Looking For Advice On Levels

[Quigs]

Hi All.
 
Im Looking for some advice on my tank.
Ive had the tank setup and running now about 6 weeks, i took a water sample to my lfs about a week ago and it was showing levels of Ammonia and Nitrite.
 
The advice i was given is that my filter which is fluval U3 might not be man enough for my 140L tank so i went and bought a fluval 405 external filter.
 
On setting up the filter i transfered all the media from my u3 into the 405 external filter so the benificial bacteria was in the new filter.
In the filter the current media is from bottom to top is - Pure aquarium balls x20, Bio max in the  middle 2 trays and Ammonia remover in the top.
 
Ive taken readings this morning myself after buying a liquid test kit.
 
Here are the results.
PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 0.50ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm
 
The tank does have fish in so want to keep levels down while the benificial bacteria forms to control.
The fish i have in there at the moment is 1 pictus cat fish, 5x Ghost tiger barbs and 2 pearl chiclids.
 
Is there anything i can do to help and keep things safe?? Or anything i should invest in getting?
 
Here is a list of what i have. Api tap water conditioner, Api accu clear, Pure aquarium balls.
 
Water temp is 25-26 dergress celcius.
In the tank i have a few rocks, 4x plants, and some bogwood.
 
 
Any help and advice is much appreciated.
 
Thanks in advance
Ryan
 
 
 

 

[ech0o]

Next time you are buying water conditioner go with Seachem Prime, it is the standard in the fish world, and helps detoxify some things that other dechlorinators won't.   I would refrain from using accu-clear, pretty much a useless product when you are running filters that should be doing their job and cleaning particles from the water.  The aquarium balls certainly aren't suggested by many, but will for sure hold plenty of bacteria and should vastly help with the biological filtration, I personally prefer ceramic, although I have heard the balls provide for better flow. 
 
Pretty much, it was, and still is, just a matter of time until your tank is cycled.  The other filter would have done the job eventually, you just haven't built quite the bacterial colony you need for that size tank.  Keep the levels right where they are, doing water changes if ammonia or nitrite rise at all, and you should start seeing the nitrate rise eventually indicating the last step of the bacterial cycle.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Take out the ammonia remover. There is no need for it. And I doubt it removes ammonia but rather only converts it to a "non'toxic" form. This makes it harder for the bacteria to utilize. A cycled tank removes ammonia. Bacteria will live on any hard surface in an aquarium. they will colonize where ever there us decent flow. If one's bio-media in their filtration is not adequate for housing the needed bacteria colonies, they will be elsewhere in the tank.
 
Noramlly I would say that you have too many fish in the tank to pull off an easy fishless cycle. Return some to the store for credit. Start with the catfish as it would be happier in a longer tank in the longer run. then return the pair of Geophagus brasiliensis as they get over 10 inches and do not belong in that size tank. But without more information about your readings since you began the cycle, when the fish went in etc., I really have no clue where you stand.
 
The ammonia source for cycling with fish are the fish. The goal is to start with a couple of the smaller more ammonia tolerant fish. You cycle for them and then add another fish or two and wait for the next mini cycle to complete. Normally one should not increase the bioload by more than about 20-25% in one go when ramping up the stocking in fishless cycling. The first phase of a fish in cycle should complete in the same 5 - 6 weeks as a full fishless cycle takes. The difference is at the end of the fishless you cycle one can fully stock whereas in a fish in one it is only the end of step one in what should be an extended process that takes several steps.

 

[Quigs]

Thanks for the replies.
 
ech0o
 
I will invest in some seechem prime the next time im at the fish shop. As for the accu clear i only got it at is it was 2 for 1 and thats all they had in stock at the time.
 
From what i have read on the internet these aquarium balls have bacteria in them and helps add bacteria to the rest of the tank, what did you mean by ceramics? i have in the filter the bio max which looks like ceramic and sort of tube shaped.
 
I will keep an eye on the levels and do water changes as required.
 
 
TwoTankAmin
 
I will try taking the Ammonia remover out and keep an aye on the levels. I have a good flow in the tank so hopefully the bacteria will colonize nicely.
 
