nitz

i think it's dropped a little but not anything significant. around 1-2ppm. i hope i see some sort of change in the next couple of days

have you seen any changes in your levels??

Alessa

not really.... ammonia 0, nitrite (off chart) nitrate 5

The nitrites didnt want to go down so I did a 50% water change to bring them down to a readable level... they are now sitting at 2.0 and waiting until tomorrow to see any significant changes...

Thanks for asking

nitz

oh it sounds like you're almost there alessa!! i'm excited for you
how long have you been at it?

Alessa

i bought the tank like 10 days ago. The ammonia-nitrite stage was fast, but now im stuck in the nitrite spike...

nitz

don't worry about it. that's supposed to be the longer of the 2 stages anyways. i'm sure it'll be done soon enough. did you seed your tank?

Alessa

Yes, I used some "filter mud" from my other tank and clipped a bit of the filter (my bf was like nooooo... dont ruin the filter )

nitz

hahahaha
why don't you try putting some more? wouldn't that add some of the nitrite-to-nitrate bacteria? most it probably died with the high concentration of ammonia and no nitrite to eat. maybe that'll speed up the process a bit

Alessa

Yes, that is exactly what I thought!
I will add some as soon as I have the chance... im at work now ... but my cubicle is sooooooooo boring!

nitz

i'm at work too and my office is so boring!!
i'm on fishlore most of the day reading up on different fish and surfing the forums :P

Alessa

cant wait to get home and do the tests... Oh PLEASE! Please some nitrates!!!

nitz

no changes in the water parameters
this is really depressing

Alessa

why dont you add a bit more mud?

oh well, if things dont get any better... i think you should consider tetra safe start (you cant get biospira in canada)

nitz

where can i find this mud? i have one of those in-hood filters on my 12 gal...the eclipse ones. i haven't seen any mud in there

does the tetra safe start actually work??

i have a theory bouncing around in my head that the aloe vera in the water conditioner might have formed a coat on the bio wheel and other filter material that isn't letting the bacteria grow. i know this sounds kinda stupid since the conditioner was made for aquariums but i think i put too much in when i set up the tank. i'm thinking of pretty much emptying the tank and changing conditioners. what do you think?

oh...and how did your water tests look tonight??

Alessa

my nitrates are finally rising, which means my cycle will be done by sunday-monday like I expected. (finally)

the "mud" is what you get from squeezing your filter pad on a cup... it is pretty much aquarium water that looks greenish from the bacteria that contains (squeezed from the filter pad).

As far as the Tetra Safe Start... it is just a reformulation of BioSpira (which is unavailable in canada) that does not need refrigeration. I have not tried it myself, since I have heard that not many people have tried it before so there are many "stories" from where to conclude whether or not it is always 100% effective. However, the few stories I have heard are success stories.

Regarding the water conditioner, like I told you, better get a small bottle of Aqua+ by Hagen which is only a dechlorhinator. It does not mess with ammonia, it does not have aloe vera... (maybe your theory is right?).

nitz

sorry for no reply in a while but i had a busy weekend

i'm gonna stop by big als tomorrow and pick up some aqua+. don't think i'll go with the safe start just yet but if no nitrites show up by the weekend, i'll go pick some up

did your tank finish cycling?? when are you putting some fish in and which ones are you considering??

Alessa

No, still on the nitrite spike but i did add more bacteria from my other filter like you suggested so, I hope to see it getting better by wednesday.

it is a 5 gal hex for a betta, since I already have a 29 community... and no room for a bigger tank
]
how about you? what fish are you going to put in the tank?

nitz

oh i know what you're saying about not having room for another tank. i had to squeeze the 29 into my room with the 12. there were big rearrangements just to manage that and still have room to walk!! haha

don't worry...it'll cycle soon enough and that betta can have a nice new home

i was thinking about getting a 5 gal hex myself after reading the sad threads about bettas and seeing them just sitting there in those tiny containers at the fish stores.

well...i wanted to put 2 or 3 blue rams, 2 or 3 gouramis , a few cory cats, and some tiger barbs.

still deciding whether or not to buy more gouramis with that disease going around and all. i'll definitely move one of my female gold gouramis from the other tank in. the bigger one just won't let the smaller one do anything. even when the smaller one goes and hides in a corner, the bigger one will go and attack her. that was the main reason i wanted to get another tank.

probably won't go with tiger barbs because they'll probably stress the rams out so i'm leaning towards cherry barbs or another type of barb. any suggestions?

Alessa

Dont get the gouramis... you'll just risk the heath of those you already have. It is a horrible disease.

the cherry barbs would do awesome with the cory cats. No experience with the rams though.

any luck with your cycle?