Cycling with fish question

[Pugwinkle]

Hi everyone, I have had my 29 gallon tank up and running for about 2 weeks now. The first week I was using an ammonia packet so I did not see any ammonia or nitrites in my water tests. I decided to remove the ammonia packet as I was a bit concerned that the tank would not cycle while it was in use.

So about 8 days ago I removed the ammonia packet and I put in a sponge and some substrate from my friends cycled tank. Her tank has been up and running for a couple of years. Since that time I have had no ammonia or nitrites show up in my tests but have always had about 10 ppm of nitrates. Everything seemed to be good so I went out and bought a very small bristlenose pleco to be with the 6 head and taillight tetras I have in the tank. I also cut about 1/3 of the sponge from my friends tank to use to seed a small 10 gallon I just purchased and set up yesterday. When I did my tests last night I had the following results. Ammonia 0, nitrites were at about .12 and nitrates were about 15. With the nitrite test kit it shows only a color chart for 0 and then it goes up to .25 but the color was about in the middle of the two colors so that is why I'm saying .12

At any rate, I am just wondering what is happening. I ended up doing two water changes yesterday, one about 15% and then I did another one that was about 30%. Finally I got the nitrites down to 0. However, this morning when I tested again they are back up to about .12 Do I have to be worried about this amount of nitrites?? Should I be doing more water changes today? Why do I have nitrites and nitrates at the same time?

 

[tstenback]

The nitrates are coming from the seed material that you got from your friends tank while the nitrites are coming from the cycling that your tank is doing now from adding the fish. This will probably happen each time you add a bunch of fish. You do not have to get the nitrites down to zero as this will slow or stop the cycling of your tank. Just keep testing and keep the ammonia and nitrites to a minimum. less than 1.
I have noticed that with seed material sometimes you will see the ammonia spike and other tiimes you wont. Also have seen where the nitrite spike is very short with seed material. Dont know if it depends on when you measure or what. Perhaps one of the more chemically oriented fish keepers might be able to explain further.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

It sounds like the bacteria you added has helped a lot, and the nitrites are just part of a min-cycle. As long as they stay low you do not need to worry about it, especially if the nitrates are rising, which is a good sign, meaning the nitrites are being dealt with by your bio-filter. Keep testing to make sure.

 

[pendragon]

Hi Pugwinkle,

Honestly, if it were me I would just wait and keep testing a few more days to see what happens. You should begin to see consistent water parameters to indicate where in the cycle you are (or if it's finished). I wouldn't worry much about what's going on right now. Your tank is trying to find an equilibrium point, and it's tough to predict where it is with the seed material in there. You never can be sure how much it is or isn't acceleratng the process until you see consistent results for enough days to get a grip on it. Just remember, the only phase that's truly important in cycling is the final one - the (measurable) absence of both ammonia and nitrite. Until they're both at zero (and stay there for a couple of days), you still have some waiting to do.

As has been stated, I wouldn't worry about water changes for nitrites, though there are differing opinions on this. Certainly keeping them at zero (as if you could truly do that anyway) is counterproductive. Without nitrite in the water, the bacteria that consumes it cannot proliferate.

pendragon!

 

[crazie.eddie]

Just make sure when you do finally add fish, add then slowly...like 10%-20% of fish at a time. Wait a few weeks before adding more fish and checking the parameters to make sure they are level and stay level. There's not need to add fish too quickly. Your fish would love you for not having them undergo through ammonia/nitrite spikes and you will love them for staying alive.

 

[bartender_in_ny]

my tank has been cycling now for 22 days 21 w/fish, the 1st fish i put in were 3 tiger barbs 2 serpae tetras + 2 of those dyed glass fish...after about 2 days one glass fish died then the other day after..+ i lost one barb 2 weeks later i added 2 corys..a few days later 8 glowlites last week 2 ottos. i know this was alot soon, my amonia spiked once about 16 days out lost no fish then..whats in my sig. are all doing fine at 3 weeks, i didnt do any water chgs (my dealer said dont till 4-6 wks + hes been in business for 28 yrs) so i listened to him.. i think patience of course w/watching parameters is the best defence, i let mother nature do what she had to do..hope it continues to work........i also was told by my gut NOT to touch the media or clean it (penguin 170 bio wheel) + havnt i did treat for ick for 6 days @ 85 temp 24 drops to 20 gallons, the spots are gone...im a rookie here but having some not bad luck..seems to be alot of veiws on water chgs, i plan on doing my 1st 4-5 weeks out then 3- 4 weeks ther after, il keep ya posted..everyone has great pounts on here, gues we gotta see what works best for our tanls trail + error IM LEARNING!!!!