Please Help Me, Cycling

[Lucasfaim]

So it's been a week and one day since I got a 15 gallon tank. I went to a pet store and bought a heater, gravel and an air pump (the filter and the light came with the tank). I had no idea about the tank cycling thing, so I set it up my tank and dosed it with prime. On the day after I went to the pet store and got a black moor, he is about 3.5 inches. I started searching up about tanks and found out about the tank cycle and got really worried. I went to the pet store again and bought a quick start and an API test kit. its been a week now and I did 2 20% WC (one yesterday) and I'm testing my water everyday; and dosing with prime every two days to protect the fish. Should I keep doing water changes? because I read that this can slow down the bacteria growth. Should I keep with the prime and the quick start with the bacterias? Those are today water results:

 

[Joshuaharestad]

So it's been a week and one day since I got a 15 gallon tank. I went to a pet store and bought a heater, gravel and an air pump (the filter and the light came with the tank). I had no idea about the tank cycling thing, so I set it up my tank and dosed it with prime. On the day after I went to the pet store and got a black moor, he is about 3.5 inches. I started searching up about tanks and found out about the tank cycle and got really worried. I went to the pet store again and bought a quick start and an API test kit. its been a week now and I did 2 20% WC (one yesterday) and I'm testing my water everyday; and dosing with prime every two days to protect the fish. Should I keep doing water changes? because I read that this can slow down the bacteria growth. Should I keep with the prime and the quick start with the bacterias? Those are today water results:

Honestly I'd try finding a cycled tank for the fish. Sell back or donate to a LFS. Some will baby sit. But that fish will be too big for that tank regardless. Sorry to tell you. Then I'd let it cycle and do something else. Or get at least a 29 for one gold fish.

 

[Lucasfaim]

I'm planning on get a bigger tank for when he grows and it's a fancy goldfish so they don't get as large as goldfishes. I tried giving it back but the store won't accept it, also I tried finding someone who have enough space and know about aquariums to give it to, but I couldn't find any but in the mean while I'm trying to do my best

 

[oldsalt777]

So it's been a week and one day since I got a 15 gallon tank. I went to a pet store and bought a heater, gravel and an air pump (the filter and the light came with the tank). I had no idea about the tank cycling thing, so I set it up my tank and dosed it with prime. On the day after I went to the pet store and got a black moor, he is about 3.5 inches. I started searching up about tanks and found out about the tank cycle and got really worried. I went to the pet store again and bought a quick start and an API test kit. its been a week now and I did 2 20% WC (one yesterday) and I'm testing my water everyday; and dosing with prime every two days to protect the fish. Should I keep doing water changes? because I read that this can slow down the bacteria growth. Should I keep with the prime and the quick start with the bacterias? Those are today water results:

Hello Luc...

I don't see that you have a problem. 15 gallons is a bit small for a fancy Goldfish, but nothing serious. You're simply cycling your tank with a fish which isn't a bad thing as long as you feed a little every couple of days and test the water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have positive test for either, remove 25 percent of the water and replace it with treated tap water. That's it. You test daily and change one-quarter of the water when needed. When several daily tests show no traces of ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. Then, you change half the water twice a week for as long as you keep the tank. The fish-in cycle takes about 30 days.

Pretty simple,

Old

 

[mattgirl]

Cycling a tank really is pretty basic stuff. We start running into problems when we start dumping things in the tank hoping to speed up the process.

First there is your fish producing ammonia. As time goes by nitrites show up. At that point we have both ammonia and nitrites. We keep them down low with water changes.

Before long we start seeing nitrates. And now we are seeing ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Again we keep them low with water changes.

Before long both ammonia and nitrites disappear. They are still being produced but now we have a healthy colony of bacteria growing in our tanks eating them as they are being produced. The end results of that process is nitrates. Nitrates are kept low with our weekly water changes.

All of this to say, water changes are the most important thing you can do to protect your fish during and after the cycling process.

 

[Lucasfaim]

Hello Luc...

