If your ammonia and nitrite is 0 and your nitrate is 10ppm, is your tank cycled? What is happening when your ammonia starts creeping up and the other parameters stay the same?
A couple quick ? about cycling FW.
- Thread starter kooter
- Start date
When ammonia start creeping up and other parrameters don't it's generally a sign that the cycle has not begun working in your tank.
For meore details try this link:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64301
Dave
For meore details try this link:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64301
Dave
I've had the tank set up for 2 and a half weeks now. I had an established 10 gallon tank that I put the filter media in one of my aquaclear 70's and some of the gravel from the 10 gallon on top of the sand. I used Cycle for the first couple of days until I started reading that it is basically useless. My source of ammonia for the first week was 1 zebra danio that I got from the 10 gallon tank. I know it isn't much but with the gravel and media from the smaller tank as well I thought it may be good enough. I started testing the parameters a couple days after the set up and parameters were all 0.
1 week after setup (after stop using cycle) and adding the danio I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5ppm of nitrate. I thought I had the cycle done so I went out and got the fish mentioned in my signature. After 1 week of adding the fish, the ammonia started creeping up. I am now doing 25 - 30% water changes every other day to keep the ammonia down and not kill my precious fish. So now my parameters are 0 nitrite, .25 ammonia, 10ppm nitrate. I'm hoping the ammonia will get to 0 in the next couple of days, draining and replenishing a 130 gallon tank (although it's only 25-30%) is a task I hope to eliminate to only once a week at least.
I heard Bio-Spira is a good product. Where does your LFS keep it? in with the frozen food?
Thanks again for everyone's posts....I've learned SOOO much in the past year.
1 week after setup (after stop using cycle) and adding the danio I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5ppm of nitrate. I thought I had the cycle done so I went out and got the fish mentioned in my signature. After 1 week of adding the fish, the ammonia started creeping up. I am now doing 25 - 30% water changes every other day to keep the ammonia down and not kill my precious fish. So now my parameters are 0 nitrite, .25 ammonia, 10ppm nitrate. I'm hoping the ammonia will get to 0 in the next couple of days, draining and replenishing a 130 gallon tank (although it's only 25-30%) is a task I hope to eliminate to only once a week at least.
I heard Bio-Spira is a good product. Where does your LFS keep it? in with the frozen food?
Thanks again for everyone's posts....I've learned SOOO much in the past year.
Any thoughts on exactly how long it takes the bacteria to establish itself and start converting ammonia to nitrite?
I'm by no means an expert, but from what I have read the ammonia eating bacteria get started and multiply quicker than the nitrite eating bacteria. Because you used filter media from the established tank and 1 danio and had nitrates (unless they are in your tap water, some municipalities have nitrates right from the tap) I believe you have all the types of bacteria you need.
However, since you cycled with a minute amount of ammonia just from 1 danio in a huge 130 tank, you may have lost some of your ammonia and nitrite eaters. And then when you added your fish, the ammonia production went way up and the bacteria couldn't keep up. That's my guess anyway.
Regardless, some biospira or even better a bunch of gravel and maybe filter slime from the 10 gallon would probably start decreasing the ammonia and keep your nitrites from rising.
BTW, biospira is kept in a refrigerator at your LFS. I would still use everything I could from the 10 gallon before using the biospira.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
bogey77
However, since you cycled with a minute amount of ammonia just from 1 danio in a huge 130 tank, you may have lost some of your ammonia and nitrite eaters. And then when you added your fish, the ammonia production went way up and the bacteria couldn't keep up. That's my guess anyway.
Regardless, some biospira or even better a bunch of gravel and maybe filter slime from the 10 gallon would probably start decreasing the ammonia and keep your nitrites from rising.
BTW, biospira is kept in a refrigerator at your LFS. I would still use everything I could from the 10 gallon before using the biospira.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
bogey77
Bogey 77 hit it pretty well.
