Waiting for Godot

It's been three weeks since I restarted cycling my tank. For the past two weeks, I've used Stability. I was using raw shrimp for the ammonia, but switched to pure ammonia about a week and a half ago. My ammonia is processing within 24 hours, but my nitrites are still at 5 ppm and my nitrates are at 10 ppm. How much longer should I wait? Should I continue to use Stability or can I just keep dosing with ammonia until the tank is cycled?

 

Just keep dosing, you're almost there! Really! I seem to recall that the reason this can happen is that the bacteria that consume the nitrites are slower to populate than the nitrite-->nitrate one so there's a bit of catch-up still to happen.

Just wanted to add that I love your title

 

You might want to do a small water change to get those nitrites down a little. Once nitrites get above 5ppm it can start to stall the cycle. But you should keep using the Stability. It should help you get through the nitrite phase faster.

 

Just keep dosing, you're almost there! Really! I seem to recall that the reason this can happen is that the bacteria that consume the nitrites are slower to populate than the nitrite-->nitrate one so there's a bit of catch-up still to happen.

Just wanted to add that I love your title

Thanks! I feel like those guys waiting for the tank to cycle.

You might want to do a small water change to get those nitrites down a little. Once nitrites get above 5ppm it can start to stall the cycle. But you should keep using the Stability. It should help you get through the nitrite phase faster.

I'll do that. I need to change the filter since it hasn't been changed since April 5. Can I do that while the tank is still cycling?

 

Have you seen the Sesame Street version of Waiting for Godot? It was on Monsterpiece Theatre

 

I'll do that. I need to change the filter since it hasn't been changed since April 5. Can I do that while the tank is still cycling?

Don't change the filter or you'll lose you beneficial bacteria that you've been working so hard to cultivate! You can rinse the media in old tank water or dechlorinated tap water.

 

Have you seen the Sesame Street version of Waiting for Godot? It was on Monsterpiece Theatre

No! I'll look for that, thanks!

 

Don't change the filter or you'll lose you beneficial bacteria that you've been working so hard to cultivate! You can rinse the media in old tank water or dechlorinated tap water.

Got it, thanks!

 

Does this mean what I think it means?! I'm so excited!

 

Ooh! I think it does!

Do a water change or two to get those nitrates down and you're golden;D

 

Don't change the filter or you'll lose you beneficial bacteria that you've been working so hard to cultivate! You can rinse the media in old tank water or dechlorinated tap water.

This might be a silly question, but if rinsing the filter will cause a loss of beneficial bacteria, so you rinse it in tank water or dechlorinated water instead, would it be helpful, harmful or redundant to return that water to the tank since it is now, presumably, filled with the BB?

I would think it would return that BB back to the tank, but along with any other gunk that was caught in the filter. And would there really be any need to do that on an established tank? Would a un-cycled tank even need a filter rinse that soon, if it were new? Or what about in the case of a previously cycled tank that has to be recycled for whatever reason?

 

You're supposed to wait until the BB has had plenty of time to establish itself and adhere to the media surfaces before rinsing. In an uncycled tank there should be no need whatsoever to rinse it anyway. I would not return the rinse water back to the tank either because aside from the few bacteria it may have rinsed off you'll also be returning junk you don't want. Also, in an established tank, the BB will be elsewhere in the tank in smaller numbers. The longer a tank has been established the more BB there is to act as backup! Rinse gently with a gentle swishing movement, too. You only want to encourage the gross stuff to slough off, not agitate the filter until the media falls apart

 

I add five zebra danios today. I figured I needed a hardy fish until I become more comfortable in this hobby. I am trying to research how they react to light. I want to turn on the tank light, but I don't want to stress them out. Also, the light fixture in the room is very bright. Is that something that will stress out the fish as well?

Another question: Is it ok to do a 10-15 percent water change every week in a 10-gallon tank? I'm getting conflicting information.

Thanks again for your help and encouragement, everyone!

 

You can let your nitrate level be your guide. Do a large enough water change so that your nitrates are under 20ppm just before your next water change. But generally, in a fully stocked tank your looking at a 30%-50% water change weekly.