xathine

Hey...made the mistake to pickup some fish for my 55g before it was cycled.

I called every pet / fish store within the greater Columbus, Ohio area and no one has the "Tetra safe start" product.

I tested my water last night, still zero ammonia readings.

Anyone have SOLID advice to give on how to do this properly?
-How much water to change daily?
-What products to use?

Also, I'm using an aqua clear 500 filter. I currently have a foam filter, and the carbon filter, with a little bit of space to add for another filter - what should I go with?

thumper

50% water changes daily with ultimate or prime to detox the ammonia and nitrites till you have a steady reading of 0-0-5to10 what type of test kit are you useing?

what type of fish do you have in there?

xathine

API Master.

More info on the ultimate or prime products please

jdhef

If you can't get SafeStart, the next best thing is getting some used filter media to help kick-start bacteria growth.

As soon as you start getting an ammonia reading (either with used media or without), you are going to need to start doing daily 50% waterchanges using either Prime or Amquel+ as your water conditioner.

The daily waterchanges will keep the ammonia levels low enough that the Prime or Amquel+ will be able to detox the ammonia for 24 hours (at which point you will be doing another waterchange)

Keep this procedure up until you have zero ammonia, zero nitrites and some nitrates.

thumper

they are the most common on here for water conditioners

ultimate
http://uskoi.com/ultimate.htm

prime
http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod...ges/Prime.html

xathine

After the tank has cycled, if I quit using those products will it cause my cycle to crash so to speak?

I used to use the product "cycle" in my smaller tank, I stopped using it once my tank fully cycled and it caused the cycle to start over. Now I pretty much use it every water change


Getting used filter media isn't an option either.

bolivianbaby

Sorry to hear you're having problems. The above advice will help keep your fish healthy while your tank cycles.

Prime is a detoxifier made by Seachem. You should be able to buy it at either Petsmart or Petco. If not, call your LFS. It's a white bottle with a red label.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

kimb

Seachem Prime detoxifies the ammonia in your tank for 24 hrs between water changes. Agree with thumper, 50% daily. It will slow down your cycle but all you can do to keep your fish alive. If you can get some gravel, or a piece of media filter from a reliable source, put the gravel in a nylon (new one that has never seen soap) and hang in your tank near the filte intake. A piece of media could be shoved into your own filter. It will help speed up the process. Add an airstone, and up your temp a bit (slowly only a degree or so per hour). Good luck, we've all been there before! Please fill in your aquarium info, it will help members give the best advice without having to ask a million questions first!
If you have a 10g already cycled, you could use some media or gravel from there!

xathine

Thanks for the links.

Does API make anything like that? If I cannot find those specific products I'd like to have a backup. And I know for sure my LFS has every API product lol.

thumper

the product cycle dose not have the right Bactria and you will have to add it the hole life of the tank if you do not let the cycle happen naturaly

here is the beginners guide hope this helps!
http://www.fishlore.com/Beginners.htm

as for the api products you would have to ask your lfs about them cause i have never used them or some one with personal exp for this site will be along to help you with that ? hope all goes well for you!

Shawnie

if you can find prime, amquel+, or ammo lock, one of those 3 will be needed once you start seeing ammonia or nitrites....ultimate will not work for an uncycled tank as it removes ammonia not detoxify it ...you need the ammonia to feed the bacteria...but you need it in safe form which the 3 listed will do...you only need one of them tho not all 3....and DO NOT use the product called cycle as others said...it will not do what it says and will not have the right bacteria to self sustain itself..feed sparingly while cycling...it will help keep the ammonia down....it will takes weeks so find the bottle of patience you have hidden in the counter good luck!

xathine

Alright cool thanks.

So 50% daily water changes while adding Prime.

Will that also work as a dechlorinizer? Or should I continue to use that as well?

Shawnie

nope the prime, if you find it, will do it all for you ...no need for anything else....

xathine

Alright thank you very much!

ladylouroll

o i was doing 50% water changes aswell as using stress coat was that not correct? seems to of cycled them fine but ill no incase theres a next time!

jdhef

Stress Coat does not detox the ammonia, as was previously thought. Apparently, the removal of chlorimines produce a small amount of ammonia, and Stress Coat will remove the small amount that is created. Prime and Amquel will detox the ammonia that the fish produce for 24 hours.

xathine

Just picked up the biggest bottle of Prime that I could find.

Did a 50% water change (biggest PITA ever!) and added it in.

I need to find an eaiser way to get the water from the bucket into the tank ><

jdhef

It sounds like you need a Python.

A Python is a gravel vac with a long hose. The hose attaches to your faucet and by turning on the faucet a vacuum is created. Once you are done emptying the tank, you can then use the Python to put water back in. No buckets needed!

As far as water conditioner, you can either put it in the tank before refilling, or add it to the stream going back in.