Advice for Noob?

[Oiler3535]

So after 6 weeks, I had not yet gotten any ammonia levels definitively above zero. After a water change, In the next few days I went from 7 to 3 cherries (town says it put a huge dose of chlorine in the water that day). Sucked. And still not getting any ammonia so I went out and got some Xray Pristellas. A-I love them. Very flashy and energetic. The 2 female cherries really like hanging out with them; the male mostly hides. B-after a week, the ammonia is definitely up near 1, and while I've never gotten a Nitrites result, the Nitrates are definitely non-zero today . Messy fish I guess. Paid for 8, but they gave me 12. Gonna have to watch that once I get closer to the tank limit.

 

[Oiler3535]

 

[Duckie]

Unless you got nitrates in your tap then you likely missed your cycle. Do yourself a favour and get a big bottle of dechlochrinator/water conditioner - for less than the cost of the lost fish you can get a bottle that will treat over 900 gallons. That will be close to a year worth of 50% WC weekly. Realistically that bottle should last more than 2 maybe even 3 years. Get the biggest bottle you can find.

 

[Oiler3535]

? Nitrates have tested 0 since got e aquarium. Missed the cycle?

 

[Duckie]

? Nitrates have tested 0 since got e aquarium. Missed the cycle?

Nitrates are definitely non-zero today - isn't that what you said?

 

[Oiler3535]

Nitrates tested zero until this last test. I thought Nitrates starting to go up is a sign of the cycle getting going? Ammonia should go down to zero soon? I'm curious what you mean by missed the cycle?

PS I've got the dechlorinator. But I guess following the instructions re: amount to use wasn't enough with the blast the town but in the system that one time. I had done a 1/3-1/4 change that time. Since then I've only done small changes more frequently.

 

[biondoa]

How high are your nitrates and what is the ammonia reading?

 

[Oiler3535]

Just redid the tests. Ammonia just above 1, no nitrites, and nitrates about 5. Doing a water change tonight when back from work, so hopefully bring down the ammonia levels.

 

[Duckie]

Nitrates build up slow - well as fast as nitrites get processed. Since they are less of a problem, the scale starts at 5ppm as first step. It is not that 0.25 ppm ammonia turn into 5 ppm nitrate, but 0.25 ammonia getting processed over many many days into nitrates that slowly accumulate. I believe your tank was cycled (adjusted to the bioload of the 7 or 3 fish - not sure how long you only had 3) - it was just that the established colonies are too small to support a fully stocked tank. You kinda shocked the system by adding so much extra bioload all at once - assuming the 12 new fish went in as a group. Started a new mini-cycle of having the bacteria needing to adjust. And enough stress on the tank to show up on your test.

If you would have cycled fishless you could have controlled the amount of ammonia you add - e.g. to 2 ppm. Bacteria comes, gets used to the 2 ppm, then tank is cycled to be able to handle a load of 2 ppm. You could then have added a bunch of fish all at once. You decided to cycle with few fish and take it slow later adding fish. Except you didn't - impatience might have gotten the better of you since the spikes of ammonia and nitrite were too small to notice. Now your are cycling again.

 

[Oiler3535]

3 months in. 3 Cherries getting fat. 12 Pristellas all doing well (a couple have larger black spots and brighter red tails, other sex from rest?). But the damn tank still not cycled so I can't add more fish! Definitely some nitrates, but still lots off ammonia too. On the plus side, both fish stores In the area are shocked I've gotten baby Cherries in the tank. Seen a few of them. Tiny. Maybe 1mm tall and 3 long. Was doing a water change and there they were! Shook them free from the caves when I moved to clean I guess. Then watched a Pristella swallow one then spit it out. Taste bad maybe? IDK. See if they make it took adulthood. How long until they get to a good size? Weeks? Months?