Lucy

Agreed. Let it go for a few days, see what results you get.

fishnob

No I don't have live plants. Now I am sooooo confused. When I did the tests today they were at 12:30 pm that came out With all 0's. I then did the nitrate test a few times right after to make sure I didn't screw them up.

I just did a test now, to try and put my mind at east tonight when I go to sleep. This is nuts.

ammonia .5

Nitrites .25

Nitrates 0

I haven't had anything other than 0 on ammonium since Nov 7th and now I have it again Something just isn't right. It is almost like it is starting from day 1 again....

I guess I need to do a water change tonight, and I should prob at prime correct?

Shawnie

wow!!
something for sure is going on and yes its like you are starting over...
add prime and do a water change for sure ....something is freaky with this tank

Elvishswimmer

You have to make sure you bang up that nitrate bottle really good.
Sometimes I swear I am doing it right and I get no result, even though the day before it was at 10.
I bang it on the table on all of its sides for 1 minute (I time it). Then shake it really quickly and put the drops in right away. It usually works well for me after that.

Also make sure you are holding it vertical, so you are getting the accurate amount in each drop.

Other than that

fishnob

Ok I am about to do a water change and add the prime. I will take my readings again after 24hrs. If they are still showing 0 Nitrates should I just get TSS and start from scratch?

I don't want to put my fish through another 30 days or more of spikes, and water changes every day etc...also I just looked back at all my readings and water changes....I didn't start testing the water until about 2 weeks after I started the tank (bad LFS advise, but that is another story) From day one of testing Oct 28 I have had no lower than 5 nitrates, so something had to have happend, but what I don't know...and what is best right now for the fish going forward?

Shawnie

not sure why you think a cycle is 30 days? was that more reference from them?
when cycling with fish(been there also from bad bad fishstore advice) it can take weeks and as you know, very hard on fish and the fish owners...took me 9 weeks to cycle my 75g with fish..oh how i dont miss those days..if you can find TSS , that might be your best route to take...and less stress on both you and your fish....but different instruction and advice will be needed if you are able to find it..let us know....in the meantime, prime and daily water changes are the best for now ...good luck! dont loose faith..it can get better!

fishnob

I don't think that it is 30 days...that is why I said 30 days or more...I was more refrencing that they had already been through 30 days of a cycle...as I started on Oct 11, and it just started to get much better on Nov 11....

I am not worried about doing the water changes as needed...I work from home and live on a well and don't have to pay for water. On lunch I always do my fish keeping so no biggie...I am more concerned about the fish...

I just finished a 40 % water change and added the prime. I upped it from 30% because of the ammonium results.

I can't check the readings until tomorrow after 8:30 pm, so I will report the readings then.

If anyone has any advice about using to the TSS please let me know, I am pretty sure I have seen it carried here. If I was to do that, would I empty my tank and start from scratch or would I keep the water and such and add the TSS?

Shawnie

if you can find tss, get some tetra aquasafe water conditioner as well....add your water conditioner with a 40% water change...wait 24 hours and add your tss...then leave the tank for 7 days....buy more tss than the size of your tank requires..you CANNOT overdose with tss...I so hope it gets easier..and kudo's to you for not giving up!!!!! Good luck!

Lucy

I merged the two threads.
Asking a question in one thread then starting another with the same question with a link back to original thread is much too confusing keeping track of the answers and what beeing suggested.

fishnob

ok sounds good, I just want to be clear on one more thing....when you say you CANNOT overdose with tss...do you mean, if you overdose it is lethal to the fish? Or it isn't a big deal if you add a little more than directed?

Lucy thanks for merging the threads, sorry about that

Elvishswimmer

With TSS, all it contains is good bacteria.
So if you overdose it is no big deal, cause then you will just have a lot of that good cycling bacteria.
In other words, put a lot in!

callichma

Just read this entire thread. Does that Aquaclear cycle that you used at the very beginning contain bacteria? If it does, it might be responsible for your wierd readings. I've learned from this forum that TSS is the only product that contains bacteria that can reproduce under water. The other products contain bacteria that dies off, and the product has to continually be added. The bacteria could have been working producing nitrates, but since you did not continue to add it, the bacteria died and thus your backwards progress. The original bacteria keep the natural bacteria from growing by using up all the ammonia. I had the same thing happen to me when I started my new tank. Had to wait for the bacteria I had added to die off before the natural bacteria could grow. Good luck with the cycle.

Lucy

Nice catch. I think we all missed that.

fishnob

Yes the one dose I put in did contain bacteria. I would think that it would be gone though? I was doing 50% water changes at the start because of the ammonium, then I dropped it to between 30 and 40 % when the ammonium went down. I have been doing this daily since Oct 30th. I haven't missed one water change yet...as crazy as it can get sometimes....

I did some research and it seems as though you can't get TSS in canada? Can anyone confirm this for me?

The only option I am seeing is caribsea instant aqurium. This is the substrate packed in water that has the bacteria already in it. I tried to find reviews on it...but nothing...has anyone here heard of it or used it?

Also I live in a very rual area and the nearest big city to me is 1.5 hrs away. I have to go for work tomorrow anyway, so I was hoping to have some type of advice on what to buy before tomorrow so I can get it while I am there.

Thanks for everyones help

callichma

You can order TSS online. I don't know about the product you are talking about, but the bacteria in TSS is "bio-spira". If you can find something with that in it that would work. Are you sure that caribsea is not for salt water?

Re the bacteria being gone, even withthe water changes, it might not be because the bacteria attaches to substrate, ornaments, and filter media. Changing the water doesn't remove bacteria.

fishnob

I was able to get TSS it should be here tomorrow or the next day.

As for the caribsea...it shows on the webpage that it is for freshwater and not saltwater, although they do have a saltwater one as well. Ohh well it looks cool, but I just want my fish safe, so I will stick with the TSS.

Thanks for your response!

callichma

You are welcome. Hope the TSS solves all your tank issues.