New starter and tank

[Martinspuddle]

Started cycling last Sunday.

Been testing each day and results always been (give or the occasional slight movement on GH) for first 5 day:
KH 5
GH 12
PH 7.2
Ammonia 2-4 (little difficult to tell if 2 or 4)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Looks like nitrite/nitrate might have started to move today.

KH/PH still the same
GH looks to have increased slightly. Is that normal (maybe down to Seiryu rock?)

Your results look more like what I've posted below, which incidently is in keeping with a newly setup aquarium.



NH3/NH4 = 4.0ppm

NO2 = 25ppm

NO3 = 5.0ppm

[Axeman]

Would GH increase much over time. Seen an increase from 12 to 13/14? Maybe down to rock and wood?

[Martinspuddle]

Would GH increase much over time. Seen an increase from 12 to 13/14? Maybe down to rock and wood?

Do you know what type of gravel or stone you have?

What's your GH from your water supply?

[Axeman]

3mm black gravel from Maidenhead

GH water supply is nearly always 12 apart from a couple of times 11 (probably my testing tbf)

[plankton]

That ought to be inert.
Have you got rocks?
Something sounds as though it's leeching carbonates.
During the cycle the hardness should only go down as carbonates are used by the "munchers".

[Axeman]

GH remaining at 13, so suppose whatever caused the issue may have stopped leaching. Took a couple of pictures of rock/wood. Ignore water marks as have to clean glass (also going to add Anubias mini coin to main wood)

Ammonia gone so topped up again. Results below. Do I need to do water change yet?

[plankton]

You only NEED to do a water change during the cycle if the ph crashes below 6.2, as that means all the carbonates have been used up. With your hardness I doubt that will happen, so just a big change at the end of the cycle.
(Having said that, water changes during the cycle don't normally upset it too much. )
Tank looking good.

[Axeman]

Many thanks

Nearly there