Cycling Info

[twinswin]

I am new to this whole thing so bear with me please. At some point I should see the Ammonia levels rise to peak and then somewhere along about this same time I should see the NitrIte levels rise as well. I have had the tank about 12 days.
I have done one 75% water change and one 20% water change.

During clycling:
1. What is a safe ammonia level in parts per million? I am at 1ppm now, this is as high as it has ever been.

2. Approx. how many days until I should start seeing nitrIte levels rise.

Thanks for the help,
BaJ

 

[Def]

I don't know how hardy tiger barbs are, so can;t comment on that.

Keep the ammonia at no more than 1ppm during the cycle - get water changing now. If it's just hit 1ppm, it's going to keep going up so do a water change now before it does. Technically there is no safe ammonia ppm, ammonia should always be zero in a cycled tank. But for cycling, keep it at 1ppm or less and you'll be ok.

Nitrite will probably take up to a week to appear. It'll probably take another week or 2 to peak, then a week after that to drop to zero.

This is all approximate. You tank will cycle quicker if the water is hotter, but if you've got fish in there be careful.

Others will disagree, but I strongly recommend you buy a product like Cycle and use it to manage and speed up the cycling process.

 

[twinswin]

Would stress-zyme be the same kind of product as Cycle? I did use Stress-Zyme that on the first fill.

Tks,
BaJ

 

[skimpy]

Hi twinswin

This is all approximate. You tank will cycle quicker if the water is hotter, but if you've got fish in there be careful

your tank may cycle quicker but ammonia becomes dangerously toxic at lower levels with heat increased, as detailed below.

Firstly, I am not saying that ammonia is safe at below the levels shown in below chart. There is "NO SAFE LEVEL" of ammonia, but keeping it under 1 ppm and your fish should survive but it is only a guide on average readings, PH level and temperature will also affect how high the ammonia can go before becoming dangerously toxic. The below quote will give you some indication of what I mean.

Ammonia Readings

If your levels approach or exceed the levels shown, take emergency action IMMEDIATELY.

Water Temperature
pH 20C (68F) 25C (77F)
_________________________________
6.5 15.4 11.1
7.0 5.0 3.6
7.5 1.6 1.2
8.0 0.5 0.4
8.5 0.2 0.1

At the end of the day you must just keep the ammonia as low as you possibly can with plenty of water changes.

HERE is a link which will explain the nitrogen cycle for you and you will see from the charts how the NitrIte kicks in after the ammonia and that it will take hold for a lot longer than the ammonia so you will have to monitor you readings carefully and do plenty more water changes over the next 4-8 weeks. It is hard work but without it the fish will die.

Finally HERE is a record of when I cycled with fish it might give some idea of what you may come up against. (No ammonia showed at the beginning because I spiked before I took regular readings - guess I was just lucky not to lose any fish)


HTH

Good Luck