Parameter help

[ferrariluca07]

hello everyone, i’ve been testing my water, my ammonia level has been staying at 0.25 ppm, my nitrite is at 0ppm and my nitrate is at 10 ppm. i’m cycling my tank, i have one fish, i feed one pellet every other day to cut down on the fish poop. Is there a reason why my ammonia is stuck at 0.25? also when i turn my aquarium light on i see small specks in the water, i’m not sure what that could be ?

Thanks guys!

 

[Lindsay83]

Hi.

It can take longer to cycle a tank with fish in it, because you can't just let ammonia rise to 2 or 3ppm and leave it until it's converted into nitrite. Nor can you increase the temps to speed up the cycle.

That said, how long have you been cycling the tank? And what species of fish do you have? Do you carry out daily water changes, and if so, what percentage of the water are you changing at a time?

 

[ferrariluca07]

Hi.

It can take longer to cycle a tank with fish in it, because you can't just let ammonia rise to 2 or 3ppm and leave it until it's converted into nitrite. Nor can you increase the temps to speed up the cycle.

That said, how long have you been cycling the tank? And what species of fish do you have? Do you carry out daily water changes, and if so, what percentage of the water are you changing at a time?

i’ve been cycling for almost 2 months now. i have one betta which i’m going to move to a different tank once this is cycled. I do 25-30% water changes every week.

 

[Lindsay83]

i’ve been cycling for almost 2 months now. i have one betta which i’m going to move to a different tank once this is cycled. I do 25-30% water changes every week.

OK, what test kit are you using, and how big is the tank?

If you're going to move the fish to a different tank anyway, I'd so so now, assuming you have the tank already. Just move everything, including the filter, water, decor, across to the new tank.

 

[ferrariluca07]

OK, what test kit are you using, and how big is the tank?

If you're going to move the fish to a different tank anyway, I'd so so now, assuming you have the tank already. Just move everything, including the filter, water, decor, across to the new tank.

i’m using API freshwater master test kit, i have a 10 gallon. no i’m just using the betta to get my 10 gallon cycled so it’s ready to add fish. i’m not moving the filter or anything.

 

[YellowGuppy]

The API kit is known to show low dose false positives. If you're producing nitrates and your ammonia levels never go above 0.25 PPM, don't stress too much about it. Looks like you're cycled!

 

[mattgirl]

i’m using API freshwater master test kit, i have a 10 gallon. no i’m just using the betta to get my 10 gallon cycled so it’s ready to add fish. i’m not moving the filter or anything.

One little betta isn't going to produce enough ammonia to grow enough bacteria to handle the bio-load of more than one little fish so if you are planning on cycling the 10 gallon, move the betta out and then stock the 10 gallon with more fish you will be going through a fish in cycle with them in the 10 gallon. Not a problem if done right. A tank is only going to grow enough bacteria the handle the amount of ammonia produced by the fish in it.

 

[ferrariluca07]

One little betta isn't going to produce enough ammonia to grow enough bacteria to handle the bio-load of more than one little fish so if you are planning on cycling the 10 gallon, move the betta out and then stock the 10 gallon with more fish you will be going through a fish in cycle with them in the 10 gallon. Not a problem if done right. A tank is only going to grow enough bacteria the handle the amount of ammonia produced by the fish in it.

so when i go to add more fish i’m going to have a spike in my parameters?? which means the fish won’t survive.

 

[mattgirl]

so when i go to add more fish i’m going to have a spike in my parameters?? which means the fish won’t survive.

They should survive but it will take careful observation and water changes as needed until enough bacteria grow to handle the higher bio-load. Fish in cycling is totally doable but it takes diligence and water changes to keep the ammonia/nitrites down.

 

[ferrariluca07]

They should survive but it will take careful observation and water changes as needed until enough bacteria grow to handle the higher bio-load. Fish in cycling is totally doable but it takes diligence and water changes to keep the ammonia/nitrites down.

so when i go to add fish, i know i should only add 2 fish at a time to let the bacteria build up, how frequent should i be doing water changes and how much water?

 

[Lindsay83]

so when i go to add fish, i know i should only add 2 fish at a time to let the bacteria build up, how frequent should i be doing water changes and how much water?

You'll need to carry out daily water changes while there's any other reading than 0 for ammonia and/or nitrite.

If the species you're thinking of adding is a shoaling species, you'll need to add more than 2 at a time. Hey should be kept in groups of 6, minimum.

Seachem Prime will help keep the toxins away from the fish, while allowing the tank to cycle, but it doesn't replace the daily partial water changes.

 

[mattgirl]

so when i go to add fish, i know i should only add 2 fish at a time to let the bacteria build up, how frequent should i be doing water changes and how much water?

Adding 2 at a time will be the best option. Let your water tests be your guide. Try to keep the ammonia and nitrites down to negligible levels. If your aquarium details are correct I don't see Prime listed. If you do in fact have it you can let the total amount of ammonia plus nitrite go up to close to one. Prime will detox that low amount. If you don't have prime try to keep the numbers as low as possible. It will take longer to grow the bacteria but the health of the fish has to be your main concern.

 

[ferrariluca07]

Adding 2 at a time will be the best option. Let your water tests be your guide. Try to keep the ammonia and nitrites down to negligible levels. If your aquarium details are correct I don't see Prime listed. If you do in fact have it you can let the total amount of ammonia plus nitrite go up to close to one. Prime will detox that low amount. If you don't have prime try to keep the numbers as low as possible. It will take longer to grow the bacteria but the health of the fish has to be your main concern.

i use big als multi purpose water conditioner which i think does the same thing, the bottle says instantly neutralizing chlorine chloramines and harmful heavy metals

 

[Lindsay83]

i use big als multi purpose water conditioner which i think does the same thing, the bottle says instantly neutralizing chlorine chloramines and harmful heavy metals

Prime detoxifies ammonia and nitrite too.

 

[ferrariluca07]

Prime detoxifies ammonia and nitrite too.

sorry i have another question, i just did a test for nitrate, it’s looking like 40 ppm but it’s hard to tell with the colours, is that a harmful level if i wanted to add more fish?

 

[YellowGuppy]

Yes. 40 PPM nitrates is about the highest you can safely go. Do a 50% water change soon to get it back down to ~20 PPM. Also, retest again water after your water change - if it indicates anything higher than 20 PPM after a 50% change, it means that your nitrates levels were actually higher than 40 PPM, meaning you might have to do additional water changes to get it to a manageable level.

 

[ferrariluca07]

Yes. 40 PPM nitrates is about the highest you can safely go. Do a 50% water change soon to get it back down to ~20 PPM. Also, retest again water after your water change - if it indicates anything higher than 20 PPM after a 50% change, it means that your nitrates levels were actually higher than 40 PPM, meaning you might have to do additional water changes to get it to a manageable level.

so i wouldn’t have to get something to lower the nitrates? water changes will bring them down.

 

[YellowGuppy]

Correct. There are other ways to get nitrates down (extensive planting, anaerobic nitrification, etc.) but water changes are the easiest and most calculable means of reducing nitrates.

That being said, if you want to get some live plants, they're a great addition to any tank, and they help a lot with water parameters.

 

[ferrariluca07]

Correct. There are other ways to get nitrates down (extensive planting, anaerobic nitrification, etc.) but water changes are the easiest and most calculable means of reducing nitrates.

awesome thank you!