Book Commercials & Misanthropic Observations

Day 13

I had 0ppm of ammonia today! Whoo hoo! Translation: my tank filter has grown enough bacteria that it will eat my fish’s waste so the tank doesn’t act like a big unflushed toilet they swim around in!

However, the bacteria that is eating the ammonia makes another waste product even more dangerous called nitrite. Now the next type of bacteria needs to grow a large enough colony to eat the nitrites… which I will know happened when my nitrite is also at 0ppm. I’m about 2/3 of the way home.

Home school moms- this would be a great science experiment. And your kids will feel very scientific with test tubes for measuring ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. However, you may end up with a fish when you are done.

**update: for the record- specifically my record when I try to recall later how long it took to cycle a tank- I had my first 0ppm reading of Nitrite on Nov. 9th.  30 days total.