bolivianbaby

Hello. I just joined, so please be gentle with me.

I have a 20 gallon freshwater community aquarium with five neon tetras, 5 false julii corydoras, and 2 bolivian rams (6-7 months old).

Unfortunately, I didn't find out about the nitrogen cycle until my tank was fully stocked (duh).

I started cycling the tank on 04-28-09. My water parameters are as follows:

ammonia 1.0 (pH is 6.4, so it's ammonium, right?) If not, I'm not afraid to do a water change.
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
Temperature 79 degrees Farenheit

Also, I'm using two Penguin 150 filters to boost the filtration.

The ammonia has been at 1.0 for the last nine days. I'm using Cycle trying to boost the nitrogen cycle and hopefully saving my fish.

What I'd like to know is how much longer until my ammonia level drops and my nitrite starts rising and what can I do (without affecting the cycle) to make the cycling process easier on my fish?

I keep reading good and bad reviews on AmQuel Plus and Cycle, so I'm a little confused. Everyone is active and colorful at the moment and I'd like them to stay that way. From what I've read, it means they're happy.

Any ideas or suggestions or answers would be greatly appreciated!

Amanda

Welcome!
Cycle does not contain the right type of bacteria, so I would discontinue use.
50% water changes DAILY and Prime are what most people would recommend. Good luck!

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!

you need to stop using cycle as its the wrong bacteria and wont sustain a cycle proces.....if you can find some tetra safestart, thats the correct bacteria needed..amquel + will be fine with tss but not on the same day ..if you can find some tss, come back and we will help you with it....you should do daily partial changes even with the low ph and just the amquel + and the water..no cycle..as it is needed to continue the cycle and even tho ammonium isnt as toxic, it still can harm fish .....you will be a few more weeks without tetra safestart ..and the water changes will make it take longer but its needed to the health of the fish ...goodluck!

Lucy

Welcome to Fish Lore

Great advice from the posters above.

Shawnie

bolivianbaby, also wanted to add that MOST of us started out as you did...thats how we found this great site....

aquarist48

Welcome to Fish Lore! Hang in there, do your water changes and things will get better before you know it. A lot of us have made the same mistakes. Amquel+ Nova Aqua + and Immune Plus are all good water conditioners. With ammonia as high as what you have, I'd do 50% water changes at some Prime, Nova Aqua+ Stress coat (some type of stress reliever) and some Amquel + for ammonia problems. The Amquel will not block your cycle and will reduce ammonia levels .

bolivianbaby

I'm on the hunt for Tetra Safe Start. Is Tetra Aquasafe the same thing?

If not, I do have the Amquel Plus. I was afraid to use it because it says that it removes Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammona in addition to the chlorine and chloramines and I wasn't sure if it would affect the cycling process. I will quit using the Cycle and switch to the Amquel while I resolve the Tetra Safe Start issue.

Is 25% daily water change enough to resolve the Ammonia issue?

I don't mind the cycling process taking longer if it will save the fish from my mistakes.

Thanks to everyone for your quick replies and advice.

bolivianbaby

Oops, Sorry aquariust 48. I posted a reply before I saw yours. Forgive me?

You guys are awesome!

aquarist48

Tetra Safe Start (TSS)is not the same as Tetra Aquasafe. If you decide to use TSS then you will not use any additives other than the TSS itself. No water changes while you are using it and no other chemicals. (If I am wrong I am sure someone will correct me). We just had a thread about this but I can't seem to find it. Do not even test your water for 7 days once you add it. Once your tank has cycled then you can use the additional water conditioners.

aquarist48

I found the thread:
results using TSS not good..

bolivianbaby

Thanks. I will continue the hunt for the TSS. If I can't find it, I will use the Amquel+ and the Stress Coat.

Thank you guys so much. And Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there!

AlyeskaGirl

Hello and Welcome to Fishlore!

bolivianbaby

After much searching, none of my LFS have Tetra Safe Start. In my "arsenal", I have AmQuel Plus, Stress Zyme, Stress Coat, and Stability.

I was going to do a 50% water change (to lower my Ammonia level), add the AmQuel Plus and the Stress Coat. Is there anything else I need to do to help with the cycling process and protect my fish?

agabr123

hi and welcome!

i'd toss the stress zyme and stability, they contain bacteria that is terrestrial and not aquatic, so it will drown after a short period of time which is why those products need to be added weekly for the entire life of your tank.

for now, just get a really good test kit (API freshwater master kit is great), 50% daily water changes with the amquel + and stress coat, and monitor your levels.

good luck!

bolivianbaby

I can do that. I was thinking I had too much stuff and that can definitely lead to confusion. I'm assuming the daily testing that I've been doing, right?

I should be breaking into nitrites soon, I hope. It's just driving me nuts that the ammonia level has not fallen yet and that I haven't seen nitrite levels.

