Starting off aquarium cycle

Hi,
I have my 2nd aquarium which is a 200lt and have been having issues to cycle it for 2 months now.
Now I started from scratch including cleaning the canister and the bio balls
What I did is fill the aquarium with tap water and left it running for 48hrs with the filter on.
Then dechlorinated the water in the aquarium with aqua one dechlorinator health plus ( which does not detoxify ammonia).

Water tests:
1) : before dechlorination: ammonia 0, nitrites 0.0
2) after dechlorniation: ammonia 0, nitrites 0.0
3) : (12hrs after dechlorination) : ammonia 0.25 and nitrites 0.25


my question is why is the nitrites coming up so soon?
during the last 2 months I had tried many times to cycle it but always noticed the same pattern, that is nitrites increase slowly on a daily basis even just after dechlorinating the water. ( every day increases by about 0.25mg/lt). I had also tried by not adding any ammonia source but the nitrites still increase slowly once I dechlorinate the water. I also had tried various different bacteria starters like safestart and denitrol.


what could that be?
Do you suggest I add ammonia source just the same and wait until nitrites return to zero?

Joseph

j

 

Definitely add an ammonia source. The only way for the BB to grow is if they have something to eat.

I would suggest Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride, it's what I used to cycle my tank.
They have good instructions on how to cycle and even have a bacteria additive to help colonize the BB.

You can also use Janitorial Ammonia from Ace Hardware, but make sure there are no additives.

 

What are you testing with strips or API?

Running your tank for two days without the water being treated is not a good start.

Adding a hardy fish will proved a strong enough ammonia source.

Use Prime. Its the best. With fish in your tank it will detoxify harmful levels of ammonia and nitrites into a non toxic form.

Your readings tell me that maybe your tap needs to be tested. Stability will help you cycle in a week or two.

0 ammonia 0 nitrites 10-20 nitrates is your goal.

ALWAYS treat water before ever adding it. Or treat volume of the tank before adding tap water.

 

I am testing with API liquid test
the thing is appartently API test kits won't read the ammonium chloride ( the one of Dr tims)
.
Out of the tap, both ammonia and nitrites are 0.0
I left the water untreated in the aquarium to make sure that I start from scratch.
In fact the water parameters stayed 0 (ammonia and nitrites) until I added the dechlorinator.
Once I add the dechlorinator, seems that things start changing slowly.
I read that you use the Dr tim's ammonium chloride. Well, that's what I put in mine as well. but the API test kit never read it properly and I had to triple dose the recommended drops to get to 2ppm!
(probably I then overdosed it with ammonia) but the fact is that the API showed me 2ppm.
somewhere I have read that API won't read the ammonium chloride.
What test kit should I use to read the ammonia? I am trying to locate Kleen off ammonia locally, but seems hard. However I have 2 bottles of Dr Tim's which by now are useless unless I have an proper ammonia test kit that can read its ppm.

 

Welcome to the forum

I've never heard that about the API kit and Dr. Tim's. Many people have cycled their tanks here on the forum using both and they get the ammonia readings. Is it possible you didn't add enough ammonia to register on the kit initially? Because now you're saying you do show ammonia at 2ppm?

Tetra Safestart Plus (did you get the one that says Start Up?) is an excellent bacteria starter though there are specific instructions on how to use it. Can you list the steps you took with it?

I also agree with the others that you'd need to treat your water as soon as it goes into the tank and not after.

Here's a dosing calculator that might help you get the right amount of ammonia:

https://www.fishlore.com/ConversionCalculator.htm#form20a

 

Hi,
what I meant about the API ammonia reading is that according to the Dr Tims instructions, you add 1 drop per gallon to achieve 2ppm. I had to add at least 3 drops per gallon to get the apI test kit read 2ppm.
I have seen on forums people mentioning the API does not properly read ammonium chloride.
When I had tried using safestart before, it made my aquarium cloudy and after 10 days it stayed cloudy.
With regards to water treatment, yes I normally treat it in a bucket before placing it in aquarium. However since I started from scratch and wanted to be sure to start from zero, I said might as well treat the water inside the aquarium, so that even the gravel and filter gets cleaned

 

so you started with using a ammonia source to adding TSS. then starting over?

 

Initially 2 months ago I started **** TSS and fish (as instructed by tss) but water stayed cloudy even after 2 weeks and nitrites were very high over 3mg by the tetra liquid test kit. SO then I started from scratch removed all the water and started again . this time with Ammonium chloride. Unfortunately the API test kit didn't read the ammonium chloride ppm well in the water and most probably I highly overdosed , since instead of 1 drop per gallon, I placed 3 drops per gallon. Only after 3 drops per gallon I could match the water test colour to that of the API test kit,

Now I cleaned everything again and started from scratch , just water and a different filter starter of NTlabs. Will see how it goes! I contacted Ntlabs and they advised that their bacterial starter need an ammonia source, like a little fish food or also some pure ammonia will be great.

