are working - just slowly. Just need patience.

What is your water temp?
Author:  ferozaj [ Sep 25th, '13, 16:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
what was last weeks numbers?

Having nitrites is a good sign, means you have the ammonia bacteria going..
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Sep 25th, '13, 17:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Thank you gentlemen, the water temp is 24c was 33c here today early summer. Do I need to keep my ammonia at 1ppm? There are so many conflicting reports when you start reading.

Also made up a few wicking pots, they are great, tomato's are hard in Queensland but the wicking system seems to work well :) :flower:

Ooops forgot last weeks numbers. Ph 8, ammonia 4, Nitrites 3, Nitrates 80

Thanks again for your advice, I appreciate your input :cheers:
Author:  mantis [ Sep 25th, '13, 17:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Get some shadecloth over your tomatoes and you might have more success with them. They love wicking beds/pots :thumbright:
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Sep 25th, '13, 17:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Hi Mantis, yes on the shade cloth and I bag the trusses we seem to have a lot of fruit fly around. Got traps out, and my badminton racket for the cabbage butterflies :laughing3:
Author:  Gwydion [ Sep 25th, '13, 17:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
No more ammonia.

When I had nitrites off the chart, I tried diluting the test sample with demineralised water and I ended up with 5 drops ft water and 80 drops demineralised water before I got a change in colour on the test chart. I did the cycling with fish. The next three days I did 20% water changes and the nitrate production kicked in. I read somewhere that levels too high can be counterproductive.

Just be patient for a couple of days.
Author:  ferozaj [ Sep 25th, '13, 18:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
If you dont have fish then just wait...The ammonia being low now means its all switched to nitrites.

The system wont have stalled, when ammonia hits 0 and nitrites are at 0 then you are running well :)
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Sep 25th, '13, 18:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Thanks for all the useful tips everyone and I am doing a fishless cycle. From what I have read it seemed to be the best way to go.

As my best mate used to say, "I ain't had so much fun since the hogs ate ma bruder" :laughing3:

:flower:
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Sep 30th, '13, 13:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Hi guys, its 30th Sept PH 7.2, ammonia .25, nitrites still 5, nitrate down to 40.

have added some Charles Crap just to keep the ammonia up a little.

The colour of the nitrite test has got lighter but still 5

I have read that I need to keep ammonia around 1ppm does that sound ok? :flower:
Author:  RupertofOZ [ Sep 30th, '13, 13:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Nah... let your nitrites drop back.. then you can redose if you want to...
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Oct 1st, '13, 17:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Ok not adding anything except water. I still don't understand the whole concept, so I will just follow your lead thank you very much RupertofOZ. Very much appreciated.

:flower:
Author:  Pete Wolfe [ Oct 6th, '13, 09:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Ok today: ph 7.6 ammonia 0 nitrites .25 nitrates .0

50% water change and added 1 tbsp Charles Crap

new reading ph 7.2 ammonia .25 nitrite .25 nitrate 5

How'm I doin' boss :)
Author:  jayendra [ Oct 6th, '13, 11:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
6 days and your nitrite dropped like that?
Why did you change the water and add charlie carp? = contradicting yourself here I think
Author:  RupertofOZ [ Oct 6th, '13, 20:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: Has my system stalled?
Ok... now let the ammonia and subsequent nitrite spikes work back to zero.... then add fish...
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