I'm getting confused

[Loboto-Me]

My aquarium has been set up for about a 5 days now, not including the one day of empty running. Uncycled and stocked w/ fish.... the story is in Chit Chat area. I went out today and bought a nitrite test kit and an ammonia test kit.
When I tested these this evening... My Ammonia is at 0 but my nitrite is at a whopping 1.6 (approx because it's a colour chart)
How can it be that I would not have ammonia problems after 6 days but have high nitrite? Did I do something wrong again?
I am currently "aging" water so that I can remove 20% of the water and replace it with fresh tomorrow morning.
The fish seem fine so far, but I seem to be the one that's living up to her Moniker here.

Thanks

 

[Eelzor]

Sounds like the cycle has started then. Just continue to add ammonia, then it will be turned into nitrite (what seems to have happened already), then the long part to nitrate. Just continue with the ammonia, thats how I had to do it.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Sounds like the cycle has started then. Just continue to add ammonia, then it will be turned into nitrite (what seems to have happened already), then the long part to nitrate. Just continue with the ammonia, thats how I had to do it.

,I believe Lobo's doing a fish cycle Eelzor

Maybe your ammonia already peeked , that was rather quick though

 

[Loboto-Me]

That's why I'm so confused! didn't think it happened this fast!

 

[wuvmybetta]

does your dechlorinator say something about removing ammonia?
Maybe it's altering your readings,they're famous for doing that

 

[Loboto-Me]

Hi Wuvmybetta

I used something new to what I usually use ... something made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals inc.
Dual Action Stress Zyme - speeds the development of the biological filter, helps clean a dirty aquarium

Removes Chlorine (even gives a schedule... 2tsp per 10g first day, 7'th day and 14th day then 1 tsp per week thereafter for new aquariums)

Only added it once since it's only been 6 days

Then I used the same company's product called Stress Coat (has aloevera in it??)
This stuff protects the slime coating on fish in times of stress and it also removes chlorine, detoxifies heavy metals and neutralizes chloramines (whatever that is)
It says to use it when setting up an aquarium as well.
No mention of removal of ammonia, unless that would be a heavy metal? or a choloramine?

So there's my beginners formula

 

[wuvmybetta]

hmmm, well that's not it then

did you use anything from your old tank in the new one, such as decor or anything? Because with only 6 days you SHOULD have an ammonia reading, there's no reason it should be zero ammonia (I'm not arguing with you,just trying to figure it out ) Unless some old decor carried over some beneficial bacteria that helped break down your ammonia

Have you tested your tap water for nitrites?
Mine come out of the tap at 2.0 ,maybe....maaaaaybe yours are similar and THAT helped break down your ammonia (even though it's terrible to have tap water like that,it COULD help a tank cycle quicker )

 

[Loboto-Me]

Just went and checked out my household water.... no nitrites (Whew!)
But then I looked at my aquarium and sadly, saw a neon half eaten and stuck to the filter intake... and... upon further investigation, poor "Timid" has succumbed to the stress of being bullied. Don't understand how though because I swear, he seemed so much happier earlier today and he was also eating! Go figure that one out.
That's not the only bad news.... I can't find my black mollie! She was healthy and swimming around and investigating everything as well . Maybe she's hidding well and will show up tomorrow morning.

I kept all the old tank decor and cleaned them with salted water and a toothbrush (ok my 10 yr old daughter did)... they do have pretty deep crevices underneath them... maybe she missed some? I also got 3 live plants about 4 or 5 days ago... didn't rince them before putting in the new tank, maybe that has something to do with not having ammonia.

I'm stumped, but it appears that something's not right in there (to be expected with my big mistake) since 2 and possibly 3 fishies have died now.

Will be doing the water change in the morning as soon as the water has sat for a bit.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Bless your heart, sorry about your fishes and I hope your molly shows up, you'll have a few survivors after this ordeal and they'll be even more special to you than they already are

 

[andyt_uk]

i'll just add that when i did my fishy cycle i never saw any ammonia, and nitrite and nitrate stayed very low - tested daily so unless a spike took place within a 24hr window everything went smoothly.
cycling with fish is much quicker, and if you stock carefully, and with a bit of luck you can win.

to me fishless cyclin is like the unix of the fishkeeping world

everyone (well most people who research) knows its there, knows it is better, cheeper, more powerful, but for me microsoft is what i know and love ;-)

 

[Loboto-Me]

Mollie has been found she has been hidding in a dark crevice of one of the ornaments. Because she's black, I just couldn't see her in there. She came out when "soup" was on.... wouldn't wanna miss breakfast now would we? She's gone back to her hiddey hole. I'm hoping she's not ill or anything.
Gave the tank a partial change of water this morning... all seems well, except I kind of overfilled the tank and some of the fry floated up into the large part of the tank... my daughter managed to get them back into their own nursery.

 

[wuvmybetta]

@ the fry

Glad your molly showed herself