ahiggins

Hello,

I was a little to eager and possibly stubborn and I think I added fish to my tank without having it completely cycled. Nine days ago, I added three cherry barbs and they are still doing well, but my water levels aren't right. I have been using cycle, even though I know it's bad, but I talked to so many people who had it work for them.

Ammonia: .25-.50 ppm
Nitrite: .25 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

I am now planning on finally getting safestart, so I don't have to keep adding cycle to my tank.
I am also going to do a 25% water change today.

So would that be enough to take care of the levels? Or should I also buy that stuff that keeps the fish safe from ammonia but is still available to the bacteria? I forget what it is called.

Also, there are small white bubbles at the surface of the water. Is that protein and if so, how bad is it and should I remove it?

Thanks,

Amanda

bodieman

if you dont have any nitrates then your cycle is def not complete. i would take the fish back if you can until your cycle is complete. i have never personally used any thing like Cycle but have read that is not all that great. anyways somebody with more experience and better advice should be along to get all your questions taken care of.

pepetj

Definitely stop using the Cycle product (wrong type of bacteria, bad product). Then I would do one the of the following:

A) daily partial water changes (50%); treat tap water with Seachem's Prime (It will keep ammonia locked but available for beneficial bacteria) do not use Ammo-Lock it will deprive bacteria from needed ammonia and nitrites; take daily measures before and after water changes. Nitrites at 0.25ppm likely will not kill your fish but might hurt their immune system; if within 24hours or less Nitrites rise to 0.50ppm do two partial water changes daily.

B) Huge water change and add SafeStart, wait for a full week, make no measures, do a 50% water change and keep checking water parameters.

C) Take the fish out (the LFS might hold them for you for a couple of weeks without problems) and go for a fishless cycle with X-drops of Ammonia Solution method added daily until Nitrite spike happens, go for half-X daily until Nitrite Spike fades into zero; all the time keep lights on, increase dissolved oxygen (maximum water agitation from filter output, add airstone), raise temp close to 29C -at 30C dissolved O2 drops heavily-, keep the plants in without cleaning them until the cycle is done. Your 10 gal tank would be cycled in 12 to 14 days; do a water change and get your fish home that same day.


Pepe
Santo Domingo

pinkfloydpuffer

Oh my gosh, Pepe. I didn't know that! That explains alot... Well thanks for saying that.

ahiggins

Thank you for your help, but I will have to wait to order safe start online, I can't find it anywhere.

Is there any way I can keep the fish in the tank? Will they die if I do this with them in it? I really don't want to take them out and I don't think my fish store would hold them for me.

ahiggins

I also had .5 ppm nitrates last week, and now it's 0 ppm. Do I still have to take the fish back ?

FishFolk

If you have friends with healthy fish, ask them to give you some seeded(used) filter media and or some seeded gravel/substrate. Keep the media in tank water until you get it in your filter. Make sure they don't give you all of anything or they will end up with issues. If they have 2 filters, ask for the media from one. If it is a diff type, you can still put it in your filter with your own media to get things going.

We have 8 tanks and start all of ours with seeded media. Understocking helps too. then you can add as needed.

I ditto the Prime - It is excellent. Seems to cost more but not truly as you use less.

Luck!

ahiggins

none of my friends keep fish, so.. ?

sirdarksol

Then that idea won't work. It's one of many possible tricks (and happens to be my favorite) to speed the cycle up.

Keep up the partial water changes while the tank cycles, and your fish will be fine.

ahiggins

Thanks for everyone's help, I'm sure I'll be back soon with more questions.