Cross your fins! And Thank you!

Drew 43920

Been there ; Done that.
Just keep at it and soon you will be giving others advice.

Shawnie

you only need amquel + while doing the water changes...if you happen to get the tetra safestart, do a 50-60% water change with your amquel + , then wait 24 hours and add your tetra safestart...make sure you get enough for your size tank..after adding the TSS, do not do a water change for 7-10 days....after that time, test the water and see where things are at....it may take a few more days where your ph is lower, but it shouldnt take more than the 10 days...you are on the right track and have got some great advice to know where to go from here...as alex said, the test kit is almost as important as the safestart at this point and happy mothers day to you also!!

Speedy

Hi welcome to fish lore! Glad you decide to join this wonderful forum. It was nice meeting you.

serissime

good luck! we're all happy to help with any questions

bolivianbaby

I can't find the Tetra Safe Start anywhere. Even my favorite "not so close to the house" aquatics store doesn't carry it. Online you pay as much for shipping as you do for the product.

Is the Tetra Easy Balance a nitrifying product?

If not, I'll just keep plugging away with the Amquel+ and Stress Coat (trying to reduce their stress level) and water changes.

To make matters worse, I checked the PH of my tap water. It's 7.6. Apparently, one of the products that I was using before I jumped on here (don't know which one since I've tried a few) drops my PH. Amquel + says it doesn't affect the PH (my tank still has 6.4 thank goodness), but now I'm concerned about a marked increase in PH with the water changes, which will add to their stress level. The Stress Coat will help them with that if the PH jumps up, right?

Any and all information and advice is very much appreciated

serissime

easy balance is pretty much snake oil

your tap is 7.6 but your tank is 6.4? do you have any kind of buffering kind of thing in your tank? pH change isn't really a big deal as long as it is not too rapid or often. Those products shouldn't be affecting your pH like that.

bolivianbaby

Before I joined, I was using Cycle, I'd tried Stress Zyme, and was using Stress Coat. I was only doing water changes once a week (25-50%), so I guess one of those has a buffering agent? The Stress Coat and Stress Zyme is what I was told to use from the LFS. I won't be listening to them anymore.

It couldn't be the filtration system (two Penguin 150's) that has a buffering agent, could it?

I get so confused.

serissime

bleh I am not knowledgeable on pH at all. I would do some research and hopefully someone that knows better than me will come along anyways

bolivianbaby

Serissime-I'm hoping I can just resolve the "cycling issue" and then handle the PH problem (if it arises) without stressing my fish further.

And by the way, you were very helpful so thank you!

The other pets (that are furred and feathered) are VERY GRATEFUL they don't live in the water at the moment.

serissime

no problem. happy to answer any further questions. we've all been there

bolivianbaby

Okay, I think we have good news! 2nd day of 50% water change with Amquel + & Stress Coat:

temp-79 degrees
PH-6.8
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-0

I know that Amquel + is not compatible with certain types of testing kits. I have an API, so that is probably not compatible.

It looks like I'm "starting over"-is that right?
Do I just do a water change when the Ammonia shows over .5 and add the Amquel+ every 24 hours or how do I do this?

I'm not trying to be a pain, I just want to keep the fish happy and healthy

serissime

whenever your ammonia goes over .25ppm or .5, do a water change so it is zero.

AlyeskaGirl

It's OK to have .25.....IMO....since the tank is cycling you will probly have a reading of at least that anyways. I did when I was cycling my tanks for the second time. Once you start to see NitrItes...you will notice the ammonia dropping.....then ammonia will be zero in time but you will have nitrItes and NitrAtes. Perform partial water changes until the nitrItes are zero....and NitrAtes are less then 20.

Also pH plays a part in if it's ammonia or ammonium. The higher the pH the more toxic ammonia is present....the lower the more ammonium that is less toxic. You have a pH of 6.8 and that is good......especially if you are cycling with fish.

http://www.dataguru.org/misc/aquariu...ml#ammonia2ppm

http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/articles/107

Do your water changes daily with Amquel+ if needed and feed fish only once a day. It will take longer to cycle with fish because you have to keep the toxins low for the sake of the fish.....not to get them stressed and that is an open door for disease. Be patient and don't get stressed yourself. lol

bolivianbaby

Alyeska Girl-Those links are really cool and informative! I'm going to get a tap water sample and leave it out for a day or two to see what my "actual" PH level is. Maybe I can prevent some PH fluctuations.

I've saved both links on my computer under my favorites for reference.

I'm still trying to sort out the testing kits Nessler reagents thing, but at least I'm learning.

Thanks a bunch for your help! This place is so neat. Everyone's so friendly. I may have to stay around for awhile.

AlyeskaGirl

Your Welcome!

Yes do stay around......you will learn lots!