Tank Cycling Confusion

[MelloKitty711]

Are these good water parameters? I had a bunch of fish dumped on me so I was forced to do a fish in cycle while knowing nothing about aquariums. So it's been a learning process for me. Right now I have 3 corys and 5 guppy fry in the tank. The guppy fry at times seem slow and sickish... but the corys are okay from what I can tell.

I have 5 plants in the aquarium and it's a 20 gallon. It's been going for about 4 weeks now. I would think the ph is a little low and that it's good everything is at 0, but shouldnt there be nitrates if its cycled?

 

[NC122606]

Are these good water parameters? I had a bunch of fish dumped on my so I was forced to do a fish in cycle while knowing nothing about aquariums. So it's been a learning process for me. Right now I have 3 corys and 5 guppy fry in the tank. The guppy fry at times seem slow and sickish... but the corys are okay from what I can tell.

I have 5 plants in the aquarium and it's a 20 gallon. It's been going for about 4 weeks now. I would think the ph is a little low and that it's good everything is at 0, but shouldnt there be nitrates if its cycled? View attachment 569891

I would retake the Nitrate test, this time shake the heck out of that bottle number 2 for about 1 minute and then test again.

 

[MelloKitty711]

I would retake the Nitrate test, this time shake the heck out of that bottle number 2 for about 1 minute and then test again.

I just did again, it's still a pale yellow. I shook the #2 bottle vigorously for a minute as well as the test tube

 

[NC122606]

I just did again, it's still a pale yellow. I shook the #2 bottle vigorously for a minute as well as the test tube

That is weird, there is no way you can have 0s across the board with fish and only 5 plants... I think you might have to blame this on the test kit. Do you have an LFS that will test your water for you?

 

[MelloKitty711]

That is weird, there is no way you can have 0s across the board with fish and only 5 plants... I think you might have to blame this on the test kit. Do you have an LFS that will test your water for you?

Oh.. weird. It seems that the ammonia is at .25 because it has a slight green tinge but that's still not much. I could go get it tested. Maybe I change the water too frequently? I've been changing 10 to 20 percent almost every day because I didnt want the fish in cycle to stress the fish too much or kill them. Is that too often?

 

[NC122606]

Oh.. weird. It seems that the ammonia is at .25 because it has a slight green tinge but that's still not much. I could go get it tested. Maybe I change the water too frequently? I've been changing 10 to 20 percent almost every day because I didnt want the fish in cycle to stress the fish too much or kill them. Is that too often?

There it is, you are doing it too often and not even letting the conversions happen. Just use seachem prime for your fish it worked on mine and did not get ammonia posion.

 

[MelloKitty711]

There it is, you are doing it too often and not even letting the conversions happen. Just use seachem prime for your fish it worked on mine and did not get ammonia posion.

Ohhh okay, so do I use the prime everyday still?

 

[NC122606]

Ohhh okay, so do I use the prime everyday still?

Yes, every 48 hours would work.

 

[MelloKitty711]

Yes, every 48 hours would work.

Okay awesome, thank you!

 

[Momgoose56]

Welcome to fishlore!
To answer your question, yes, there should be nitrates!
Just going to put my 2 cents in here. But first a few questions:
1.How often and how much water are you changing?
2.Are you using tap water in the tank? And is it domestic (city) water or well water?
3.How did you cycle the tank?
4.Is there a filter and heater running on the tank?
My 2 cents:
Your pH is extremely low for a tank to cycle properly and it doesn't look like it ever actually cycled.
My advice is:
1.Test your tap water pH. If it's domestic treated water the pH right out of the tap is probably higher than the tank water.
2.If it is, get some crushed coral or aragonite and add it, in a mesh media bag, directly in the filter overflow area where your other filter media is. 2/3 cup would be enough for a 20 gallon tank. It will slowly bring the pH up in the tank so nitrifying bacteria will be able to grow.
3.Get Prime, as NC122606 suggested. When you start seeing ammonia with tests, start dosing the tank with it every 48 hours.
4.Do water changes to keep combined ammonia/nitrite levels < 1.0 ppm but > 0 ppm.
5.Prime is a dechlorinator also, so if you use a dechlorinator, quit using it. Use Prime for water changes as well as an ammonia/nitrite neutralizer.

 

[MelloKitty711]

I have been changing it too much, I was changing it every day or every other day, 10-20%.

I'm using city tap water.

I've been doing a fish-in cycle, just waiting for it to eventually cycle. I used seachem stability for a couple weeks and used some media from another tank, but other than water changes I've done nothing else.

I do have a filter and heater, and I've only been using prime for water changes.

I'll test the tap water and tank ph today, a couple days ago when I tested the ph it was at 7.0, so I'm a little confused as to why it changed. Maybe I didnt test it correctly last night but I was pretty sure I had. If it's still low I will go buy some crushed coral like you said.

