grump

Hi evryone I have a question about my cycle... I have had my tank running fine for almost a year now... From day 1 I have been useing cycle for the bacteria on the advise of the LFS I did not know better then LOL... Now my question is is there any way I have got'in the good bacteria in there over time because it says to use it once a week and I only use it every 2 weeks...I did a 30% WC last night and all my readings were as follows
ammonia 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 30-35
now these readings were befor the WC and I have not added the cycle for 2 weeks...

Now if not how can I get the right bacteria can I just add TSS with out crashing my cycle...

PS I use API drip test kits with the test tubes....

Thanks for the help Rob

CHoffman

It sounds like your tank is cycled...I would say after two weeks of not adding cycle and you still have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites your good..Keep a close eye on it though for awhile just to be certain...Your nitrates are a bit high though....What is your water change schedule like?

grump

I do a 30-40% WC with 50% gravel vac every other week and my readings have allways been the same in the 10 months I have only had one spike in the cycle and I got the because I added the fish from my 10 gal too my 75 gal but I got that under control real fast with a week of 10% WC every day and that was 6 months ago...

CHoffman

hmmmm...Does your tap water or what ever water you use for WC have nitrates in it??..Mine does so it's not unusual. I wonder if that's why they are so high..If not you might want to start vacuuming all of your gravel when you do water changes or try to do water changes once a week instead of every other week until you get your nitrates lower. Do you have any decor or rocks, wood that you don't vacuum under?? That might cause it too.

grump

that is the reading of the nitrates befor the WC I checked them again to night 24 hrs after the WC andf they are only 15 now it will take 2 weeks for it too get back too around 30....

I just want too know because I have read that cycle has the wrong bactira in it and can I get the good stuff over time...The tank has the same readings all the time I check them every 4 or 5 days and the nitrates are the only thing that realy changes and not very fast....thx Rob

CHoffman

Your right..Cycle does not contain the right kind of bacteria at all..But it looks like since you only added it every other week that it allowed the correct bacteria to build up...It's good that you quit using cycle...Since your ammonia and nitrite readings are stable I would say your tank is cycled....just keep an eye on them.

I was only suggesting nitrate issues because 30-35 is a bit high not fatal but if you can keep it under 10 that is best. upping your wc would lower it.

grump

Ok I havent stopped useing it I don't want the cycle too crash I would like too find out if I should stop useing it and if I do will it crash out on me because I have (Fred) my angel in there and I do not want anything too happen too him....should i stop using it and watch close and see if anything starts... And if it starts to go stupid can I add cycle too fix it fast with some Ammo-lock from API...

CHoffman

Ohhh. I see ....Ok..I would def quit adding it...You'll have to watch your tank super close...Test it everyday or anytime the fish are acting funny. You could add Tetra Safe Start..It actually contains the right bacteria...Or if things go bad you'll have to do daily 50% WC...You can keep adding cycle if you want but I can imagine that gets costly.

soldieroffortune1974

I would stop using cycle all together. The non aquatic bacteria eats the ammonia at a high rate and wont allow your aquatic bacteria to establish as fast. Chances are,after using it this long,there's some colonies of the bacteria you want.Keep an eye on it, as CHoffman suggested,but definitely stop using Cycle. A good dose of Tetra Safe start would help take away the worries.

Next,30-35 PPM Nitrates is extremely high, 40ppm is lethal to a lot of fish. 30-35ppm can cause nitrate poisoning (brown-blood syndrome) I would keep the nitrates under 20ppm. If you change the water every 2 weeks,increase that to once a week.It's possible you are overfeeding for the nitrates to increase that much.Decrease the feeding amount and remove any food not eaten in 3 minutes. That will help reduce the nitrate levels in between water changes.

Butterfly

SOF I thought brown Blood disease was caused from high NitrIte not high NitrAtes but do agree Nitrates are high.
Carol

soldieroffortune1974

It is, but the symptoms are closely similar so I just grouped them together. Without going into a lot of detail and lecturing,I just posted it short and sweet.I knew someone would catch it.

grump

Thanks everyone so I will stop using cycle and get TSS tomorrow if I can find it, it can be hard to find so I hear lol...I will keep some ammo-lock on hand too and start too test everyday for the next few weeks and see if it is all ok... I don't think I am over feeding I only feed once a day and nothing that is not eatin' in more then 3 min even the waffers for the corycats and algie eaters are gone in under 5 min...Here are the readings from tonight 24 hrs after 30-40% WC
ammonia 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates:10

Thanks again everyone Rob

agabr123

good luck!

since it takes two weeks for you to get to 30-35 nitrates, i'd definitely suggest that you consider doing 2 smaller water changes a week as opposed to one larger one to keep the nitrates under control. and that way if you miss one it won't be as big of a problem for your fish as well

grump

Hi everyone Update on readings for tonight...

ammonia 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates:10

No change as of about 12 am atlantic time 2 days after WC...Rob

grump

Hi everyone and good afternoon.... I know this is a old thraed but it has been two week and no cycle reading are the best the have ever been here are this weeks readings....
ammonia 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates:10

It has been two weeks and that is where everything has stayed tested every 2 days... Did and gravel vac and WC today and that was the reading befor WC.... THX Rob

Butterfly

Thanks for updating. Let us know how it goes.
carol

grump

Hi everyone here is my 2 week reading without cycle did filter maintance on 1 filter and 30% WC last night.... reading 24hrs after.....

ammonia 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates:10