Confused

Morbius

Morbius

The Living Vampire
Aug 24, 2006
156
0
0
56
Saginaw Mi
hello all.I'm alil stumped. First, my ammonia levels continue to drop....today when i got home it was @ 0.So I checked my nitrItes which are still very high,then doesd to 2.0mg/l. But when I check my bio filter, It's clean, save for a small brown patch on one side.Is'nt this where the bacteria is suppose to be????? I have a whisper power filter(it hangs over tha back of the tank)the filter still has carbon in it,could that be why I dont see any bacteria??? I'm about 6 days into my cycle and I have a 35 gal tank.
 
I'd dose back up to 2-3 ppm ammonia. Don't be surprised if nitrites are pegged for several days. You will all but see nitrites go away when the nitrates come in. It will take weeks for significant discoloration of your filter. The bacteria are there or nitrites would not be climbing.

Temp still at 85?

Ideas on fish yet?
 
hey bishop!!! Yeah...temps still @ 85.Man,I dosed this morning before I left for work,(ammonia was @ 1.0) when I got home it was @ 0!....Nitrite still very high,so I dosed back to 2.0. It's really fall'n quick now!
 
LOL fish....yeah I have sum ideas, but I dont know how to go about compling my list of fish.
 
There's just sooo many,and diff kinds....I dont know where to start.
 
Well, if nothing else, pick 6-14, they do not have to be different, it could be 4 trios, or 6 pairs, mix and match if you are unsure. Post a likely group here and ask for input opinions.

If ammonia is dropping that quickly you are getting close. I'd do a test for nitrates also, just to see if they are showing up.
 
Well it sounds like your cycle is working and you have formed a good colony of ammonia eating bacteria. Now the nitrite eating bacteria need to form a colony. Like rbishop said, keep dosing ammonia to feed the bacteria and you will be good. You won't be able to see the bacteria because they are so small. I believe the discoloration of the filter is from the fish waste and gunk filtered out of the water which the bacterium then eats but your filter isn't the only place bacteria is growing. It can be found in your gravel and on tank decorations as well.
 
hello bunny!thanx for the input.bishop,I tested for nitrates today and they are there but quite high.
 
Always glad to help out!

If your Nitrates are high then I would do a couple water changes. They are the end product of the cycle and therefore can only be removed manually or with live plants. Since you don't have any fish in your tank there is no real urgency to get rid of the nitrates right away but you will need to get them below 5-10ppm before you add fish. Getting started now and keeping them at a manageable level will make your job much easier in the future.
 
Even if my nitrites are still high? There almost off the chart.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom