Needing some good advice!

[flycat12]

I am a rank beginner with regard to fish, although I have done quite a bit of homework on the internet. My difficulty (as with most beginners) is that my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate numbers are off. I started up my tank around June 12, 2006. The one I am asking about today is a 10-gal tank, but I am also fixing up a 55-gal. which will be ready to fill in a few weeks. I watched my water cycle carefully before putting in fish, but finally put in 2 black skirt tetras a couple of weeks ago because my ammonia level was low and my nitrite level was off the chart high and I was told my tank would not fully cycle until I added fish to complete the cycle. I also added some ph down because my water's hardness was extremely high and extremely alkaline. The water ph is now adequate, within ideal to okay levels (it has been at 6.8, but is now slowly creeping up to 7.8), and the hardness has leveled off at 75, but I'm still having problems with the other numbers. My nitrate level began at 40 when I first put in the fish, and my nitrite level was at 10+ and ammonia level at 6.0. I did a couple of partial water changes, and brought it down to it's lowest point at nitrate 20, nitrite 5.0+ and ammonia 3.0. But not long after that (less than 2 days later) I tested again and the nitrate was at 20+, the nitrite went to 10.0, and the ammonia back up to 6.0. I did two more partial water changes this week, but my current tests show nitrate at 40, nitrite at 10.0, and ammonia at 6.0. At this point, I'm not sure what's going on with the water or what I should be doing. I have never officially seen my ammonia or nitrite levels go to zero. Can someone set me on the straight path?

My 2 black skirt tetras seem to be perfectly fine, even for the terrible water conditions they are enduring! The tank temperature stays at a constant 78 degrees, the water is clear, and everything looks good but just doesn't test well. I'm getting very very nervous about starting up the 55 gal. tank if I can't get my 10 gal. to work out! HelPPPPPPPP me, please!!!

 

[flycat12]

Also...

I suppose I should also state that this tank was not seeded from another tank and that I have no live plants in the tank, only aquarium-approved silk plants. My last partial water change (50%) was yesterday morning (8/17).

 

[FroggyFox]

Well...good job trying to do some homework...but I'm afraid you didn't get the full gist of what it means to 'cycle' a tank. Your tank is cycling now and won't be finished cycling until your ammonia and nitrite drop to 0.

You need to do water changes until your nitrite is below 2 or so, your ammonia is below 2 or so and that will make your nitrate even lower. If that takes 50% a day...thats what you need to do.

Check out the stickies at the top of the beginner forum there are several on cycling.

Welcome to MFT and the hobby Patience is invaluable.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

if you remove the fish, you can leave the ammonia, and nitrite high, and let the cycle finish on its own. it will be faster. that will only work if you take out the fish though.

 

[FroggyFox]

yahoo all that will do is save the fish from the high levels. To really get the cycle through you have to have a source of ammonia...either with having the fish there or adding it artificially.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

ahh... duh. not sure why i didnt realize that. *questions ability to think* you can artificially add ammonia to feed the bacteria you need to be there. also, i realized you were messing with GH, and PH. you really shouldnt need to. most fish will tolerate anything. (within reason) if not done properly you might have swings in hardness/PH.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I watched my water cycle carefully before putting in fish, but finally put in 2 black skirt tetras a couple of weeks ago because my ammonia level was low and my nitrite level was off the chart high and I was told my tank would not fully cycle until I added fish to complete the cycle.

I have a question...might be a dumb one though...before you added the fish, what were you using as an ammonia source? Were you adding anything? I assume you were because of the readings, but thought I'd ask what it was.

Like Froggy said, do 50% water changes daily to keep the ammonia and/or nitrite below 2. Check the levels daily to make sure they stay low. Nitrates are fine at 40 although you want to keep it below that when it is cycled.

I'm a little confused. You said when you added the fish, the nitrates were 40....yet you still had high ammonia. Were you using fish food? Usually when the nitrates are that high, ammonia is close to or at 0.

 

[flycat12]

Thank you all who posted answers for me!

Before I added my 2 fish to the tank, I was adding the liquid product "Cycle," which is supposed to kick-start the bacteria process (I have since read that it only begins the ammonia part of the cycle). The directions call for a good-sized dose at start-up, then a smaller maintenance dose once a week. I followed the directions exactly, but things got to a point where I was not getting different readings on the ammonia level going down, and that is the point where I was instructed by my local pet shop that I should add the fish or the cycle would not complete. I am really proud of my 2 tough little fish! They are hanging in there for me.

If continuing to do a 50% water change every day is what I need to do, that's what I'll do. I was getting discouraged because, having not done this before, I didn't know for sure I was even progressing in a forward direction, the goal being the completion of a cycle. I appreciate everyone who wrote back to me--thank you!

 

[Igor The Cat]

one thing; Hagen's Cycle does NOT work! their are only 2 products ive found that do work and that is marineland's bio-spira, and seachem's stability, but i wont get into that now.

anyway NEVER use extra chemicals to artifically adjust any parameters of your water column, this will just lead to stability problems later.

cheers

-Java

 

[FroggyFox]

It sounds like your cycle is moving forward just fine Keep up with the water changes and feel free to report your test findings with us and we'll confirm that things are still goin the right way. You should test right before the water change and then if you want test again about 10 minutes after the water change to see how much help its making. The test before the water change will tell us how the cycle is going...and the test afterwards is to make sure you are bringing the ammonia and nitrites down far enough for your fish.

You might pick up some Stabilize...I've heard great things about it and its designed to work when you're doing a fish-in cycle like you are...although I've never used it myself.

Unfortunately pet stores are rarely the best place to go for advice on anything, especially the chemistry of setting up a tank. Its too bad really because so many people DO ask them...and the number of fish department employees who REALLY understand seem to be few and far between