mini cycle?

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sniperfreak

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
96
My parameters were holding steady for about a week, 0 ppm ammo, 0 ppm nitrItes, 10-40 ppm nitrAtes, but after adding a few (3) fish, now I'm getting ammonia readings again (.25 to .5 ppm), is this a mini cycle or does my biological filter just need a bit to adapt to the increased bioload from the new fish?
 
If you completely cycled at 4ppm of ammonia the filter should be able to handle the bio load. What fish/tank size is it? Also which tests are you using to test for ammonia
 
With nitrates at 40 I'd do some water changing to get those down. Nitrates only leave the tank through water changes which is why its important to change tank water regularly or else nitrates will keep building.

It could be a mini-cycle. How did you cycle the tank?

Regardless, I'd test the water and do water changes to keep ammonia under .25 until it sorts itself out. With ammonia at .5 now, I'd do a couple of 50% water changes.
 
I did a fish-in cycle, the tank is 55 gallons and currently contains 4 Cardinal tetras and 3 Oto's. I'm using the API liquid tests and have been doing pwc's to keep the nitrAtes below 10 ppm, and already preformed a 70% pwc this morning to get the ammonia down below .25 ppm.
 
Otos are sensitive. I'm surprised they survived the cycle.

How long have you been cycling?
 
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