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April 21st, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Quick Response Please, Water parameters!!
My tank readings....
Ammonia - 4
Nitrite - between 2 & 5
Nitrate - Between 10 & 20
Tank is probably almost done cycling as the ammonia is coming down, the nitrites spiked and the nitrates also spiked.
I just did a 30% water change, which I do daily and the water looks like it is clearing up. Not getting cloudy anymore.
Do I just continue doing the water changes daily until 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites??
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated....Thnx
Last edited by RiffDawg15; April 21st, 2008 at 11:59 PM.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Mentor
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 Those are pretty high on the ammonia and nitrite still...
When do you do the testing? Before your change I hope....
If it were me, I'd be doing 50% water changes at least once a day until the ammonia and nitrite come down to 0...even though your fish are still alive, it can't be good for them to have such high readings.
YES by all means do the water changes every day... |
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Yeah I do the tests before I change the water. Since the ammonia started spiking I have been doing 25-30% water changes every day. I guess I will bump that up to 50%.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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I def agree w/ doing 50 percent waterchanges everyday until that ammonia and nitrite are down to -0-... its a lot of work and patience but its worth it for you and your fish!
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Did another test a little bit ago and the ammonia is coming down greatly.
Ammonia - 1
Nitrite - 2
Nitrate - 10
I will continue doing the 50% water changes daily until Ammonia and Nitrites are 0!
Thanks everyone for your helpful input! Its greatly appreciated. I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything correct.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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as the tank is still cycling you will need some level of ammonia and nitrite in the water or the cycle will stop.
IMO Ammonia no higher than 1 and no lower than 0.5
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Ok peter that confused me. I know Im trying to get the cycle completed and I know its close to being complete. The ammonia spiked and is now coming down. The Nitrites spiked and are now coming down. The Nitrates are staying pretty much the same.
So I just keep doing water changes until the ammonia and nitrites are reading 0. And that will mean that the tank is completely cycled correct??
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Yes. When you stop getting ammonia and nitrite readings, you are cycled. Just make sure you keep the ammonia and nitrites under 1.0 for the sake of your fish. Once cycled, do water changes as needed to keep your nitrates under 20, preferably 10 and under.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RiffDawg15
Ok peter that confused me. I know Im trying to get the cycle completed and I know its close to being complete. The ammonia spiked and is now coming down. The Nitrites spiked and are now coming down. The Nitrates are staying pretty much the same.
So I just keep doing water changes until the ammonia and nitrites are reading 0. And that will mean that the tank is completely cycled correct??
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Ok, sorry for the confusion.
My point is this, if you do your water changes, you should still have ammonia or nitrite in the tank after the water change ( ammonia 0.5 nitrite 0.5 ).
Your reading before water changes will govern how much water needs to be changed. as you get closer to the end of the cycle you will be reducing the % of water changed.
If you keep doing a 50% water change every day you will be removing 50% of the ammonia/nitrite every day. and you will end up with enough bacteria to deal with 50% of the bio load.
As the bacteria grow in numbers your water changes are reduced.
The first to fall to 0 will be ammonia, at this point the % water changes will be govened by the nitrite readings
Last edited by Peterpiper; April 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 PM.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Ok yes I totally understand what you were saying now. Thats makes perfect sense to me now. Thanks a lot!!
Oh one more quick question.
I have been told to add "Prime" to the water when adding water back to the tank after a water change. Would you recommend this or not recommend this??
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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I use Prime. It's a water conditioner that also detoxifies some of the ammonia/nitrites/nitrates without removing it, so the bacteria can still eat it but your fish don't suffer from the toxicity that they would otherwise during cycling. It doesn't mess with your water parameters. I've also been told, since you only need to use 2 drops/gallon that it's more cost-effective than other water conditioners.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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No prime please. it does things to ammonia, have read that people have had the ammonia reading stuck on 0.25 for weeks. There is a thread on this some where, will see if I can find it and link you to it.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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I've never heard of that, and most people I've seen prefer it. The only time you can't use it is if you're cycling with Bio-Spira, since it interferes with the ammonia and makes the Bio-Spira starve.
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luna
I've never heard of that, and most people I've seen prefer it. The only time you can't use it is if you're cycling with Bio-Spira, since it interferes with the ammonia and makes the Bio-Spira starve.
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Thats my point Point... this tank is still cycling, and it will have the same affect on the bacteria... it locks the ammonia ... the bacteria's food |
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April 22nd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Actually, it doesn't, at least not that I (or many others) have noticed. Many people, myself included, have cycled with it without a problem.
I haven't tried to use it with Bio-Spira, I can't get the stuff, so I can't speak to the concerns others have mentioned about it interfering with THOSE bacteria flourishing.
This is a good subject for someone to test thoroughly and scientifically, but it's probably only confusing Riff.
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April 23rd, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Ok, Just went on their web site
Quote "removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Prime converts ammonia into a safe non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank’s biofilter."
It may well have been the threads on the products Cycle, Prime or Bio Spira that I am getting mixed up with...
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April 23rd, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Everyone that I have talked to says that they use Prime, even during cycling and their tanks cycled just fine.
From what I understand it just lowers the level of ammonia to a more tolerable level, that which reduces the stress of the fish in the tank. Still allowing some ammonia for the bacteria to feed on.
Most people use Prime as a water conditioner when adding water back to the tank during a water change.
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