I don't see that you have a problem. 15 gallons is a bit small for a fancy Goldfish, but nothing serious. You're simply cycling your tank with a fish which isn't a bad thing as long as you feed a little every couple of days and test the water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have positive test for either, remove 25 percent of the water and replace it with treated tap water. That's it. You test daily and change one-quarter of the water when needed. When several daily tests show no traces of ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. Then, you change half the water twice a week for as long as you keep the tank. The fish-in cycle takes about 30 days.

Pretty simple,

Old

Thank you for all the explanation, I know that 15 gallon is a bit small for a fancy but I'm planning on moving this year or next so I thought maybe I could wait a little more so I wouldn't have to move with a huge tank, Also I don't know if that's normal behaviour but he keeps "glass surfing" (I think that's what its called) and swimming a bit faster than the fancies I've saw on videos and other tanks, but every time I get closer to the tank he start searching for food on the gravel; also it seems that he is like sucking the glass. Is that normal? or maybe he is stressed due to 1ppm of ammonia?

Cycling a tank really is pretty basic stuff. We start running into problems when we start dumping things in the tank hoping to speed up the process.

First there is your fish producing ammonia. As time goes by nitrites show up. At that point we have both ammonia and nitrites. We keep them down low with water changes.

Before long we start seeing nitrates. And now we are seeing ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Again we keep them low with water changes.

Before long both ammonia and nitrites disappear. They are still being produced but now we have a healthy colony of bacteria growing in our tanks eating them as they are being produced. The end results of that process is nitrates. Nitrates are kept low with our weekly water changes.

All of this to say, water changes are the most important thing you can do to protect your fish during and after the cycling process.

Yeh on the second day I did a WC and cleaned the gravel with the vacuum which I think its kinda bad for the bacterias that are trying to grow on the gravel

 

[jdhef]

Welcome to FishLore!

The minimum recommend tank size for a fancy goldfish is 20 gallon for the first and 10 gallon for each additional one. But I think Black Moor's get on the bigger size for fancy goldfish, so if when you upgrade you may want to consider a 29g.

The easiest way to cycle is to use Tetra SafeStart+ Here's what you would need to do if you want to use it:
1) Do a large water change to get ammonia and/or nitrite levels as close to 0ppm as possible.
2) Wait 24 hours. This is very important because adding TSS+ less than 24 hours after adding a water conditioner can cause the TSS+ to fail
3) Add entire, well shaken, appropriate sized bottle of TSS+ (Don't worry if it will treat a larger tank, you can't overdose)
4) Do nothing but lightly feed your fish for the next 14 days (No water changes, no adding chemicals...nothing)
5) On day 14 test your water and if all worked correctly...Congrats, you're cycled.

The more difficult method would be by doing the following:
1) Test daily
2) If ammonia+nitrites is less than 1ppm add enough Prime to the tank to treat all 15 gallons. If ammonia+nitrite is 1ppm or greater, do a 50% water change using enough Prime to treat all 15 gallon.
3) Continue until tank is cycled ()ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites and some nitrates).
This method can take 6 or more weeks (That's a lot of testing and a lot of water changes, so that's why I'm a huge fan of TSS+)

You really want to be vacuuming your gravel. It will not slow the cycle down (especially if you us TSS+). Additionally, you want to encourage the bacteria to grow in your filter media not in your gravel. They say that bacteria will grow on all hard surfaces in your tank, but it that bacteria was effective, you wouldn't need a filter to cycle your tank. The thing is you want your water flowing past the bacteria colony as it does in a filter.

 

[mattgirl]

Yeh on the second day I did a WC and cleaned the gravel with the vacuum which I think its kinda bad for the bacterias that are trying to grow on the gravel

vacuuming the gravel is just removing waste. The bacteria is clinging to the gravel so vacuuming it won't be a problem.

The cycle is important but the health of your fish has to be your first and most important job.

You may want to take a few minutes to read this thread. It pretty much tells you what needs to be done to keep your fish healthy while doing a fish in cycle.

If you still have questions after reading it I will be happy to help.