It will take anything from a few days to a week and a half for things to be set (this is a guess and no more) It's really hard to pinpoint time frames as every sytem varies depending on multiple factors. you probably did have an estabilished cycle with the Danio, but the bacteria only multiply to handle the available food source (ammonia and nitrite) so when you added several more fish at once, the bacteria has to catch up. Depending on total increase in bio load, and rate of bacteria reproduction this could take some time. Watch your nitrites, when the ammonia starts dissapearing, the nitrite production will increase, the bacteria may react at a different pace than the ammonia eaters, but there is at least a decent chance you'll see ammonia drop and nitrite rise simultaneously. Depending on the size of the fish it should theoretically catch up pretty quickly since you had the danio in the tank and cycled with the filter from the 10g.
The nitrates you saw early on were probably from the cycle product. the bottles are usually very high nitrate, or they devlope very high nitrate as the bacteria dies.
HTH
Dave
It will take anything from a few days to a week and a half for things to be set (this is a guess and no more) It's really hard to pinpoint time frames as every sytem varies depending on multiple factors. you probably did have an estabilished cycle with the Danio, but the bacteria only multiply to handle the available food source (ammonia and nitrite) so when you added several more fish at once, the bacteria has to catch up. Depending on total increase in bio load, and rate of bacteria reproduction this could take some time. Watch your nitrites, when the ammonia starts dissapearing, the nitrite production will increase, the bacteria may react at a different pace than the ammonia eaters, but there is at least a decent chance you'll see ammonia drop and nitrite rise simultaneously. Depending on the size of the fish it should theoretically catch up pretty quickly since you had the danio in the tank and cycled with the filter from the 10g.
The nitrates you saw early on were probably from the cycle product. the bottles are usually very high nitrate, or they devlope very high nitrate as the bacteria dies.
HTH
Dave
IMHO Your one danio. Wasn't enough to keep 'all' your nitrifying bacteria alive so some starved off. But you still had some. So when you added a bunch more fish the added fish load created more ammonia waste the what your current amount of bacteria could handle. Now It's going through a mini cycle. The nitrifying bacteria will multiply untill your tank will be able to handle the new load. Do a few more water changes then you would regularly. It should settle down. Next time try and resist adding more then a few fish at a time. (It's hard to resist believe me, I'm not exactly an angel myself) But no matter how many fish you add. Or how good your bio load support is. Your tank will always have to adjust to new additions. It's just with a strong bacterial load, you won't notice it as much.
Edit: It helps to read other posts before you post.
I see that I just said what Daveedka said. Heheh Sorry. I'll leave what I said just to re-iterate what he said.
Edit: It helps to read other posts before you post.
I see that I just said what Daveedka said. Heheh Sorry. I'll leave what I said just to re-iterate what he said.
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Thanks everyone! I just did another water change (approx. 40%) and the ammonia looks like it is stabilizing and the nitrite is actually showing up now, ( only about .10-.15ppm) but it's a start. Every since I started adding Stability from Seachem did the ammonia stop at .50ppm. I don't know if Stability had anything to do with it at all but I'm glad the ammonia isn't going any higher and I am now showing a hint of nitrites.
Oh and BTW - I just checked my tap water and it does have a little nitrate in it (approx. 3-5ppm). I will know next time to check my tap water parameters!
Unfortunately I lost my angels in all this. :sad:
They were very small so I suppose any change in parameter wouldn't be good for them. On a good note - my clowns seem to be doing fine, no behavioural changes and their appetite is still strong. :dance2:
I am learning something new everyday! Thanks to everyone! :thm:
I will keep you posted on any changes.
Cheers
Oh and BTW - I just checked my tap water and it does have a little nitrate in it (approx. 3-5ppm). I will know next time to check my tap water parameters!
Unfortunately I lost my angels in all this. :sad:
They were very small so I suppose any change in parameter wouldn't be good for them. On a good note - my clowns seem to be doing fine, no behavioural changes and their appetite is still strong. :dance2:
I am learning something new everyday! Thanks to everyone! :thm:
I will keep you posted on any changes.
Cheers