Cycling Day 3. Why do I have Nitrates already ?

jennfier

jennfier

..o0o..o0o..
Aug 22, 2006
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SW Ohio
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Day 1: 10g bleached, rinsed well. Brand new HOB. New treated water. A couple flakes.

Day 2: Mulm, a few cups of water, some decoration from established tank.

Day 3: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10-20. It can't be cycled already. Where did the Nitrate come from ? I tested twice. Same test kit used on established tank (API) and been reliable all along. Is it safe to add a bunch of fry in ?

My pH is also high, 8.4. Must be my tap water. Is high pH bad for fish ? My established tank sometimes has high pH too. I just do a WC.
 
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not likely it's cycled have you tested the source for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. you ned to determin what the parameters are from the source.

by adding the mulm and decoration from established tanks..you may have introduced enough bacteria to start breaking down ammonia and ntrites(hard to tel this early)

on the flip side..you have an established tank you can draw resources from (filer squeezins etc)
concievably you could add the fry and monitor closely..adding seed material as needed.
the fry (unless there are a ton) won't produce a lot of ammonia and you may be able to establish the tank as the fry grow.

are you using a sponge filter in bare bottom?
 
My established tank has always been stable and today's readings still: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10-20. I did swish the filter media in old tank water and poured that into the cycling tank.

Cycling tank is bare bottom right now. I plan to add Seachem Onyx for a planted tank so no gravel. Only a couple old decorations and old plastic plant stems from established tank to get things started. I'm using a Penguin 100 HOB with a sponge over the filter intake. Is a sponge filter efficient enough as a lone filter or just a complement for other filters ?

Thanks!
 
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actually a sponge filter is a great biological filter..but it isn't that great of a mechanical filter..i use a sponge in my fry tank till the fry are stronge enough to swim then turn the hob on.

yes the hob filter at that time has little to no bacteria..but it is used to filter solids more than establish a bio filter.

if you swished your filter from your established tankin old tank water then dropped that water with squeezins into your new tank..it is probably the reason you are seeing nitrates.

technically, you can add your fry to this tank now..and monitor closely. the tank should be able to establissh a cycle pretty quick and catch up to any waste the fry drop.

I have cycled tanks with wild angels and discus(new tanks) using filter squeezins and seeded material..the longest took 5 days. I saw small spikes in ammonia.25 and the nitrites spiked at the lowest reading to a point where I had to do one small water change.

then nitrates.(my tap reads 20 on nitrates )

bt my pH is almost perfect for SA cichlids at 7-7.2
 
You could also use Amquel Plus water conditoner. It's a water conditioner that also removes nitrates.
 
I don't believe it actually removes nitrates.
 
I just tested my water source. pH 7, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5-10. I didn't know there was Nitrate in my water source. And my pH is actually 7. pH in my tank has always been high (8-8.6), even after a WC (7.8). I do WC 1-2x a week depending on test results. What could have caused pH to rise in my tanks?
 
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well atleast you know where the nitrates are coming from


what kind of substrate do you have?..any seashells coral etc..they may leach out calcium which will cause a rise in pH.
 
40g. 4 UGF, Penguin 300 HOB. Coarse gravel, rocks, driftwood, plastic plants and decoration Nothing with calcium, no corals, limestone etc. Surely if it's rotting plants, food, feces that that would only make the water acidic... :confused:
 
what kind of rocks and gravel..some rocks can alter pH they can leach minerals that may alter hardness of the water and cause a rise in pH
you are correct most decaying plants tend to lower pH.

and increase ammonia,nitrites and nitrates
 
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