Help With New Tank

Hi peps,

I'm new to this forum and keeping my own tank although have had experience with parent tank many moons ago. I think i have found myself in a fish in cycle, not the best I know but here I am.
I have introduce x4 tiger barbs into my new 95l tank after about two weeks of cycling using Nutrafin cycle additive.
The fish seem really happy in their new tank but I had these readings last night and want some advice please.
Will post picture when I have figured out how to do it.

PH 7.6
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate between 40ppm-80ppm (couldn't decide)

Tank temp 25°
What water changes should I do?, and I have a thin film of white slim, not a lot on surface of water is this from the sand?

dch2206 said:

Hi peps,

I'm new to this forum and keeping my own tank although have had experience with parent tank many moons ago. I think i have found myself in a fish in cycle, not the best I know but here I am.
I have introduce x4 tiger barbs into my new 95l tank after about two weeks of cycling using Nutrafin cycle additive.
The fish seem really happy in their new tank but I had these readings last night and want some advice please.
Will post picture when I have figured out how to do it.

PH 7.6
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate between 40ppm-80ppm (couldn't decide)

Tank temp 25°
What water changes should I do?, and I have a thin film of white slim, not a lot on surface of water is this from the sand?

Click to expand...

nutrafin cycle is useless imo and many others would agree.as you are doing a fish in cycle then you need to keep the ammonia under 0.25ppm.you will need to be checking everyday and doing waterchanges when needed.if i were you i would take the fish back and do a fishless cycle.i feel that exposing fish to ammonia just to cycle your tank is cruel.cycling with ammonia is easier and less stressful.cycling with fish is stressful.its nothing but worrying about the fish dying,water changes & testing.

dch2206 said:

I have introduce x4 tiger barbs into my new 95l tank after about two weeks of cycling using Nutrafin cycle additive.
The fish seem really happy in their new tank but I had these readings last night and want some advice please.
Will post picture when I have figured out how to do it.

PH 7.6
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate between 40ppm-80ppm (couldn't decide)

Click to expand...

If you were adding the Nutrafin cycle without any fish in the tank then it will definitely have been of no use because it needs the ammonia produced by the fish to feed the bacteria. There's no harm doing a fish-in cycle as long as it's properly managed (although I would always recommend a fishless cycle). Properly managed means never letting the ammonia and nitrite rise above 0.25ppm and using a suitable dose of a dechlorinator with the water change, to detoxify the ammonia and nitrite. A suitable dechlorinator for this purpose is Seachem Prime.

Your nitrate is high for this stage of the cycle and there are two possibilities. First your tap water probably has nitrate in it, test it to see what level you have. And second the Nutrafin Cycle may have been able to produce some nitrate from the ammonia in your tap water. You preferably need to keep the nitrate at or below 40ppm for the long-term health of your fish.

Is the white slime in the tank or just on the surface. Is the tank cloudy...what's the colour?

Anyway, at the moment you should change at least 50% of the water and probably 75% would be better. Make sure you temperature match the new water to the tank water to prevent shock.

Thanks for your reply, just for the record I would never consider being cruel to any animal let alone my fish. I did a water test before buying my fish and the results were as follows.
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.01
Nitrate 40ppm

As you can see this result led me believe it was OK to introduce fish, and of course believing what Nutrafin Cycle can do. I have read many people using this with success. I don't think personally that its a loss cause and really don't want to take the fish back that do seem to be happy.

ok thanks, water changes coming up. I will let you know the results.
The white slim is only on the surface of the water, and as I say very slight and no cloudiness to the water seems very clear.

dch2206 said:

Thanks for your reply, just for the record I would never consider being cruel to any animal let alone my fish. I did a water test before buying my fish and the results were as follows.
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.01
Nitrate 40ppm

As you can see this result led me believe it was OK to introduce fish, and of course believing what Nutrafin Cycle can do. I have read many people using this with success. I don't think personally that its a loss cause and really don't want to take the fish back that do seem to be happy.

Click to expand...

This is not aimed at you dch but I love it when people say "seem to be happy" i.e they are still swimming around and not dead!

Take the advice and do the water changes...keep the levels down

Defiantly will do that, what I meant by seems happy was not behaving differently to their species, gills OK etc lol I know what you mean though.
When sorted and only then, this is what I propose to have in tank, any thoughts.

x6 Tiger barbs
x2 Opaline Gouramis
x1 Bristlenosed Pleco
x1 red Tailed Shark (Last In)
Possible some red eyed tetras?

dch2206 said:

Defiantly will do that, what I meant by seems happy was not behaving differently to their species, gills OK etc lol I know what you mean though.
When sorted and only then, this is what I propose to have in tank, any thoughts.

x6 Tiger barbs
x2 Opaline Gouramis
x1 Bristlenosed Pleco
x1 red Tailed Shark (Last In)
Possible some red eyed tetras?

Click to expand...

I would say your tank is way too small for the Red Tail Shark, sorry. Also, it would be alot better for you and your tank if you 'angled' your heater..keeping it dead straight allows the heat given off to simply rise straight up onto the thermometer of your heater, therefore turning it off each time it turns on.
Hope this helps,

Terry.

Thanks Terry, moved heater now, plus a water change.
Will keep posting results.
Thanks

Hi guys,
Quick update, daily water changes still going on, slight improvement on ammonia levels. The slight white film is better now filter has been turned up more movement on surface. Do you think I need a powerhead or air stone as there is still some water surface not moving much if at all. If so what would you recommend for a 95l tank like mine. (Marina 95L 80 x 30 x 40)

Hi guys,
Water flow etc all sorted (see pic), still fighting ammonia levels though. Doing daily water changes of around 70% and testing. Is there anything else I could do to help it along.

dch2206 said:

Thanks for your reply, just for the record I would never consider being cruel to any animal let alone my fish. I did a water test before buying my fish and the results were as follows.
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.01
Nitrate 40ppm

As you can see this result led me believe it was OK to introduce fish, and of course believing what Nutrafin Cycle can do. I have read many people using this with success. I don't think personally that its a loss cause and really don't want to take the fish back that do seem to be happy.

Click to expand...

Just keep on top of your water changes. There is nothing wrong with a fish-in cycle if done the right. Some people on this board can be very elitist when it comes to their opinions on fish less cycling. Fact of the matter is it can be done both ways and if you stay on top of your changes your fish will suffer nothing. Hope you cycle quick!

dch2206 said:

Hi guys,
Water flow etc all sorted (see pic), still fighting ammonia levels though. Doing daily water changes of around 70% and testing. Is there anything else I could do to help it along.

Click to expand...

If you take a little water out so the filter will hit the water from higher up and create more oxygen. More oxygen = hopefully faster cycle

The most reliable way of speeding up a cycle is to get hold of some already cycled media; either from a friend with a tank, if you have one, or your LFS.

do 50 percent water changes every 2 days

seanlid123 said:

do 50 percent water changes every 2 days

Click to expand...

We can't really say how much or how often the OP should change water; it all depends on the levels of ammonia and nitrite in his particular set-up; they all vary.

It can often happen that more and larger water changes are neccessary during fish in cycles to stop the ammonia/nitrite levels creeping up past 0.25ppm.