Welcome to fishlore!
To answer your question, yes, there should be nitrates!
Just going to put my 2 cents in here. But first a few questions:
1.How often and how much water are you changing?
2.Are you using tap water in the tank? And is it domestic (city) water or well water?
3.How did you cycle the tank?
4.Is there a filter and heater running on the tank?
My 2 cents:
Your pH is extremely low for a tank to cycle properly and it doesn't look like it ever actually cycled.
My advice is:
1.Test your tap water pH. If it's domestic treated water the pH right out of the tap is probably higher than the tank water.
2.If it is, get some crushed coral or aragonite and add it, in a mesh media bag, directly in the filter overflow area where your other filter media is. 2/3 cup would be enough for a 20 gallon tank. It will slowly bring the pH up in the tank so nitrifying bacteria will be able to grow.
3.Get Prime, as NC122606 suggested. When you start seeing ammonia with tests, start dosing the tank with it every 48 hours.
4.Do water changes to keep combined ammonia/nitrite levels < 1.0 ppm but > 0 ppm.
5.Prime is a dechlorinator also, so if you use a dechlorinator, quit using it. Use Prime for water changes as well as an ammonia/nitrite neutralizer.

I tested my tap water, and it is 7.0?? But the tank water I tested twice and it is still 6.0

I just don't understand why the tank water would be so much lower.

 

[NC122606]

I tested my tap water, and it is 7.0?? But the tank water I tested twice and it is still 6.0

I just don't understand why the tank water would be so much lower.

What do you have in your tank as decoration?

 

[MelloKitty711]

What do you have in your tank as decoration?

It's a planted aquarium with flora max substrate, and I have two fake rock cave things for the fish to hide in, and some larger pebble rocks, other than that nothing else. There are five plants in the tank, there's some grass, and a java fern, not sure what the other plants are honestly because they were given to me by a friend. And I have a bubble wand on the glass for increasing oxygen.

What do you have in your tank as decoration?

Also when I tested the ph several days ago and also several times before that, it was 7.0. And I am using the same test kit, nothing has been changed with the tank other than water changes. The only thing I've done is remove the guppy fry from their mesh breeder and let most of the plants float on the top for them to hide in.

 

[NC122606]

It's a planted aquarium with flora max substrate, and I have two fake rock cave things for the fish to hide in, and some larger pebble rocks, other than that nothing else. There are five plants in the tank, there's some grass, and a java fern, not sure what the other plants are honestly because they were given to me by a friend. And I have a bubble wand on the glass for increasing oxygen.

The only thing I think it would be is the pebble rocks. It depends what type it is though. It could be lowering the pH.

 

[MelloKitty711]

The only thing I think it would be is the pebble rocks. It depends what type it is though. It could be lowering the pH.

That's random. I can try taking those out.

 

[Momgoose56]

That's random. I can try taking those out.

Rocks won't lower your pH. Water companies will add alkaline buffers (like soda ash or calcium carbonate) to acidic water to bring the pH up so the acidic water doesn't corrode pipes. Once it reaches your house and is exposed to air, the pH quickly drops. I figured that's what was happening. So again, adding crushed coral (most tropical fish stores sell it) to your filter will keep it from dropping and your guppys and most other tropical fish you get do better with a more neutral pH anyway. Especially the guppys who do best with a pH between 7 and 8. Plus your tank will actually be able to grow the bacteria it needs to cycle at a higher pH.

 

[NC122606]

Rocks won't lower your pH. Water companies will add alkaline buffers (like soda ash or calcium carbonate) to acidic water to bring the pH up so the acidic water doesn't corrode pipes. Once it reaches your house and is exposed to air, the pH quickly drops. I figured that's what was happening. So again, adding crushed coral (most tropical fish stores sell it) to your filter will keep it from dropping and your guppys and most other tropical fish you get do better with a more neutral pH anyway. Especially the guppys who do best with a pH between 7 and 8. Plus your tank will actually be able to grow the bacteria it needs to cycle at a higher pH.

Oops... mixed it up some higher the pH not lower.

 

[MelloKitty711]

Rocks won't lower your pH. Water companies will add alkaline buffers (like soda ash or calcium carbonate) to acidic water to bring the pH up so the acidic water doesn't corrode pipes. Once it reaches your house and is exposed to air, the pH quickly drops. I figured that's what was happening. So again, adding crushed coral (most tropical fish stores sell it) to your filter will keep it from dropping and your guppys and most other tropical fish you get do better with a more neutral pH anyway. Especially the guppys who do best with a pH between 7 and 8. Plus your tank will actually be able to grow the bacteria it needs to cycle at a higher pH.

Oh okay. That makes more sense. Because the tap water is higher right out of the faucet than it is in the tank. I'll get some crushed coral soon. Will this kill the fish ?

 

[NC122606]

LynnwoodFishDad

 

[Momgoose56]

Oh okay. That makes more sense. Because the tap water is higher right out of the faucet than it is in the tank. I'll get some crushed coral soon. Will this kill the fish ?

It might be why the guppy fry aren't acting right.

 

[MelloKitty711]

It might be why the guppy fry aren't acting right.

Well at least I've finally got some answers... their mother acted the same way before she died.

 

[LynnwoodFishDad]

Crushed coral is great. I’ve got a mesh bag full of it in both my HOB filters. Try and keep your water changes to one a week. Give your tank the bacteria it needs and stop freaking out your fish! All should be good then.