Cloudy Water

[markruk]

Welcome back mark. You need to keep that ammonia at 0.25 or less as even though the fish seem fine a level of 2.4ppm or even 1.6ppm is very harmfull to them. I sugest a 50% water change every day not every other day is the way to go here. How often do you feed them as this can effect the ppm quite dramaticly?

Dont worry about your nitrates as you will be doing so many water changes as to make testing for them counterproductive.

thanks for reply Tom

I feed them in the moring and at night just a pinch.
i know i have to keep doing water changes but wont i be going round in circles
ie. doing water changes to take amonia out but then the bacteria going out as well so not to build up nitrates to take amonia away. if that makes sense

thanks
Mark

 

[Gazanimal]

The bacteria is in your filter media not your water so don't worry about removing the good bacteria when you do the water change as you won't lose it.

As long as you get the ammonia down, that's the priority.

 

[markruk]

The bacteria is in your filter media not your water so don't worry about removing the good bacteria when you do the water change as you won't lose it.

As long as you get the ammonia down, that's the priority.

Ok Great thanks i understand now, i new it was in the filter but i thought taking all the water out and putting new stuff in would affect it,
just silly newbie question!!
how long does it normally take to start seeing amonia going down to a low level as to not do water changes so often ?

Thanks Again Mark

 

[Gazanimal]

Fish-in cycles I can't help you with unfortunately as I'm doing a fish-less cycle myself at the moment.

Presumably though it can vary from tank to tank as to how quick or slow it can take.

 

[Skins]

Hello Mark,
From start to finsh a fish-in cycle on average takes 4-6 weeks to complete. When you start to see regular daily 0ppm of ammonia and nitrIte for a period of 1 week you have come to the end of your cycle.

Keith.

 

[Aqua Tom]

how long does it normally take to start seeing amonia going down to a low level as to not do water changes so often ?

Thanks Again Mark

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306

 

[markruk]

Hello Mark,
From start to finsh a fish-in cycle on average takes 4-6 weeks to complete. When you start to see regular daily 0ppm of ammonia and nitrIte for a period of 1 week you have come to the end of your cycle.

Keith.

hmmm
its been 7 weeks now and takes 1 1/2 days to go from 0 to 1.6 on ammonia

 

[waterdrop]

Most of the beneficial bacteria cling very tightly to the media surfaces inside the filter and look like a brown stain. Even when you clean the filter media (later, after your cycle is over) the vast majority of bacteria will not be rinsed away.

I agree that the average for fish-in cycles is probably 4-6 weeks but they can sometimes take 2 to 2.5 months when conditions are not quite right, so you just have to proceed onward with taking measurements and logging them so that you know what happened. At some point you will start getting double-zeros and as said, you'll then be able to apply your qualifying week.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Uriel]

I know this may seem like a stupid question, but you are using dechlorinator on all the water during water changes right ?

 

[markruk]

Hi yes using tetra water conditioner for water changes
Will just have to keep at it with water changes and hope the ammonia stabilises soon

Mark

 

[waterdrop]

Ultimately, time is on your side. We have it going for us that if the water was safe for drinking then it will virtually always end up supporting the two species of bacteria we need, there are just variations in the speed with which this happens. WD

 

[markruk]

hello again
all is well at the momemt
My Ammonia has drop right down to more or less zero for a about a week at a time now then cradually goes up to 0.6,
but my Nitrite and Nitrate has shot through the roof NI is 3.3 and NA is 110
im asumming thats the next point after Ammonia has gone the NI spikes up for a bit.

also i have 2 Glass Catfishhave been fine but noticed today one of them has most of the long tenticles have gone they both had long ones, the other one is ok
any ideas

Thanks
MArk