Uh oh, bad test levels

[Meghan]

Thanks guys. The oto will wait then. I just checked my levels again and my ammonia is down to 1, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. I also did a second water change tonight but haven't tested again yet.
I have another question... I was thinking when doing a water change that you use the amount of conditioner based on how much you were changing out (ie: change out 3 gallons- measure out 3 gallons worth of conditioner). Is it done that way or do you always measure based on tank size (ie: amount needed for 10 gallon- in my case, no matter how much water you plan to change)? Make sense?

 

[TabMorte]

When your tank is cycled you can condition based on the amount of water you're changing out. But cause you're using the prime also to detox your ammonia you should use it for the size of your whole tank for now.

Fortunitely with Prime that's still not very much.

 

[Meghan]

When your tank is cycled you can condition based on the amount of water you're changing out. But cause you're using the prime also to detox your ammonia you should use it for the size of your whole tank for now.

Fortunitely with Prime that's still not very much.

Haha yeah and I bought the big bottle. Should last quite a while!

I read in someone else's post- they were wondering if they should use shrimp pellets to cycle instead of ammonia because they had heard shrimp pellets release a lot of ammonia. This could explain my high ammonia amounts. I feed the cories shrimp pellets. I'll have to keep a closer eye of them.
I also bought frozen blood worms for the cories but haven't found an enormous pair of tweezers and I keep forgetting to get a turkey baster when I'm out.

 

[TabMorte]

The decay of any food will cause ammonia. So for people who don't have straight ammonia on hand you just put a bit of food in there and literally let it rot.

With your fish you should just probably put a sprinkle of flakes in once a day and then maybe a quarter of an algae wafer at night when you turn the lights off. 1 shrimp pellet or blood works for a treat maybe once a week (I use one of the little pippets from one of my test kits for blood worms).

The less you feed the fish the easier the cycling will be.

You have a syphon to vacum up the left over food from the gravel too don't you? That'll help too.

 

[Meghan]

The decay of any food will cause ammonia. So for people who don't have straight ammonia on hand you just put a bit of food in there and literally let it rot.

With your fish you should just probably put a sprinkle of flakes in once a day and then maybe a quarter of an algae wafer at night when you turn the lights off. 1 shrimp pellet or blood works for a treat maybe once a week (I use one of the little pippets from one of my test kits for blood worms).

The less you feed the fish the easier the cycling will be.

You have a syphon to vacum up the left over food from the gravel too don't you? That'll help too.

I tried algae wafers- they didn't seem very interested, but I'll try them again. Also, I didn't realize they expanded so much- so in the am they were huge and hard to pull out. I've been doing a small pinch of flakes twice a day, and 2 shrimp pellets every other night - I'll cut back.

Yup, I've got a siphon. They're great.

This morning my ammonia was 1.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. And I did another water change after that. I'm waiting on that nitrite spike!

 

[TabMorte]

Make sure you only siphon 1/2 gravel a week unless it's to get left over food out of there.

And yeah they don't need two shrimp pellets. One's more then enough for two cories to share. With the algae wafers you can break them into peices and then drop them in after you turn the lights off. Cories are nocturnal and eat better at night

You're doing great Meghan.

 

[Meghan]

Make sure you only siphon 1/2 gravel a week unless it's to get left over food out of there.

And yeah they don't need two shrimp pellets. One's more then enough for two cories to share. With the algae wafers you can break them into peices and then drop them in after you turn the lights off. Cories are nocturnal and eat better at night

You're doing great Meghan.

Thanks, Tab. I'm really glad I found this forum. I wish MFT could do commercials, haha. *twirlysmi

 

[Meghan]

Thought I would update...

Yup, I have hit that nitrite spike. AND I'm showing 5 for nitrates, yay! I'm still doing daily water changes. I'll try and post some pics soon too.

 

[MissFishy]

All you really need is water conditioner (Top Fin) is fine and a big water bucket. Do as many changes as it takes TODAY to get that level to BELOW 1.0ppm. Above that is toxic for fish, I'm surprised any of your fish are still alive now. I would not mess with anything else to "absorb" nitrite, neutralize ammonia, destress your fish, etc etc as they will just mess with your cycle. Water changes are what is important now. No need for salt either. Test your water daily and change water immediately if either ammonia or nitrites get above 1.0ppm. When nitrate readings start to show up, you'll know your tank is almost done.

 

[TabMorte]

Thought I would update...

Yup, I have hit that nitrite spike. AND I'm showing 5 for nitrates, yay! I'm still doing daily water changes. I'll try and post some pics soon too.

See Miss Fishy's advice! You're doing great Meghan and almost done!!

 

[Meghan]

Did a w/c this am, tested it and then did another w/c after lunch. Nitrite has already began to decrease, down to 1. Ammonia remains at 0. Nitrates are at 5. Almost there... I hope. I think I'll definitely do a fishless cycle on my next tank, or maybe try out bio spira.

 

[TabMorte]

Well next time you'll be able to help it along because you'll be able to use stuff from your 10G to cycle the new tank faster.

You're doing really well though Meghan, keep up the water changes!

How are the fish holding up?

 

[Meghan]

Did another w/c last night. Nitrite is .50 now. Ammonia is still at 0. Nitrates are at 0 too though- is this because of so many wc's? I had gotten it up to 5.

The guppies are doing great. One of my cories hasn't looked so well the last couple of days. But, I've always noticed that there seemed to be one who was way more active than the other- I can't tell them apart except by personality. Probably a combination of not being completely healthy when I got him(he's always been very inactive) and also having to live through my cycling. He was dead this morning, which I figured was coming. The other cory (the one who has always been active) is doing great.
I'll get him some friends when I'm done cycling (one at a time I think), in the meantime, he hangs out with the guppies and they seem to all love each other so I think they're fine.

 

[Meghan]

Okay, so tested my water tonight:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I'm not sure if I'm on the right track here... little help please? I was thinking I would have nitrates by the time the nitrites went to 0...

 

[punkrockfish]

um, hmmmm...0 across the board doesn't sound normal to me. did you test the water today?

 

[Meghan]

um, hmmmm...0 across the board doesn't sound normal to me. did you test the water today?

It's now Thurs am- you are meaning Wed- no I didn't- we had family in from out of town so we got home really late and of course I never have time for anything in the am.

I am fairly sure that I did all the tests correctly... I have a clock in my kitchen with a second hand so I always time the shaking of tubes and nitrate bottle 2 too make sure I'm accurate. It didn't sound right to me either- that's why I was so confused. I will test this afternoon as soon as I get home and post the results.

 

[Lotus]

With all those water changes, it's quite possible that the nitrates are at zero.

As long as your nitrites and ammonia are testing zero, you should be goood

 

[Meghan]

With all those water changes, it's quite possible that the nitrates are at zero.

As long as your nitrites and ammonia are testing zero, you should be goood

Thanks Lotus. That was the only answer I could think of too. I guess I'll wait patiently for my nitrates to start showing.

 

[Meghan]

Tested my parameters yesterday afternoon:
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.50
Nitrate 0



Then I did a water change.

 

[TabMorte]

It's okay Meghan! We all know it feels like it'll never be over but you should focus on the positive here - you're keeping your perameteres down to a level that's not terribly toxic to your fish. And that's a Good Thing (tm).

Keep up the good work!