OK What Am I Doing Wrong?

[kll1221]

I have had my 55 gallon up and running for 9-10 weeks now. I should be cycled by now I would think. I post questions here and I follow advice when quetions are answered. I don't think my tank is overstocked, if anything it is understocked. I test for ammonia daily and there is always some, about .25-.50, is that really high? I do water changes, once a week for now is that too much? too little? I have zeolite in my filter. Should I take that out? The nitrate/nitrite always reads normal. I did have 3 adult mollies and about 12 fry but I gave them away to someone else so now I have what is in my signature.

urgh this seems so complicated, I want to give up (OK no I really don't)

 

[f8fan]

awwww don't give up
If I were you, yeah, I would remove the zeolite (this removes ammonia, right?) and just let nature take it's course. If there is any ammonia reading at all, then the cycle still has a wee bit of time till it's finished. Does your nitrite read zero? What are your nitrates? If you have any reading at all on nitrates then youre on the right track as they are getting converted.
Hope this helps, we all get frustrated but at least we have a great place like this forum to vent on!
Good luck

 

[bpc75]

are you using test strips or a drop style test kit? Bad readings? Losing fish?

 

[kll1221]

I have test strips for the nitrate/nitrite and the drops for the ammonia.

Bad readings? Not sure.

Nope all fish look happy and healthy haven't had a death in a few weeks or longer.

I'll be back with the nitrate readings.

 

[twoluvcats]

a fish-in cycle takes SOOOOOOOO long...especially if you have to do water changes to keep fish alive. Mine in my 29 took darn near 2 months. Do take out the zeolite...it could be skewing your true ammonia reading.

Do you have a 2 bottle test for ammonia or a 1 bottle?

Keep at it...it does just suddenly happen...it just seems to take FOREVER

 

[kll1221]

The nitrate/nitrite both read at zero but with the strips it is really hard to tell for me. It may be somewhere in between the 0 and the very next level for the nitrates.

 

[kll1221]

twoluvscats we posted at the same time. It is a 2 bottle test for ammonia is that bad?

 

[Seleya]

You would probably do better to have "drop" tests instead of strip tests for nitrites too. They're more accurate.

 

[twoluvcats]

no, a 2 bottle test is the best...but the zeolite still may be skewing your results. Its worth getting drop tests for all, the dip-strips are SO expensive in the long run.

 

[FroggyFox]

I agree...the two bottle, drop liquid tests are best. I would say that your ammonia reading is probably from the zeolite, so make that a unanimous "I'd take it out if I were you". As for the fish in cycle...you're doing great! Just keep at it. Nitrate level is bound to be pretty low because of all the water changes you're doing...but if there are ANY nitrates and no nitrites at this point, I'd say your tank is pretty well finished cycling. I think I'd take the zeolite out, do a water change and wait a week...testing to see if your ammonia or nitrites go up...and seeing if your nitrates go up at all.

 

[kll1221]

OK cool. Thanks for all the encouraging words. I took the zeolite out. I did a small water change yesterday about 10% should I do another one today or wait? I was doing the water changes to help the fish. I wish I knew about fishless cycling before I bought my tank I want to add more fish (not now) eventually not sure what kind. I have been reading and reading profiles.

 

[Seleya]

With the danios and cories your tank must look like a racetrack with all those zippy fish! *BOUNCINGS

Now that you're more comfortable with where your tank is, what are you considering? I'm setting up a 55 now and am currently considering rainbows (and waiting to see if a 120 is in that space's future before getting too wet)
I love seeing other people's stocking ideas! *thumbsups

 

[kll1221]

I am not really sure. I like the looks of the penquin tetra right now I also was thinking about the silver dollars but I don't think my tank is good for them. I would like to get some cichlids but can't for now I think they would eat all my fish I have now and I also think they like the real stuff like plants and rocks. I may just go with some tetras of some sort. No live bearers though not anymore

The corys stay hidden during the day so it really is the danios zipping all around. I think it would be fun to have a large number of a schooling fish too.

I like the bala shark to but my tank isn't big enough and I don't think I will have a bigger tank in the near future.

I think it will be at least a week before any fish go into my tank though.

 

[J'sRamAir]

Cycled or not, check your tap water to see if you have ammonia in it. If you do, you can do a water change, check for ammonia and you'll read positive. Also, if you have chloramines in your water and you treat it with conditioner that neutralizes chloramines, even if there isn't any ammonia in the treated water you'll read a false positive for ammonia.

 

[kll1221]

I did a test on my tap water and it is a 0 for ammonia but not sure if there is chloramines in our water or not.

 

[kll1221]

Ok I went and got the liquid drop test for nitrate/nitrite and they both came up 0

 

[FroggyFox]

ok...if they both came out 0, then I'd say you should stop doing water changes for a week and watch to make sure the ammonia and nitrites stay 0...and hopefully your nitrates will go up and show you that your tank is cycled. You can test in between, just to make sure your ammonia or nitrites don't go up...and if you see either of them going up you'll know that your tank isn't cycled and you'll need to continue doing water changes more often than the once a week "normal" maintenance.

 

[kll1221]

Ok cool thanks for your help. I tested the ammonia again today and there is no difference at all. It actually had the same reading for a week now, shouldn't that be changing somewhat?

 

[FroggyFox]

well...not with that zeolite in there. Unless you did a 100% change, I dont know how long that would be giving false readings. Any kind of ammolock product will usually give you funky readings.

If it was a "real" ammonia reading, and your tank was just starting to cycle, then I'd expect to see it go up during the next few days. But honestly...after having fish in the tank for that long, I'm puttin my money on that you'll see the nitrate start to go up and that the .25 ammonia is just leftover from the zeolite stuff.

 

[kll1221]

ah I see now.

The zeolite has been out now 24 hours, haven't done a wc though.

I just tested the nitrAte and there is some showing up, the color was somewhere inbetween the 0 and 5 reading (it was a drop tester)

I am getting impatient ) I want to get more fish, but I will wait and wait and wait LoL