my new tank

23 posts • Page 1 of 3

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Brodzilla
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:45 pm

my new tank

by Brodzilla

how very confusing. My ? is ..... Is my tank cycling correctly? We have had for 2 weeks. Started with plants , then added a few fish. The ammonia was very high , now it has dropped to almost 0ppm, my nitrites are high now ( .25ppm) and my nitrates are at 30ppm. Does this mean the process is doing what it is suppose to? How concerned should I be about the nitite level being this high and how long will it take for this to drop?


jdak702
 
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am

by jdak702

This means your tank is not cycled correctly. Better start the water changes.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

jdak gave you wrong advioce. Your cycling is working perfectly. In a little while, your nitrite level will drop to 0 and your nitrate level too will drop, probably not to zero but between 10-30 which is okay. Never let nitrate go above 40 ppm or your fish will stress, above 80, it is fatal to fish. Ammonia and nitrite should remain at 0 at all times.

JUst keep water changing, do not clean the filter pads, do not scrape any objects in the tank for all objects in the tank are full of good bacteria (bacteria feeds off the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, when you get a good balance in the tank, the bacteria will feed off at the right amount in order to help keep the chemical levels where they should be plus your water changes (25% per week).

As for time, all cycling usually takes between 4-6 weeks (12 weeks, very rare). So if you are in at 2 weeks, figure another 1 or 2 you should be fine. Funny thing about nitrite is, it will drop overnight to zero, so when you test the water and you'll think: is the reading right? But it is, for nitrite will drop fast/out of the blue.

Tell us how it goes.


stingraysrule
 
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm

by stingraysrule

They both gave you the same answer.
Jdak told you to do water changes, as did yaserkoach.
You should be doing water changes as your tank is cycling.


jdak702
 
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am

by jdak702

I wouldn't saw wrong advice, maybe short. I didn't feel like writing a book as you seem to do. I can sum this up in a few lines. Their is livestock in the tank. Their are also nitrites. Tank was not correctly cycled before adding livestock. Water changes need to be done.
Last edited by jdak702 on Fri Jul 16, 2010 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

jdak you got it backwards...you need fish to create the cycling process. Fish provide fish poop which breakdowns into chemicals: ammonia (first stage of fish poop, actually, fish poop or any poop is essentially ammonia based), then nitrite begins to feed off the ammonia (nitrite is less toxic than ammonia) and then nitrate feeds off the nitrite, in time, about 4-6 weeks, the ammonia and nitrite levels go to zero and the remaining bacteria or nitrate that is fed on remains usually around 10-30 ppm (very rare to have a constant 0 nitrate level).

So first you need 2 fish to begin the cycling process. At first there is not enough good bacteria to eat or feed off the ammonia (fish poop) so the ammonia levels rise this is the reason one water changes so the tank water is diluted or has less ammonia in it. In time, the tank water will neutralize to the point that less water changes will be needed (instead of 40-50% water changes in the cycling phase, it goes to about 20-25% a week after the tank is cycled).

jdak, it appears you've been in this hobby for some time. You have made over 299 comments in this forum, so I am giving you the benefit of the doubt and will just say possibly you misread his post.

So, please rethink your position pal. As for the originator of this post/thread. You are fine. Just keep doing water changes, testing and observation.


jdak702
 
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am

by jdak702

Um, no, fishless cycle is the way to go. Their are plenty of ways to do it including a bit of table shrimp. If you choose to use fish, which is completely inhumane and impatient, you need to keep up with heavy water changes.


breaknrun911
 
Posts: 146
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 3:20 am

by breaknrun911

jdak..........how is the cycle supposed to be able to keep up if you continue to take water out that has the bacteria needed to cycle the tank? it would be nearly impossible to cycle a tank when u do water changes. i work at my LFS on the side,
you are supposed to let the water run in the tank for about a week then you get some cheap tester fish i.e. danios. this will cause all your ppms in all categories to change you will lose fish but once all your ppms go back to normal you can start adding fish plants etc.
dont go over board in stocking your tank. do a little here then a little there so you dont overload the cycle. the cycle is only as strong as what you have in your tank. once you break it, it has to rebuild itself to the amount of livestock in the tank


stingraysrule
 
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm

by stingraysrule

That is ridiculous breaknrun911. You MUST do water changes during a cycle.
THEN YOU WILL NOT LOSE FISH.
What store do you work at and who has taught you this method?
I do not do a fishless cylce and have cycled MANY tanks and have NOT lost fish.
I just recently cycled The Fluval Edege 6G. I used 2 Mollys, and a few plants.
Day 1. 6G Tap water. 2 Fish, and some easy plants. Sparse feeding.
Day 2 no water change. No feeding.
Day 3 50% water change. Sparse feeding.
Day 4 no water change . No feeding.
Day 5 50% water change. Sparse feeding.
Day 6 no water change. No feeding
Day 7 40% water change. Sparse feeding.
Day 8 no water change, add 2 cherry shrimp. No feeding.
Day 9. 30% water change. Sparse feeding.
Day 10. no water change.
Day 11. 30% water change
Day 13 20% water change
Day 15 20% water change
Day 17 20% water change.
Don't clean the filter, don't overstock the tank, feed your fish sparingly, don't take out more than 50% of the water on any given day. You will indeed build up good bacteria, even doing DAILY water changes. With the water changes you will cut down on the ammonia.
And guess what? ALL YOUR FISH WILL LIVE.


stingraysrule
 
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm

by stingraysrule

Hey 911, hopefully in your next life you are not reincarnated as a "cheap tester fish" ,
like a danio
someone uses to kill off in a fish cycle.
You know what they say....... what comes around goes around.
I am appalled at your attitude, especially with you representing a LFS.

my new tank

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