I will look into returning some of the fish, you say the catfish would like a longer tank. what sort of size? mine is a 4ft x 18" x 18".
 
From what i recall i think the readings that were taken about a week ago when i took a sample in were Ammonia and Nitrite about 1ppm.
 
 
 
When doing the water changes should i also add some of this so called bacteria in a bottle? They do say that the aquarium balls do the same but not 100% sure.
 
Sorry for all the questions but want to do thinks right.

 

[ech0o]

I would stop adding bacteria in a bottle products.  TwoTankAmin is right, most "ammonia removing" media doesn't do much, and will actually hinder your cycling time.   First thing I would do is get some tank water and take it to be tested immediately, and report back here with the test results, for further direction.   You should be monitoring those levels much more closely as you may already be at a severely damaging level of toxins in the water.

 

[Quigs]

Ok, I will remove the "ammonia removing" media now as suggested.
 
The test results in the first post were taken this morning with a liquid test kit. i shall be monitoring the water alot more closely now.
 
I will take the ammonia removing media out and do another test in the morning and report the results back here.

 

[Quigs]

also would an air pump help?

 

[Quigs]

Well I removed the Ammonia removing media from the filter last night, just tested the water now and here are the results.
 
Ph - 7.5
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 2.0ppm
Nitrate - 5.0ppm
 
Will be carrying out a 30% water change asap as nitrite levels are high. will first go to my LFS and get some seachem prime.
 
Will do another test tonight to see how levels are progressing.

 

[fluttermoth]

You're going to have to do a larger water change than 30%; nitrite at that level is going to cause serious problems for your fish.
 
Do 85 or 90% (leave just enough water for the fish to swim upright), then retest; if you get any reading for either ammonia or nitrite, then you'll have to do another one.
 
Multiple or large water changes are going to be much less damaging to your fish than high levels of ammonia/nitrite, as long as the new water is temperature matched and dechlorinated.

 

[ech0o]

Basically, as TwoTankAmin explained to me once, you need to do the water changes to mathmatically attack the levels, and keep the Ammonia no greater than .25 and the Nitrite no greater than .5
 
Say your tank has 2ppm reading of Nitrite, you will want to do a 75% water change and that should bring your nitrite to .5ppm.   Use this theory and your fish will live, and your tank will cycle!

 

[Quigs]

Ok thanks for the advice, I have already done the 30% water change so will leaving a hour and do the larger water change.
 
will take a nitrite reading before I do it just to see the level.
 
Thanks ech0o, i see exactly what you are saying, i will use my maths.
 
 
Im just about to order the Seachem prime online as no one stocks it close by, will be here in the morning if ordered in the next 30 mins. Anything else i should add to the order? Getting it from this site http/www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk
 
Thanks for all the help again, much appreciated.

 

[paradiddle]

daily water changes are all you can do im afraid, with constant testing, if its not 0, it needs a water change!
warehouse-aquatics is an amazing site i get all my stuff from them, good choice 

 
where abouts in the UK are you? i could also help by giving you a some of my filter media if your close, its fully cycled and my levels are always 0,0,<20

 

[Quigs]

well just done a quick test for nitrite and has come back at 1ppm ( water change was more like 40%). so it has dropped which is good, i will carry out another 50-60% water change which should bring my level back down to 0.5ppm.
 
Thanks paradiddle, nice someone else uses them and recommends them.
 
Thanks for the offer, im in South Wales by Cardiff Airport.

 

[ech0o]

daily water changes are all you can do im afraid, with constant testing, if its not 0, it needs a water change!
warehouse-aquatics is an amazing site i get all my stuff from them, good choice 

 
where abouts in the UK are you? i could also help by giving you a some of my filter media if your close, its fully cycled and my levels are always 0,0,<20

 
That would finish the job in a matter of days

 

[Quigs]

How far through the cycle would you say the tank is?
 
Hopefully paradiddle is close by, but if not i will go on the hunt for some established filter around my area.