 

[Lucasfaim]

Welcome to FishLore!

The minimum recommend tank size for a fancy goldfish is 20 gallon for the first and 10 gallon for each additional one. But I think Black Moor's get on the bigger size for fancy goldfish, so if when you upgrade you may want to consider a 29g.

The easiest way to cycle is to use Tetra SafeStart+ Here's what you would need to do if you want to use it:
1) Do a large water change to get ammonia and/or nitrite levels as close to 0ppm as possible.
2) Wait 24 hours. This is very important because adding TSS+ less than 24 hours after adding a water conditioner can cause the TSS+ to fail
3) Add entire, well shaken, appropriate sized bottle of TSS+ (Don't worry if it will treat a larger tank, you can't overdose)
4) Do nothing but lightly feed your fish for the next 14 days (No water changes, no adding chemicals...nothing)
5) On day 14 test your water and if all worked correctly...Congrats, you're cycled.

The more difficult method would be by doing the following:
1) Test daily
2) If ammonia+nitrites is less than 1ppm add enough Prime to the tank to treat all 15 gallons. If ammonia+nitrite is 1ppm or greater, do a 50% water change using enough Prime to treat all 15 gallon.
3) Continue until tank is cycled ()ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites and some nitrates).
This method can take 6 or more weeks (That's a lot of testing and a lot of water changes, so that's why I'm a huge fan of TSS+)

I live in Australia and unfortunately its not easy to find TSS, But I have a similar product that contains live bacteria as well its the API quick start, do you reckon it works the same?

 

[jdhef]

Yeah, you guys have some pretty strict import laws.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I've never really heard anyone on the forum claI'm that they used QuickStart and that it actually worked. Many of those bacteria products really don't work. I think SeaChem Stability may be available in Australia, and many members have been happy with that.

 

[Lucasfaim]

vacuuming the gravel is just removing waste. The bacteria is clinging to the gravel so vacuuming it won't be a problem.

The cycle is important but the health of your fish has to be your first and most important job.

You may want to take a few minutes to read this thread. It pretty much tells you what needs to be done to keep your fish healthy while doing a fish in cycle.

If you still have questions after reading it I will be happy to help.

Yeh I'm really making the fish safety and health my first priority. Thank you for all the help you guys are giving me I've been stressing 24/7 about him. Hopefully everything its gonna be fine at the end. I am also thinking abut going to the pet store where I got him and ask for some gravel of a health and cycled tank, would that help speed the process?

Yeah, you guys have some pretty strict import laws.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I've never really heard anyone on the forum claI'm that they used QuickStart and that it actually worked. Many of those bacteria products really don't work. I think SeaChem Stability may be available in Australia, and many members have been happy with that.

Yeh I saw those I could go get some tomorrow. I could order the TTS online but it would take like a month or so to get here tho, so I don't think that would be helpfull

 

[jdhef]

Yeh I saw those I could go get some tomorrow. I could order the TTS online but it would take like a month or so to get here tho, so I don't think that would be helpfull

No, by the time the TSS+ arrived, you'd probably already be cycled.

 

[mattgirl]

Yeh I'm really making the fish safety and health my first priority. Thank you for all the help you guys are giving me I've been stressing 24/7 about him. Hopefully everything its gonna be fine at the end. I am also thinking abut going to the pet store where I got him and ask for some gravel of a health and cycled tank, would that help speed the process?

It might but I would actually have to think long and hard before I got anything like that from a pet store. The chances of introducing some kind of disease is just to high for me to feel comfortable doing it.

If you can commit to doing lots of water changes you can get this tank cycled. Try your best to keep the ammonia level down to no more than .50. Less is better but .50 should be doable.

Do you have some Seachem Prime? It will help protect your little guy during the cycling process.

You fish is going to constantly beg for food. Don't give in. Just feed him a little bit once a day. The more you feed the more ammonia there will be.

