New 55 gallon, first tests

[jjk454ss]

OK, I just got a 55 gallon aquarium and am trying to do things properly. I just filled it with water, and did a test. These are the results:

PH > 7.8
Ammonia > .5
Nitrite > 0
Nitrate > 0

I then added the recommended amount of "Cylce" by Nutrafin. Shortly thereafter reading on here that is is "useless", at least according to some.

Now, I am certainly interested in speeding things along here. I have read about cycling with ammonia and also with raw shrimp. But I can't seem to find any guidelines to go by. If I do the pure ammonia thing, how should I go about it? How much to add, how often to test levels, how often do I add more, ...?

What is the next recommended step here?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

im not sure at all about the pure ammonia cycling. For a 55 gal. you can always throw in 1 or 2 raw shrimps, leave them in there and continue to test your water perameters. You will see ammonia gradually climb and peek, as it starts to fall you will see nitrites start rising. Once you get our nitrates to a good paramater 20 PPM or lower, and your ammonia and nitrites zero out, remove the shrimp and add fish. Keep in mind that you must maintain an ammonia source or your nitrates will start to die. As far as "cycle" goes... that is intended to jump start a cycle, as far as i know. I think the cycle occurs better and more controlled naturally

 

[jjk454ss]

Thanks for the advice, I will probably try and get some shrimp later today.

What about the ph of 7.8? Should I try and lower it or leave it? Also, how do I find out what kind of fish I should be looking at if I leave it at a high ph?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

most everybody on here will tell you that a stable PH is more desireable than one that is constantly being messed around with. I have a constant PH of 7.6 in my tank. Being that you are starting the cycle, you may be able to adjust it slightly because there is no way to harm fish that arnt in there yet. There are some stickys on here about how to naturally alter your PH. I know adding peatmoss is an option to lower it.

As far as fish go in 7.8 PH, many or almost all would be fine in those conditions that I know of, just be sure to acclimate them properly when you introduce them to the tank. It will take some time with the raw shrimp to get an established cycle, you may see your PH alter slightly in that time period. If I were you I would just leave it alone.

 

[elliott_001]

Using pure ammonia is better imo anyway, i have just cycled my tank, i started using shrimp, but got a bit fed up, so i used pure ammonia. Using pure ammonia you can control and monitor your parameters better, also you dont have to wait for the shrimp to break down and start producing ammonia, you can just add it instantly and you know where you are.

I had some help with some seeded material from my brothers tank, which introduced some small amounts of bacteria to get the ball rolling, then it was just a case of adding some ammonia, waiting untill it went, then add some more, and so on.
I then reached a point where i was adding ammonia every day, testing the next and it was gone. So then i started to test for nitrite, this slowly rised, then slowly went down to 0, like the ammonia. There was a slight rise in nitrates, then i did a pwc and added 5 fish. (hope i havn't blabbered to much and confused you!)

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I would use the pure ammonia. When using shrimp, they basically decay in the tank, producing ammonia. But who really wants to look at a decaying shrimp in their tank? Plus, it smells. Add enough PURE Ammonia to the tank to bring the level up to around 3 ppm. Then keep the tank at that level until you start to detect nitrites. Once you detect Nitrites, then half the daily dosage of ammonia. Keep adding until after 24 hours the ammonia and nitrites in the tank test at 0. You should have present Nitrates. Do a large water change (about 75%), then add fish. But add fish ASAP otherwise the bacteria will die off.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You can purcahse Pure ammonia from hardware stores like Ace Hardware. Just make sure it is PURE, no additives. Also, which test kit are you using?

 

[jjk454ss]

Sounds like a good way to go, thanks for the advice. Approximatly how much ammonmia should I be adding to get 3 ppm? It is a 55 gallon tank. 3 ppm, seems like a little drop?

 

[bosk1]

I would use the pure ammonia. When using shrimp, they basically decay in the tank, producing ammonia. But who really wants to look at a decaying shrimp in their tank? Plus, it smells. Add enough PURE Ammonia to the tank to bring the level up to around 3 ppm. Then keep the tank at that level until you start to detect nitrites. Once you detect Nitrites, then half the daily dosage of ammonia. Keep adding until after 24 hours the ammonia and nitrites in the tank test at 0. You should have present Nitrates. Do a large water change (about 75%), then add fish. But add fish ASAP otherwise the bacteria will die off.

That is what I did, and it works. You may find that your cycle "stalls" a couple of times. It will get going again. It just takes time and patience. The only effective way I have seen to truly speed up the process is to add bacteria, either by adding filter media from an established tank, or through a product such as Bio-Spira (you need about 2 oz. for a 55 gallon tank).

As far as how much ammonia, it depends on the concentration of the ammonia that you get. In my case, I added two capfulls and then tested after about an hour (to make sure the ammonia and water were mixed). It was still low, so I added a bit more, and then tested again about an hour later. It is somewhat trial and error. But there is no exact amount you need to add, so if you are slightly higher or lower at this point, it will not matter.

 

[malkore]

Not sure how much ammonia will raise 55gal to 3-5ppm...you'll just have to try it and see. It'll be more than a drop for sure, but obviously not a ton.

I wouldn't mess with pH. Even if you did adjust it now without fish..every water change would push it back to 7.8. In fact the only really reliable way to drop pH is to use RO water, which has no hardness and a typical pH of 6.8-7.0.

I have 7.8 water. No problems, at all, even with my plants.

 

[jjk454ss]

OK, thanks again for the good info 8) .