Cycling with Danios

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agin just let it go! Quite trying to turn peoples opinions and wasteing you rtime.

this thread has turned into a fire pit and should be closed.
 
To the people creating ruckus about doing a fishy cycle: Get lost


To everyone else: Thank you. I meant to say that my Ammonia is 0 and my nitrites are 4-5. I am not showing nitrates, nor do I need to test for them yet as I still have nitrites.

I will not get any more fish and will continue to do water changes. The fish are very active and actually don't mind the water parameters.


Thanks again!
SM

Hi SM - hey some people have strong views; not to worry that's life :)

Nitrite 4 - 5 ppm is really highly toxic.

Fish cycle - you just want to make sure and do a water change whenever ammonia or nitrite is over .25 ppm, whether this is daily/twice daily or whatever necessary. You also want a good test kit or you won't know when this is - I didn't see what test kit you currently have but make sure its a good liquid drop one. Fish cycles can be managed very well but it is cruel to leave them in nitrite of 4 or 5 ppm and this can cause permanent damage, if not kill the fish. Its also unnecessary as water changes are only a matter of committment.

For the moment no more fish, as the bacterial colonies have not yet developed sufficiently to cope with the current load. When you are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and nitrates increasing slowly over a few days you can add more. Don't add more than 50% of the bioload in a week - adding every 2 weeks would be safer still, to ensure the bacteria can catch up.
 
So far I've only done one cycle and I started with zebra danios just like every book and the literature that comes with tank set-ups recommend. My cycle was taking forever, those zebras have such a low bioload! I thought maybe I missed something and added platies--water changes everyday for weeks! That's when I found this site. Just be patient and do your water changes according to your tests, which will probably be daily, or every other day. Don't add more fish, you'll tip the scales. If fishless has less water changes that will be the way I go next time!
 
^ fishless has no water changes at all, presuming you don't dose the ammonia too high.

just one great big 90% change when you are cycled, then add stock.
 
Thank you...

I have the API Freshwater test kit. I just did a 35% water change and added the appropriate amount of prime. I have and will check the water chems everyday.





Hi SM - hey some people have strong views; not to worry that's life :)

Nitrite 4 - 5 ppm is really highly toxic.

Fish cycle - you just want to make sure and do a water change whenever ammonia or nitrite is over .25 ppm, whether this is daily/twice daily or whatever necessary. You also want a good test kit or you won't know when this is - I didn't see what test kit you currently have but make sure its a good liquid drop one. Fish cycles can be managed very well but it is cruel to leave them in nitrite of 4 or 5 ppm and this can cause permanent damage, if not kill the fish. Its also unnecessary as water changes are only a matter of committment.

For the moment no more fish, as the bacterial colonies have not yet developed sufficiently to cope with the current load. When you are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and nitrates increasing slowly over a few days you can add more. Don't add more than 50% of the bioload in a week - adding every 2 weeks would be safer still, to ensure the bacteria can catch up.
 
good stuff - I wouldn't let them sit in 4 ppm Nitrite though. Better to change whatever necessary to keep it below .25 ppm.
 
good stuff - I wouldn't let them sit in 4 ppm Nitrite though. Better to change whatever necessary to keep it below .25 ppm.


Hi,
One question I have is the nitrites are supposed to be high at this point, so how or why do I want to lower it if the nitrites go down on their own, creating nitrates.


Thanks!
 
One reason the nitrites are probably high is because at first you were doing a fishless cycle using ammonia..... The nitrites had started getting established as the ammonia was getting consumed so you were in the first stage of the cycle when you added the fish.

Now you will need to do water changes to get the nitrites down to .25ppm or less. Just keep a check on the water perimeters by testing daily and doing water changes as needed to keep both ammonia and nitrite levels at or below .25ppm.
 
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