 

I find that Dr. Tims recommend dosage (1 drop per gal for 2ppm) is not correct. It's more like 1 drop per gal equals 1ppm. Using that knowledge I was able to dose my tank correctly.

 

I have a couple of dumb questions....

First, have you checked the date of your test kit? Could it be expired?

Second, are you doing the test right? Shake both bottles well, drop 8 drops of each bottle in 5ml of water in the test tube, cap and shake well, then let it sit for 5 minutes for the color to fully form?

 

You need to keep this simple.

The TSS will make it look cloudy because you are trying to establish a stable environment. I used Stability personally. But TSS add entire bottle. And dechlorinator. 24hrs add. Hardy fish. 14 days you do nothing but feed your fish twice a day. After day 14. You test. After that your going to have to ask el337

Prime will help condition water during this process.

 

Initially 2 months ago I started **** TSS and fish (as instructed by tss) but water stayed cloudy even after 2 weeks and nitrites were very high over 3mg by the tetra liquid test kit. SO then I started from scratch removed all the water and started again . this time with Ammonium chloride. Unfortunately the API test kit didn't read the ammonium chloride ppm well in the water and most probably I highly overdosed , since instead of 1 drop per gallon, I placed 3 drops per gallon. Only after 3 drops per gallon I could match the water test colour to that of the API test kit,

Now I cleaned everything again and started from scratch , just water and a different filter starter of NTlabs. Will see how it goes! I contacted Ntlabs and they advised that their bacterial starter need an ammonia source, like a little fish food or also some pure ammonia will be great.

The cloudiness you saw was most likely a bacterial bloom which is common when starting a new tank. It goes away on its own and is not harmful to your fish. When you originally started with TSS (assuming you got the correct one that says "Start Up" or that says "Plus" after Tetra SafeStart), Tetra recommends 1-2 small fish per 10g. 24 hours after the use of a water conditioner, you would then add TSS+ and your fish. You then do no water changes for two weeks and feed very lightly. After about 2 weeks, you would have been cycled. If you didn't follow these instructions to the letter, that may have been why TSS+ failed for you. By the way, you can use TSS+ with a fishless cycle as well.

I'm not familiar with NTlabs bacteria starter. Are you still going to use Dr. Tim's ammonia?

 

When I had used the TSS (not the plus), with the fish, the water got very cloudy and after 5 days of it in the aquarium with the fish inside, the nitrites were very high. I thought my few fish were going to die that's why I removed them from there. And kept the aquarium without fish inside for another week until I cleaned everything. Could be the safestart was not good because it was expired or the bacteria were dead. I had put I small fish per gallon. I am not sure if I will use Dr TI'm ammonia. What I will do is try the drops in a bucket and test

In the meantime I am waiting for some kleen off ammonia from ebay.. Hopefully it arrives today or in the next few days. Until it arrives I have put some pinch of fish food in the aquarium which at the moment has 0.25 ammonia and 0.25 nitrites readings with my API master kit

 

Please make sure you ammonia has no fragrance, surfactants, or additives. The ACE hardware ammonia does not and it is very cheap.

 

TSS keeps your fish safe during the harmful levels. The levels you tested were not harmful levels. API test will show you ammonia and nitrites even when they have been converted. Man you were 4 days away...

 

When I had used the TSS (not the plus), with the fish, the water got very cloudy and after 5 days of it in the aquarium with the fish inside, the nitrites were very high. I thought my few fish were going to die that's why I removed them from there. And kept the aquarium without fish inside for another week until I cleaned everything. Could be the safestart was not good because it was expired or the bacteria were dead. I had put I small fish per gallon. I am not sure if I will use Dr TI'm ammonia. What I will do is try the drops in a bucket and test

In the meantime I am waiting for some kleen off ammonia from ebay.. Hopefully it arrives today or in the next few days. Until it arrives I have put some pinch of fish food in the aquarium which at the moment has 0.25 ammonia and 0.25 nitrites readings with my API master kit

If the TSS didn't state "Start Up" or didn't have the "Plus", then you didn't use the right one. Again, cloudiness is normal in a new tank. Nitrites are expected because of the ammonia converting to nitrites. What kind of fish and how many did you add?

As mentioned, the ammonia solution you add should not have any fragrance, surfactants or dyes. It should just be 10% ammonia and water. Nothing else. I would double check the ingredients before use.

I also want to clarify that TSS+ does NOT protect your fish from ammonia/nitrites. It's not like Seachem Prime that detoxifies them. TSS+ is a bacteria supplement that helps grow the bacteria needed to process the ammonia/nitrite. Any trace of ammonia/nitrite is harmful to fish.

What is your pH?

 

Got some Kleen off pure ammonia finally and put 5ml to dose it to 3ppm. The API test shows between 2 and 4ppm.
On the 3rd day after starting everything from scratch:
With the Ntlabs filterstart in the water, and just before the adding of the ammonia, I tested for ammonia it was 0.25ppm and nitrites between 0.5ppm and 1ppm.