 

[Lucasfaim]

D

No, by the time the TSS+ arrived, you'd probably already be cycled.

should I only use the stability for 7 days as it says on the label? and not do any WC for 14 days as well? ( I mean only if the ammonia docent get to high)

It might but I would actually have to think long and hard before I got anything like that from a pet store. The chances of introducing some kind of disease is just to high for me to feel comfortable doing it.

If you can commit to doing lots of water changes you can get this tank cycled. Try your best to keep the ammonia level down to no more than .50. Less is better but .50 should be doable.

Do you have some Seachem Prime? It will help protect your little guy during the cycling process.

You fish is going to constantly beg for food. Don't give in. Just feed him a little bit once a day. The more you feed the more ammonia there will be.

Yeh I'm feeding once a day like 0.010gm. Yeh I've been double dosing the tank with prime every two days to keep him safe

 

[jdhef]

The no water changes for 14 days is only when using TSS+.

Here's what you want to do:
Test daily, if ammonia+nitrite is less than 1ppm add enough Prime to the tank to treat entire tank volume. If ammonia+nitrite is 1ppm of greater, do a 50% water change using enough Prime to treat entire tank volume. Repeat until cycled (0ppm ammonia,0ppm nitrite and some nitrates).

I've never used Stability, but I would just follow the direction on the bottle.

 

[mattgirl]

Yeh I'm feeding once a day like 0.010gm. Yeh I've been double dosing the tank with prime every two days to keep him safe

As long as you are doing the water changes to keep the ammonia down I really don't see any reason to double dose. More is not always better. Prime is a great product but as I said on another thread. Prime is a band-aid, fresh clean water is a cure.

 

[Lucasfaim]

It might but I would actually have to think long and hard before I got anything like that from a pet store. The chances of introducing some kind of disease is just to high for me to feel comfortable doing it.

If you can commit to doing lots of water changes you can get this tank cycled. Try your best to keep the ammonia level down to no more than .50. Less is better but .50 should be doable.

Do you have some Seachem Prime? It will help protect your little guy during the cycling process.

You fish is going to constantly beg for food. Don't give in. Just feed him a little bit once a day. The more you feed the more ammonia there will be.[/QUOTE

also I read that if you put the water in a bucket ant put the tap water conditioner and wait for 24hours before putting in the tank during water changes might help, bc sometimes when u put the water straight after putting the conditioner may kill the bacterias with the chlorine and chloramine, is that true?

O

As long as you are doing the water changes to keep the ammonia down I really don't see any reason to double dose. More is not always better. Prime is a great product but as I said on another thread. Prime is a band-aid, fresh clean water is a cure.

ok ill add the stability during seven days and do water changes to keep the ammonia down and dosing with prime just to be sure

 

[mattgirl]

also I read that if you put the water in a bucket ant put the tap water conditioner and wait for 24hours before putting in the tank during water changes might help, bc sometimes when u put the water straight after putting the conditioner may kill the bacterias with the chlorine and chloramine, is that true?

Not true at all. With the water conditioners we have available to us there is no need to wait to use the treated water. The conditioners remove the chlorine/chloramines almost instantly.

 

[Lucasfaim]

Not true at all. With the water conditioners we have available to us there is no need to wait to use the treated water. The conditioners remove the chlorine/chloramines almost instantly.

Thank you, I guess I'm just reading to much stuff due to the guilty I'm felling for not searching before buying a fish and making him go trough this.

 

[mattgirl]

Thank you, I guess I'm just reading to much stuff due to the guilty I'm felling for not searching before buying a fish and making him go trough this.

Please don't beat yourself up over this. Lots of folks started out just like you did. The best thing you did once you found yourself in this situation is come to this forum. We all want you to be successful.

As long as you keep the ammonia down with water changes and add prime to detox the little that is left your little guy should be alright.

 

[Lucasfaim]

Please don't beat yourself up over this. Lots of folks started out just like you did. The best thing you did once you found yourself in this situation is come to this forum. We all want you to be successful.

As long as you keep the ammonia down with water changes and add prime to detox the little that is left your little guy should be alright.

Yeh ill, also adding Seachem stability to put some more bacterias?