20 Gallon Tank Mini cycle after 7 days into putting fish

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?: 20gallon
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): tap
When did you start cycling the tank?: around 6 weeks ago?
What type of filtration are you running on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): tidal 75 and sponge filter
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.): sponge, purigen, biomax
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: yes from sponge filter
What is the water temperature?: 76

If fish in cycling
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts): 2 apisto, 8 neon tetras, 1 rubber lip pleco
How often do you feed them and how much?: once a day
Are they showing signs of distress? (fish hiding, staying at the top, looking pale, torn fins, etc): nope
Do you have live plants in the tank?: yes
If so are they healthy and actively growing?: yes

Products used while cycling
If this is a fishless cycle what ammonia source are you using? (fish food, Dr Tim’s ammonia, other): N/A
If adding liquid ammonia how often do you dose ammonia in your tank and in what quantity? (1ppm, 2ppm etc.): N/A
If using fish food as your ammonia source how much are you adding and how often?:
Are you using a dechlorinater and if so, which one?: prime
Are you using bottled bacteria and if so, which one?: N/A
Did you add seeded media from a previously cycled tank?: nope
What other products/chemicals are you using? (list them all): aquarium coop liquid fertilizer and root tabs, seachem flourish advance.

Testing and cycling process
What was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): throughly understand
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): api master kit
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: posted
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: yesterday
How much water did you change?: 50%
Did you vacuum the substrate?: yes
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: shook it in tank water
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: N/A


*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.5
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.2

Tap water:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7

I added fish after making sure my tank was cycled exactly 7 days ago. My water parameters have been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 -5 nitrate daily in the past 7 days. I did a water change yesterday and tested my water. My water is at 0.5 nitrite all of the sudden. I can’t figure out what I’ve done that would mess up the cycle. I dosed prime when I did the water change…I tend to actually double dose prime.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can do while waiting the mini cycle to settle. I have dosed stability and a full dose of prime to help with the nitrite. Would a water change be necessary? Or should I wait for a day?

PS: I did disturb the substrate because I added more substrate to allow plants take roots.

 

It shouldnt last for long. Just keep it low with water changes and you will be fine. Mini spikes are nothing like a normal cycle. How many fish did you add all at once?

 

It shouldnt last for long. Just keep it low with water changes and you will be fine. Mini spikes are nothing like a normal cycle. How many fish did you add all at once?

How low should I keep it? Is 0.5 too high? I added all fish at once last Saturday because I did a 2ppm fishless cycling. I had a huge post about it. I’ve been vigilantly checking my water parameters daily to ensure things like this won’t happen. It’s been going fine (0/0/barely any nitrate) until I did the water change yesterday.

 

If you did the Prime dosage, you should be fine but keep an eye on the fish.

One possibility is that your tank's nitrite oxidation capacity is still a bit low. And so a sudden higher amount of ammonia may have caused more nitrite to be produced than ordinary. Hopefully will clear soon. As for the source of ammonia, could be from the water change stirring something up perhaps?

 

If you did the Prime dosage, you should be fine but keep an eye on the fish.

One possibility is that your tank's nitrite oxidation capacity is still a bit low. And so a sudden higher amount of ammonia may have caused more nitrite to be produced than ordinary. Hopefully will clear soon. As for the source of ammonia, could be from the water change stirring something up perhaps?

I searched for dead fish and everyone is alive. I think it might be because I messed around with the substrate. I dumped like a pound or two of sand on top of the previous one to add like half an inch. Argh I’m so disappointed for my fail water change.

I shall keep you guys updated.

 

Yo that is way too many fish in that tank, 20 gallons is enough for just the neons, maybe, if it was a 20 long. Neons especially need really clean water, and I'm pretty sure apistos need a lot more space being somewhat territorial? Plus a pleco?? That is just too many fish in a small space

 

Yo that is way too many fish in that tank, 20 gallons is enough for just the neons, maybe, if it was a 20 long. Neons especially need really clean water, and I'm pretty sure apistos need a lot more space being somewhat territorial? Plus a pleco?? That is just too many fish in a small space

I will see if I can stabilize the nitrite with the stock I have now. They don’t seem to be distressed otherwise so I’m currently not worry about possibility of overcrowding.

 

Make a 50% water change whenever that nitrite rises above 1mg/L.

Any level of nitrite is toxic, except for 0, just like ammonia.

Sand can be a pain in the backside to properly rinse and add into the aquarium. One time, I was topping up the sand during a water change. Rinsing and pouring in the jugs of sand took around two hours and I didn’t even add much. No matter how much I rinsed, the water still went cloudy for a period of time, but it cleared up on it’s own as the sand particles settled.

