Update On My Cycle!

[tibby25731]

Well I just got back from being away for 4 days. my brother in law successfully did a 25% water change on Saturday. Got home this evening and checked levels. Ammo was only about 0.25. Nitrite was about 2! It has never got to that level. I did a 50% water change and it was still 0.25 so i did another 50% and now it is zero again. I then decided to check pH, its at 6.6. And checked nitrates too... after the water changes - and they are 10! This is the first time I have seen notrates! Looks like things might go faster now, woohoo! Will be checking levels morning and night now to keep on top of things.

 

[OldMan47]

Do you have a source of ammonia in the tank? Is this a fishy cycle you are doing? If it is, congrats on approaching a good starting point for your fish. If it is a fishless cycle, its time to add some ammonia to keep things going because there are no fish to provide the load.

 

[tibby25731]

Hi. This is fish-in as I am new to fishkeeping and was a little ignorant. I have been waiting almost 2 months to reach this point! My hands are so dry from the daily water changes I think the outbreak of ich I had about a month ago set me right back too. I am just so pleased that it is nearly over and I can stop worrying so much!

 

[OldMan47]

As soon as the nitrite spike lets up you will be able to start thinking about adding to your fish. A few days later you might actually be ready to add fish when you have proved to yourself that the chemistry is stable. Don't worry too much about the 6.6 pH. Most fish will easily adapt to it.

 

[tibby25731]

I already have fish, as a stupid beginner I listened to the lfs and put fish in after a week
Good news though. I changed 25% water last night to bring the 0.25 nitrite back down to zero. This morning, ammo and nitrite were zero, and its the same tonight! Woo!

 

[ric1984]

did you have many casualties??

 

[tibby25731]

Yeah, lost half of my fish to ich
I was overstocked anyway, something my lfs failed to point out. Started with 3 neon tetras and 3 glowlight tetras, then 2 weeks later added a male siamese fighter, 2 female kribs, a ghost glass cat, 2 marble hatchets and 3 guppies. Then a few days later added 2 more ghost glass cats, a common plec and a frog. The siamese fighter dies a few days later, nibbled to death. Then a few days on, the hatchets looked funny. It was ich. They died a few days later, along with the 3 glowlights and the 3 ghost glass ctas. All on the same day I medicated and started looking into why this was happening, and figured I needed a master test kit. Ammo was through the roof and I have been doing at least daily water changes ever since - for like, a month! Argh. Oh yeah, the husband came home with 3 more guppies and a frog to cheer me up... he knows NOTHING about fishkeeping! Luckily my other fish all seem OK although they all had ich to some extent. I am so careful with them now, and I will be so glad when the cycle has completed!

 

[waterdrop]

glad for your progress tibby, lots of us have followed your threads I guess

 

[tibby25731]

and there have been a fair few threads I guess! I just need to be sure I am doing everything right... I am a bit of a perfectionist! Can't wait to buy a bigger tank and do a fishless cycle.... it will be sooo much less stressful! Anf then some of my babies can move into a bigger home!
This morning I had a small amount of nitrite so i did a 25% change again. This is probably because the fish were fed last night. Nitrates seem to have completely disappeared again... anyone know why??

 

[backtotropical]

Can't wait to buy a bigger tank and do a fishless cycle.... it will be sooo much less stressful!

You won't have to Tibby. All future tanks can be cloned from the existing established filter.

 

[tibby25731]

Really? I thought I had to fishless cycle but with some filter media to speed it up! Obviously I haven't read up properly... well i will be asking plenty of questions when the time comes!

 

[waterdrop]

Can't wait to buy a bigger tank and do a fishless cycle.... it will be sooo much less stressful!

You won't have to Tibby. All future tanks can be cloned from the existing established filter.

Hey BTT, good opportunity for you to expand on your favorite ways to clone from an existing filter. Usually queries for this come in the midst of other questions and there seem to be a number of ways recommended by members - I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts!

 

[tibby25731]

Changed water least night but didn't need to this morning or tonight, woo! Still no further nitrate reading sinc ethe othe day though... weird

 

[tibby25731]

Well 24 hours after my last small water change and my nitrite is absolutely zero! Woo! Hopefully my nitrate will rise a little now....

 

[Dasanii]

wait wait wait.. so your suposed to do a water change to keep the nitrites and ammonia down to 0 if you have nitrates up and your done fish cycling?? i have 0.3 ammonia, 0.6 nitrite, and like 20 - 30 nitrate.. does this mean im cycled?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!


i thought you needed some ammonia and nitrite there to keep the bacteria growing?

please tell me my cycle is done!