Update on my tank

[canadiankayte84]

So for those that helped on my previous post, I have FINALLY understood the cycling process fully. I had a grasp but obviously needed to learn still.

I worked forward on a fish in cycle as was suggested (since I don't have anywhere to put my fish until it's complete)

My water is clear, so the bacterial bloom figured itself out.

My water is cycling, I did a reading today. I had Nitrites at 0.25ppm. Ammonia was high, 0.50ppm and Nitrates were constant at 5ppm. So I did a 50% WC and will test again. I did add some live bacteria supplement. Might help, we will see.

As I mentioned, rehomed my guppies. Made the difference sadly but it's for the best.

Thanks for the help...I will keep posting here when I have an issue, as you guys are amazing helpers!

 

[PascalKrypt]

So for those that helped on my previous post, I have FINALLY understood the cycling process fully. I had a grasp but obviously needed to learn still.

I worked forward on a fish in cycle as was suggested (since I don't have anywhere to put my fish until it's complete)

My water is clear, so the bacterial bloom figured itself out.

My water is cycling, I did a reading today. I had Nitrites at 0.25ppm. Ammonia was high, 0.50ppm and Nitrates were constant at 5ppm. So I did a 50% WC and will test again. I did add some live bacteria supplement. Might help, we will see.

As I mentioned, rehomed my guppies. Made the difference sadly but it's for the best.

Thanks for the help...I will keep posting here when I have an issue, as you guys are amazing helpers!

Does your tank have any stocking left? 0.5ppm ammonia is not high (ammonia is not all that toxic, up to 1ppm should not be problem unless your PH is near 8 and if your PH is very low you can get away with way more).
But more importantly, if you do water changes that eliminate ammonia and nitrites from your tank, it will never cycle. If your tank is now without stocking, do not do any more water changes unless you find your tank fully cycled.
If it is still stocked, don't worry about 0.5/0.25 readings. That is fine, especially if you are using a detoxifying dechlorinator. Only do a water change when nitrites exceed 0.5ppm and when ammonia exceeds 1ppm (or 1.5-2ppm with low PH).

 

[canadiankayte84]

OHHHH okay. do I still do weekly WC like I was planning or wait closer to 2 weeks???

It is stocked with my 2 fish and a snail.

 

[MEWaters]

I wouldn't necessarily 'plan' WC. Keep testing your water and perform WCs based on your readings as mentioned above. my .02
ETA - when you're fully cycled you can do your scheduled weekly changes

 

[canadiankayte84]

okay

 

[MEWaters]

make sure you dechlorinate your water every time you add or WC and temp match to your tank before adding

 

[canadiankayte84]

Okay I just tested. Like I said, I did a WC earlier this morning, added the Dechlor but that was all.

I have 0 Ammonia and 0 Nitrites, while maintaining a 5ppm Nitrates....so I'm guessing on what I have learned here- the cycle is complete? *crosses fingers that she has learned the RIGHT way to cycle*

 

[mattgirl]

In my humble opinion when doing a fish in cycle the ammonia and nitrites need to be kept as low as possible with water changes. Even zero is best but often difficult to accomplish. Your fish are constantly adding ammonia so you will never remove all of it. By keeping it as low as possible the tank will cycle but may take take a bit longer. The health of the fish is more important than a faster cycle.

When I found myself doing a fish in cycle I was doing water changes every other day and every day once nitrites spiked. Not once did I get an ammonia reading because I was keeping it too low for the test to pick it up. I know it was there because the nitrites spiked and the tank did in fact cycle. It took a solid 6 weeks from dry tank to fully cycled.

As long as water changes are done to keep the ammonia and nitrites down the fish should not be harmed.

Full disclosure: 55 gallon tank fully stocked. I didn't get my test kit until my tank had been up and running for 2 weeks. There may have been enough ammonia to register during those 2 weeks but by then I had done no less than 7 30% water changes so feel sure I was keeping it down to negligible levels.

When I first got the test kit I was registering zero's across the board and a PH of 7.2 My nitrites started showing up at about 3 1/2 to 4 weeks into the cycle. Once I started seeing them they rose quickly to off the chart. At that point I was doing daily water changes. I did them 5 straight days and after the 5th day they dropped to zero never to be seen again. About the time my nitrites spiked I started seeing nitrates but of course kept them low with the water changes I was doing to control the nitrites. My cycle was done when the nitrites dropped to zero but I didn't consider it totally complete until the water was crystal clear. That happened at 6 weeks. I experienced slightly cloudy water during the whole cycling process.

All of this to say. If there are fish in there do the water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrites as low as possible to protect the fish.

Okay I just tested. Like I said, I did a WC earlier this morning, added the Dechlor but that was all.

I have 0 Ammonia and 0 Nitrites, while maintaining a 5ppm Nitrates....so I'm guessing on what I have learned here- the cycle is complete? *crosses fingers that she has learned the RIGHT way to cycle*

Fantastic news !!!!

I was typing all the above as you were testing. I will go ahead and post it in hopes that it will help someone along the way

 

[canadiankayte84]

Sounds like a plan. Yeah I have clear water and the good readings...so I'm happy. won't touch the water now for a week or unless my readings spike. I'm just...YAY!!! happy fish, happy me

 

[mattgirl]

Sounds like a plan. Yeah I have clear water and the good readings...so I'm happy. won't touch the water now for a week or unless my readings spike. I'm just...YAY!!! happy fish, happy me

Now that you have a stable cycle just add fish slowly to allow the bacteria to catch up with the higher bio-load they will be adding. I would wait a week between additions. It will probably catch up quicker than that but better to wait an extra few days between additions.