View Full Version : 4 weeks into fishy cycle and no nitrites at all
ClimbAZ527
11-18-2003, 11:31 PM
I'm already 4 weeks into my fishy cycle. I have 4 fish in my 20G and absolutely no nitrites. I'm clueless at this point what to do and why this **** tank won't cycle. I've been seeding the tank with Proquatics beneficial bacteria per a recommendation by someone to do so. I also do a 20% water change every week and add the beneficial bacteria solution. Any suggestions as to what is going on and what I should do? Should I not use the activated carbon with the cycle? Should I invest maybe in a live plant. I'm lost and no one I know can tell me why I'm not getting nitrite readings at all. Please help.
Many Thanks,
Heath
Matt W
11-19-2003, 7:07 AM
What are your other readings? (ammonia and nitrAte)
What fish are in the 20? That could be a light load depending on the fish. If you have nitrate, you may have just never seen a nitrite spike because of the low load...
I wouldn't waste your money on the bacteria in a bottle. The only proven bacteria to work is bio-spira. Just doing water changes will be fine.
ClimbAZ527
11-25-2003, 7:56 PM
Well, my ammonia readings get up to about 2 between water changes. No nitrates at all though. I've been cycling, or rather lack thereof of cycling, for about 5 weeks now. I have a very small nitrite reading with my dry tab test kit (about .25 was the nitrite reading), hasn't spiked though and I just changed filters after like 5 weeks.
Don't change the filters. That is where most of the good bacteria grows. Just rinse it out and keep using it. You have pretty much restarted the cycle but taking the filter out.
What kind of filter do you have? If it is one with cartridges I suggest removing the cart. and replacing it with sponges and filter floss. Carbon is useless unless you are removing something specific from the water.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 5:53 PM
I have a 30G power filter. One of my fish just died today also, so this whole cycle process is driving me %$^&!@* insane. Now I'm down to 3 fish. I now know you're right about replacing the filter, my nitrite readings are nill today. Could someone please tell me all the essential things I need to know about cycling with fish; all the steps involved etc... I'm tired of losing fish needlessly; this is the third one I've lost.
Since you have fish in the tank there is really only one way to go. Test for ammonia and nitrites. If either register then do a water change to reduce the levels. This may mean doign a water change every day for awhile until the bacteria starts growing. Don't worry about the bacteria growing, the bacteria can only use so much ammonia and nitrite at once.
Don't change the filter but every couple of weeks take the filter media and rinse it using old tank water that you have removed for a water change.
Keep testing and when you notice that ammonia and nitrite are no longer appearing then feel free to start slowly adding more fish to the group.
Live plants will help as well as they will absorb a lot fo the ammonia and nitrites and nitrates. Plants like Java Fern are super easy to grow and are very nice on the eyes as well.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 6:04 PM
Cool, are there any other DOs and DON'Ts I should know about? It just getting frustrating because I've been at this since like September.
My best advice is just water changes and filter media rinses, but don't change the actual filter media. Use a good water conditioner and you are set. You'll get there.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 6:15 PM
I did a 20% water change today and the levels for ammonia are down to about 1.0 to 1.5. What ammonia level should I try to keep the tank at during cycling? Also, since it's the winter season do you have any suggestions for warming up new water before adding it to the tank?
I assume your room is kept at least at 70F or more. I fill up some buckets for my water change and set them near the tank (on a shelf underneath). I find that since I am only changing 20% of my tank water at a time this is close enough. Otherwise run the taps and mix wrm and cold water til it "feels" about right. Close is good enough.
I would do a change when the ammonia climbs over 1.0 and nitrites over 0.5. So do another water change tomorow or if you have the time first thing in the morning.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 6:59 PM
Very cool, thank you so much for your help. I hope I can depend on you for more troubleshooting on fishy cycling. Oh, another question now that I'm thinking about. I have 3 Kenyis now and my more mature one is chasing her reflection against my acrylic tank, should I be worried or is this just a normal thing fish do with their spare time?
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 7:01 PM
Just thought of something else. HOw long should the cycle take if I follow your advice to the letter?
Well if you are already getting nitrites then I can't imagine that it would take more than a couple of weeks. Changing that filter media set you back a bit.
I do big water changes often and have small fish loads in my tank so when I did a fishy cycle (before I knew about fishless), I never even noticed the cycle because I never saw ammonia register on my test strips. But since it is 9 months later and I still never have ammonia I figure it must have cycled somewhere back there. And they are all still the original fish, never a loss yet. So I figure I must have done it right. Many water changes are my thing.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 7:29 PM
I just bought some of that bio-spira stuff. I've read a lot of good things in this forum about it, so hopefully it'll help with the cycle. Do you have an opinion on it?
Never used it myself but eveyone raves about it. If you use it make sure to do a water change and get the ammonia and nitrites as low as possible. Then add a full does of biospira as per the bottle instructions and within 24 hours you can add a full load of fish. That doesn't mean to stop testing but you should be fine. That was a great purchase.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 8:21 PM
You said wait 24 hrs. before adding the fish, does that mean I should take my fish out of the tank? If so, where would be a safe place to put them since I don't have an isolation tank and can't afford too much since I've been too injured to work.
No, no, Within 24 hours you can add a full bio load to the tank. After 24 hours the bacteria will start to die back to the level of food that is available. It should all be in the instructions. The fish that are in there are great, just leave them be.
If you don't add a full bioload of fish then each fish you add from that point on will have to include some biospira as well or else add them slowly one at a time and watch out for ammonia.
ClimbAZ527
11-26-2003, 8:37 PM
So basically I should keep the 3 Kenyis I have there right now and wait for the cycle to finish, then after the cycle is done I can add as many fish as my tank can hold right?
The 3 fish can stay. Do a water change to reduce the ammonia as much as possible. Add biospira as per bottle instructions. The tank is cycled right away and you can add anymore fish you want to. If you don't add more fish within 24 hours then the tank will be cycled but only for 3 fish. Any new fish you add will start a mini cycle so you will be able to combat this with water changes or by adding more biospira. That is it. Real easy.
Just remember that even once cycled you should do periodic tests just in case.