10 Gallon Tank Help with fish-in cycling

Hi so I have had this tank running for almost a month and I added my fish (3 platys) one week after I got the tank. Then 2 weeks later I got 5 platys (now I have 8 platys in total) I been checking the water parameters every day, now it’s been almost a month (it’s going to be a month on the 28th) and I have 4.0ppm ammonia, 1ppm nitrites, and 5.0ppm nitrates, Am I doing good? Should I do a water change? If so is a 20% water change good? Or should I do a bigger one.

 

You need to be doing frequent WCs while you are doing a fish-in cycle to prevent ammonia and nitrite from getting to toxic levels. Nitrites are especially deadly to fish and should never be allowed to get this high with a fish-in cycle. Are you vacuuming the gravel to suck up excess fish-food and waste? If not, you need to be. The decomposing organics would be contributing to your levels.

I would immediately do a large WC like 80% then another large WC tomorrow. Ammonia and nitrite should be kept around 0.5 ppm COMBINED while doing a fish-in cycle to minimize the risk for the fish.

 

You need to be doing WCs while you are doing a fish-in cycle to prevent ammonia and nitrite from getting to toxic levels as they are now. I would immediately do a large WC like 80% then another large WC tomorrow. Ammonia and nitrite should be kept around 0.5 ppm COMBINED while doing a fish-in cycle to minimize the risk for the fish.

I been doing water changes of 50% weekly since I got the fish, but I was wondering if need it to do one because the ammonia and nitrites never been this high.

 

I been doing water changes of 50% weekly since I got the fish, but I was wondering if need it to do one because the ammonia and nitrites never been this high.

That is no where near enough, and that's why your ammonia and nitrite have gotten so high. You probably have to do a WC everyday to every other day to keep levels within safe ranges.

50% weekly WCs are usually recommended for cycled tanks because there is enough BB to process ammonia and nitrite. While cycling you have to be removing these compounds via WCs until you grow enough BB.

 

That is no where near enough, and that's why your ammonia and nitrite have gotten so high. You probably have to do a WC everyday to every other day to keep levels within safe ranges.

I’m going to do a 80% water change right now and about seachem prime should I double the dose or just the right amount.

 

I’m going to do a 80% water change right now and about seachem prime should I double the dose or just the right amount.

I would double dose the prime to help detoxify ammonia and nitrite until your next WC. 80% should make a dent in the nitrite but I would still recommend doing another large WC tomorrow to get ammonia down. Keep doing large WCs until ammonia is down to 0.25 - 0.50 ppm then you can cut back to 50% WCs every 1-2 days.

 

I would double dose the prime to help detoxify ammonia and nitrite until your next WC. 80% should make a dent in the nitrite but I would still recommend doing another large WC tomorrow to get ammonia down. Keep doing large WCs until ammonia is down to 0.25 - 0.50 ppm then you can cut back to 50% WCs every 1-2 days.

Okay I will, thank you so much!!

 

Okay I will, thank you so much!!

I would double dose the prime to help detoxify ammonia and nitrite until your next WC. 80% should make a dent in the nitrite but I would still recommend doing another large WC tomorrow to get ammonia down. Keep doing large WCs until ammonia is down to 0.25 - 0.50 ppm then you can cut back to 50% WCs every 1-2 days.

Hi so I did the 80% water change you told me and 1 Platy died the day I did de water change now I only have 7 platys.

 

Hi so I did the 80% water change you told me and 1 Platy died the day I did de water change now I only have 7 platys.

I don't want to sound harsh but it is possible you will lose more than one. Unfortunately these fish have been exposed to high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Over time it has caused damage. We can only hope too much damage hasn't been done. Now that you know to do so keep up with the water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrites as low as possible even if that means doing water changes daily.

Be sure you add the Prime to the fresh water before pouring it in the tank if you have chlorine in your tap water. We don't want to expose fish or bacteria to any chlorine.

 

I don't want to sound harsh but it is possible you will lose more than one. Unfortunately these fish have been exposed to high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Over time it has caused damage. We can only hope too much damage hasn't been done. Now that you know to do so keep up with the water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrites as low as possible even if that means doing water changes daily.

Be sure you add the Prime to the fresh water before pouring it in the tank if you have chlorine in your tap water. We don't want to expose fish or bacteria to any chlorine.

I did a water change today, I tested the water before and I have 1.0ppm ammonia, 0.50ppm nitrites, and 5.0ppm nitrates.

I don't want to sound harsh but it is possible you will lose more than one. Unfortunately these fish have been exposed to high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Over time it has caused damage. We can only hope too much damage hasn't been done. Now that you know to do so keep up with the water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrites as low as possible even if that means doing water changes daily.

Be sure you add the Prime to the fresh water before pouring it in the tank if you have chlorine in your tap water. We don't want to expose fish or bacteria to any chlorine.

I did a water change today, I tested the water before and I have 1.0ppm ammonia, 0.50ppm nitrites, and 5.0ppm nitrates.

 

I did a water change today, I tested the water before and I have 1.0ppm ammonia, 0.50ppm nitrites, and 5.0ppm nitrates.

Were these the readings before the water change or after the water change. If after, what were the readings.

If ammonia and nitrites are still more than .25 each wait for a few hours and go ahead and do another water change. You want to get and keep both ammonia and nitrites down to no more than .25 each.

 

Were these the readings before the water change or after the water change. If after, what were the readings.

If ammonia and nitrites are still more than .25 each wait for a few hours and go ahead and do another water change. You want to get and keep both ammonia and nitrites down to no more than .25 each.

It was before the water change, how long should I wait to do another water change? And how much water should I change?

 

It was before the water change, how long should I wait to do another water change? And how much water should I change?

Let your test results determine when to do water changes and how much to change. If the ammonia is .5 a 50% water change will get it down to .25 I like to give the fish time to settle down after a water change so would wait at least 4 hours.

Keep in mind. With this many fish in a 10 gallon tank ammonia is going to build up quickly so run the ammonia and nitrite test every day and do a water change if either are above .25

 

Let your test results determine when to do water changes and how much to change. If the ammonia is .5 a 50% water change will get it down to .25 I like to give the fish time to settle down after a water change so would wait at least 4 hours.

Keep in mind. With this many fish in a 10 gallon tank ammonia is going to build up quickly so run the ammonia and nitrite test every day and do a water change if either are above .25

Ok will do the water change today in 4 hours, I’ll test the water tomorrow morning and I’ll post a update. Thank you for the advice!