didn't cycle tank

[VeeFour]

While at the LFS for an ammonia test kit (which I now posses) I looked for "bio spira" and couldn't find it. THe clerk had heard of it, (which raised my trust in the store) but said they didn't carry it. He pointed out to me that they sell a product called "Cycle", and recommend it to customers that buy new tanks from them. It's a product that has concentrated ammounts of the bacteria. Both the ones for ammonia, and the ones for nitrite. He said that with using it, and testing for the ammonia, and nitrite levels, and doing at least 15% water changes on a daily basis I should be able to save at least 75% of my current fish. Maybe all of them, depending on the the ammount of amonia already built up in the tank, and the stress levels.
I'll keep you all posted as this saga unfolds.
Thanks again for all the information and help.

 

[VeeFour]

"Cycle" is made by the "Nutrafin" company.
Just an FYI

 

[Sassygrrl]

To raise your buffering capacity, get some aragonite from the LFS (also known as crushed coral) and mix it with your substrate. It's usually white, so if your gravel isn't white, you will have yet another color in there

Works great though.

 

[VeeFour]

Quick update for those interested, 6-10-04:
Yesterday I went home and tested for amonia. I was in the "Stress" leval at 1.0 ppm. I switched out 5 gallons of water (25 gallon tank), and added the "Cycle" bacteria to the filter.
This morning at 7:30am all fish were doing fine.
Will repeat testing and water change this evening.

 

[BigHilda]

Just wondering how your nitrite and nitrate levels are doing?

 

[VeeFour]

I didn't check those as I was more concerned witht he ammonia level.
However, "Cycle" has both bacteria and claims to keep the tank from having the spike of both ammonia and Nitrite. I will test that this evening, and post the results.
keep your fingers crossed for my fish.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi VeeFour

If you have more gravel, try putting it into nylon stockings and just laying it in the tank. It's a shame to waste any bacteria at this point. Womens knee-his are a good size for this and are very inexpensive. Just add the gravel (don't wash it first) and tie a knot at the top.

Take your time with the cycling. As long as the ammonia and nitrite are kept at low levels your fish will be fine. All cycling accomplishes is is the process of growing bacteria to eat these chemicals. If you do regular water changes, you are doing the same thing. Once the bacteria grow you can slow down until you just do normal cleaning.

Except for Bio-Spira, commercial products are not much help.

As for your pH, you are much better off leaving it alone. The fish you get from your lfs will be used to local water conditions.

Keep up the good work!

 

[VeeFour]

Thanks inchworm. I'm not concerned about the Ph at this point. I read up on the fish I have, and it seems they can all survive in a wide range of Ph. I do add a product to my water that is supposed to rugulate the pph to 7.0, but I mainly use this for it's de-chlorinizing(sp?) ability. I add it to my bucket of tap water to make it tank-safe.
If it alters the Ph any, so be it...ya know?
Anyway, I'm not putting all my eggs in the "cycle" basket and expecting it to be the savior of my fish, but after no luck of finding bio spira locally, I had to go with what I could get. Too me, and more importantly to my fish, it seemed like it was worth a shot. Something is better than nothing.

 

[Rusty_S]

I have been keeping fish for more than five years and have never cycled my tank as I didn't realise it was a requirement! I've never had any major problems and it sounds like you've got some fairly hardy fish in there too. My fish are perfectly healthy but seeing as I've recently found out about cycling I'm thinking of starting again and doing things properly this time

Rusty

 

[smithrc]

I have been keeping fish for more than five years and have never cycled my tank as I didn't realise it was a requirement! I've never had any major problems and it sounds like you've got some fairly hardy fish in there too. My fish are perfectly healthy but seeing as I've recently found out about cycling I'm thinking of starting again and doing things properly this time

Rusty

no point starting again... the bacteria will have been built up over time

 

[ger87410]

We didn't nkow about cycling until too late also. We setup 2 55g 1 with an oscar, jack dempsey, and 2 plecos. The other with 2 tinfoils, 3 clown loaches, upside down catfish and a pleco. We also setup a 20g with a black ghost knife, pleco, and a mickey. and a 10g with guppie. The first 55g, none died during cycling, all are still alive and very well. The second one had a complete tank crash, we lost all but the pleco which we moved to the 20g cuz he has ick too. The 20g now has ick real bad, and we will probably lose the bgf. The tank with the guppies is doing absolutely perfect. In fact we were able to add some ghost shrimp to that tank it was doing so good. My advice for cycling any tank is do it with guppies. ie. We're going to throw a bunch of guppies into the second 55g for a couple of weeks, then add fish later on that will hopefully eat them. We'll let everyone know how it goes in a seperate thread.

 

[VeeFour]

Just did my 5 gallon water change for the day and then tested the water. my current readings for 6-10-04 as of 5:36pm est are as follows:

Nitrate: 20 ppm
Nitrite: 0
TH: 45 ppm
total Alkalinity/Buffering capacity: 100 ppm
PH: 7.0

Ammonia: 2.0 ppm

 

[nmarc3627]

ummm...
what exactly is cycling a tank?

 

[rykitten]

NMarc,

Please read THIS article.