I won’t come to the conclusion that the sand caused these nitrites just yet though, as I haven’t heard of this happening before.

I agree with Fae; that stocking could be absolute bloodshed one day with the apistos and pleco, but that’s another story.

 

I am not sure whether or not i mentioned adding fish food along with the liquid ammonia while we were getting your tank cycled. This thread explains why I try to remember to mention it but may have forgotten. PSA: Something I am seeing more and more often, fishless cycling.... | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum | 477380

I started the above thread just because I see this happening from time to time when liquid ammonia alone is used to cycle a tank. Once you added fish and started feeding them the bacteria is getting a bit different type of food. Right now it is adjusting and should settle down fairly fast.

 

Make a 50% water change whenever that nitrite rises above 1mg/L.

Any level of nitrite is toxic, except for 0, just like ammonia.

Sand can be a pain in the backside to properly rinse and add into the aquarium. One time, I was topping up the sand during a water change. Rinsing and pouring in the jugs of sand took around two hours and I didn’t even add much. No matter how much I rinsed, the water still went cloudy for a period of time, but it cleared up on it’s own as the sand particles settled.

I won’t come to the conclusion that the sand caused these nitrites just yet though, as I haven’t heard of this happening before.

I agree with Fae; that stocking could be absolute bloodshed one day with the apistos and pleco, but that’s another story.

will continue to monitor to make sure it doesn’t spike higher than 1ppm. I just tested and nitrite is decreasing with no ammonia spike. I will reconsider stocking and moving my pleco to a possibly 55 gallon tank that I’m purchasing in the upcoming week.

I am not sure whether or not i mentioned adding fish food along with the liquid ammonia while we were getting your tank cycled. This thread explains why I try to remember to mention it but may have forgotten. PSA: Something I am seeing more and more often, fishless cycling.... | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum | 477380

I started the above thread just because I see this happening from time to time when liquid ammonia alone is used to cycle a tank. Once you added fish and started feeding them the bacteria is getting a bit different type of food. Right now it is adjusting and should settle down fairly fast.

I just read the post! Wish I have all your expert knowledge prior to doing this whole cycling process. I will continue to monitor daily at least for a week or so. Fingers crossed that the nitrite will be at zero overnight.

 

will continue to monitor to make sure it doesn’t spike higher than 1ppm. I just tested and nitrite is decreasing with no ammonia spike. I will reconsider stocking and moving my pleco to a possibly 55 gallon tank that I’m purchasing in the upcoming week.


I just read the post! Wish I have all your expert knowledge prior to doing this whole cycling process. I will continue to monitor daily at least for a week or so. Fingers crossed that the nitrite will be at zero overnight.

I feel sure the nitrite spike won't last very long. I need to bump that thread up so folks such as yourself can easily find it.

 

Nitrite is still around 0.5. I redosed prime.

 

Nitrite is still 0.5....I'm thinking it might be the root tabs that I put in with the water change. I was researching online and some people say high phosphorus can stun nitrifying bacteria. I might try to vacuum out the root tabs if nitrite is not dropping any time soon.
Another update…I held off on feeding yesterday and fed this morning. Before feeding was 0.5…now after feeding is more like 0.25. Very puzzled by what’s happening.

 

It might be one too many root tabs right after the water change because I'm noticing hair algae today. I just bought phosphorus test but won't come until later.

update: did a 50% water change. Nitrite came down to around 0.25 before the water change. Will do one to establish baseline before I go to bed tonight. I will compare it to test that I’m going to do for tomorrow.

 

Just want to provide an update. After the water change, nitrite had stayed 0 since then. I will continue to monitor daily. I have also decided to return the two apisto. I think with the luck of the draw, my apistos decided to spawn right away. They were ridiculously aggressive but I can see increase in aggression. Want to do what’s best with the current situation. I have gotten two female powder blue gourami instead. Have not seen any aggression. Will continue to monitor.

 

Just want to provide an update. After the water change, nitrite had stayed 0 since then. I will continue to monitor daily. I have also decided to return the two apisto. I think with the luck of the draw, my apistos decided to spawn right away. They were ridiculously aggressive but I can see increase in aggression. Want to do what’s best with the current situation. I have gotten two female powder blue gourami instead. Have not seen any aggression. Will continue to monitor.

Sounds like things have gotten back on track. Probably just a random spike from somewhere, but at the end of the day nothing serious. Hopefully anyways lol.

 

Sounds like things have gotten back on track. Probably just a random spike from somewhere, but at the end of the day nothing serious. Hopefully anyways lol.

I think putting liquid fertilizer with root tabs and then seachem flourish advance all at once increased too much plant nutrients in the water column and messed up the bacteria. I’m trying to get algae back under control. It’s not too bad though.