40G Planted Tank, Little Advice Please

[emmamc91]

Hello all, first post here, i'm not new to fishkeeping, but dusting off some cobwebs, and hit problems, that i've never experienced before.

Firstly, I seeded my new 40G tank, with old substrate in a mesh bag, ran the old filter in it for a few days alongside the new filter, and also used 60l of water from an established tank.

After monitoring with API Test Kit, the usual cycle progressed, ammonia rose to 1ppm, then Nitrite followed, then i noticed both were at 1ppm, so knowing this would be uncomfortable for the fish, did a small PWC... re-tested the next morning... ammonia 1ppm , nitrite down to 0 ... nitrate has also remained at 0...

The tank now has gone cloudy presumably down to a bacteria bloom ... today ammonia is down to around 0.25... with no nitrite increase... fish are happy, feeding every 3rd day to minimize waste... bacteria bacteria still present... ph is around 6.4, probably due to the bogwood... is it possible the ph is hindering my cycle.... it was around 6 last week... any suggestions ??x

 

[Scouser]

Hey Emma welcome to AA!

Here is a great link to help with fish in cycling

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

If you have any Qs after reading you can either ask them here or PM me, either way is good

And again welcome!!

 

[emmamc91]

any reason for the strange nitrite crash, and constant ammonia... ? I've read hundreds of articles, but none tackle this issue?x

 

[Scouser]

any reason for the strange nitrite crash, and constant ammonia... ? I've read hundreds of articles, but none tackle this issue?x

The ammonia will be down to a limited amount of bacteria that change it to nitrites.

The disappearance of the nitrites will be the bacteria that change it to nitrates doing their job.

As you said you had a bacterial bloom, which is normal in a cycling tank.

Once the reserves of each bacteria reaches a good level the ammonia should disappear as will any nitrites and your tank will be cycled.

Just be sure to keep an eye on levels and try not to let ammo or nitrites get over 0.5 as this will stress fish

 

[emmamc91]

but surely i should detect nitrates if that conversion was taking place, i presumed the cycle had stalled... would the plants or something else currently be using the nitrates rendering them undetectable ?? ammo is currently 0.25.. nitrite 0, nitrate, seemingly 0...

 

[Scouser]

but surely i should detect nitrates if that conversion was taking place, i presumed the cycle had stalled... would the plants or something else currently be using the nitrates rendering them undetectable ?? ammo is currently 0.25.. nitrite 0, nitrate, seemingly 0...

It's a possibility that the plants are using the trAtes.

Are you using the API master kit? If you are the trAtes test is known to be fickle, shake the bottles like mad and tap the bottoms on a hard surface to make sure the solution hasn't settled at the bottom.

If your cycle has stalled then I'm not the most experienced with that.

Library Girl is amazing when I comes to cycling info, hopefully you can get some info from her soon.

 

[emmamc91]

i'd have said its quite well planted, so maybe... it is the API Master Test Kit, i'll re-test and see if there's any change... thanks... xx

 

[Scouser]

i'd have said its quite well planted, so maybe... it is the API Master Test Kit, i'll re-test and see if there's any change... thanks... xx

Keep us posted

 

[emmamc91]

well it would seem the API Master Test Kit, is off as you said, after banging the pots off the kitchen tops, and shaking vigorously, nitrate reads 5ppm... not much of an improvement, but an improvement nontheless... so once the last bit of ammonia disappears, i can assume the cycle is complete? and that the bacteria bloom will subside soon.... i must say sparkling water is much more attractive xx

 

[Scouser]

well it would seem the API Master Test Kit, is off as you said, after banging the pots off the kitchen tops, and shaking vigorously, nitrate reads 5ppm... not much of an improvement, but an improvement nontheless... so once the last bit of ammonia disappears, i can assume the cycle is complete? and that the bacteria bloom will subside soon.... i must say sparkling water is much more attractive xx

I thought so lol.

Well I would keep an eye on thing for a week after the ammo vanishes just to make sure your tank doesn't recycle (unlikely!!)

Glad I could be of assistance tho