Update

[GRJ]

This is just an update on my water parameters as i am in the process of cycling my 108ltr tank with 5 fish. I am still doing 20% water changes every day and the last 3 days readings were as follows:

21/6/07 Ammonia 0.50 Nitrite 0.25 Nitrate 20

22/06/07 Ammonia 0.50 Nitrite 0.25 Nitrate 20 then after water change Ammonia Between 0.25-0.50 Nitrite 0.20 Nitrate 20

23/06/07 Ammonia 0.50 Nitrite 0.20 Nitrate 20 ( I havent tested after water change yet as its only been an hour)

I hope that sounds like its going ok. Be glad of advice. Thanks GRJ

 

[rsands]

hmmm that ammonia should not be there especially with loads of nitrite and nitrate there. what is your tap readings?

correct me if im wrong on the above but on my experience with my tanks it should drop pretty quick when nitrites are around

 

[AllenLeicester]

If you have Ammonia and Nitire levels above 0, how do you lower them when fish are already in your tank?

Sorry for hi-jacking your thread GRJ

 

[GRJ]

I dont know what my tap readings are but i will test them later and post them on here. As for lowering these levels, i have to do daily water changes of around 20% but may have to do more, maybe two a day untill the levels drop. I am new to all of this and dont really get whats going on. GRJ

 

[ArauraDiscus]

You lower them by waiting for bacteria to multiply to lower them. Normally when you cycle, you cycle without fish, but if you have fish, then water changes are the only way to remove ammonia and nitrite.

 

[-germ-]

More water changes then.....
Cycling fish in requires hard work, tests morning and evening, i kept up about 50%-80% water changes daily (in 10%-20%ers) to keep the cycle slow and therefore less likely to harm my fish. Also get some seachem prime as a back up plan, in case your fish DO get ill and you have to detoxify quickly.
Or get a second filter, insert seachem purigen pad, watch water parameters turn perfect then monitor daily for next few months, this makes for an extremely slow but completely painless fish in cycle (well it did for me). As the purigen pad fails the ammonia begins to climb very slowly, do a water change with prime as your conditioner.... 20-40% every 3 days or so; job done in 2-3 month but most importantly, no dead fish.
Methinks i'm laying off cycling topics for a bit.

 

[GRJ]

So i should be doing more than one water change a day. I will start doing two 20% water changes a day and see what my levels are like as i would hate to lose any fish, i have got so attached to them already. How long do you expect the cycle to take doing it this way? I understand it will take longer but i was just wondering roughly?Thanks GRJ

 

[-germ-]

Cycles vary alot.... No way to second guess the time it'll take when theres so many factors involved....
My first took about 6 weeks, fish in with prime, 2nd with purigen, ages! 3rd with seeding and a little prime about 2 weeks, although prime can mess with your readings a little.
Yeah try and do a 20% in the morning, reading before and after same again in evening (don't do them tooclose together) make sure the water you are putting in is the same as your tank; ph and temp wise.
Personally i'd do 3, with an extra 1 just before bed, people may not like me saying this but (in my case) the fish got used to them really quickly. What fish are in there?

 

[GRJ]

I just have five platys. Its a 108ltr tank with an external filter(Fluval 205). I just read my tap water and it had 0 Nitrite, 20 Nitrate but the ammonia changed colour very very slightly, it didnt go green 0.25 but sort of just off negative! Is that weird or not? i am getting a bit confused with it all. Shouldnt the ammonia go up for a time before the nitrite starts to go up or is it too early yet? The fish have been in there 9 days and the tank was running fishless for a week before we put them in there. I did add 2 doses of Stress Zyme before we put the fish in and i have added 2 doses of Ammo Lock while the fish have been in there. I have stopped with the ammolock and stress zyme as i reckon too many chemicals going on so its just Sress Coat to dechlorinate at the minute. Eagerly await your advice!!!GRJ

 

[TayTay]

You shouldn't have any ammonia or nitrite when your filter is done cycling, and the ideal nitrate is below 5ppm. So I would do a ton of water changes to get in control, and that's really all you can do right now I guess. Sorry if this sounds a bit mean, I'm just trying to put my 2 cents in. Also, good call with the stress zyme and ammo lock, seems like adding that many chemicals would just make your fish more stressed out.

 

[GRJ]

No offence taken,i just want to make sure the fish dont go through any more stress. I have just requested some filter media off someone local to me on this forum so i hope that goes smoothley. Thanks for the advice. GRJ

 

[rsands]

20% daily should be more than enough...i cycled my first tank i got with fish and it was done in about 3 weeks i think! my current tanks done fishless! but to be honest fish in the tank and 20% was enough...it kept the readings in a sensible level.

 

[GRJ]

After doing 2 20%water changes yeaterday, i tested the water this morning and the ammonia has gone up to 1.0, nitrite 0.1 and nitrate 20ppm. Does this mean that my tank is cycling now? Is this a little ammonia 'spike'? Sould i still carry on doing 2 water changes of 20% or do 1 water change of around 40%? Thanks the gods i have this forum and you people to fall on, i would be a wreck without your advice! GRJ

 

[rsands]

let the water change sit until late tonite and see what the reasings are before hand. whats your ph?

to many daily water changes and your bacteria cant develop as your removing the ammonia, etc. but obviously with fish you have to strike a balance

 

[-germ-]

I'd definately do a 20% water change, unless you do a 100%er there will still be some ammonia in your water....
Keeping it a slow cycle should reduce the risk to your fish.
Don't do a 40% in one ever, you could really hurt your fish through doing this.