The cycle is finally progressing

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ManannanMacLir

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 6, 2006
Messages
41
A week ago, I had my water tested for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. The woman at the fish store who tested it said it was zero for all three parameters. This week, I tested my water again (using my own test kit), and it registered the following:

ammonia: 0.25 ppm
nitrite: 0.25 ppm

This was a few days after I put a piece of shrimp under the sand. I seeded the aquarium with bacteria last week, and this week as well. Judging from these figures, would it be safe to say that the bacteria are flattening out the cycle? Is is normal to have these figures? What can I expect to see next?
 
Do you have any nitrAtes yet? If not, then I'd say you are in the middle of the cycle. Ammonia looks to be going down while nitrItes are starting to rise. Its hard to say though, with just one reading. Check it every day or every other day to see how things are progressing.
 
I just tested the nitrates a few minutes ago, and it registered at 0.00 ppm. So I guess I am in the middle of the cycle after all. How long do you think it will take for me to start seeing nitrates?
 
Depends. BTH, what are you testing with?

and....How are you cycling the tank?
 
Mike469,

I am testing the water with the Freshwater Master Test Kit, by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.
The tank is being cycled with six zebra danios, and a piece of shrimp that I placed under the substrate. (I put the shrimp in there on the advice of a woman who worked at an aquarium shop, who said it would help the cycle progress faster.) The fish have been in the tank exactly three weeks, while the shrimp was placed in there almost a week ago.
 
What size tank? Depending on the size of the tank, adding shrimp will not help with the cycle IMO. As you will have to do water changes to keep the ammonia down to safe levels for the fish. Or remove the fish and do a fishless cycle. If the ammonia and nitrite levels get too high the fish will suffer and possibly even die.
 
Zagz:

To answer your question, it is a 55 gallon tank. Would you recommend that I take out the fish, and just leave the shrimp in there? The woman who recommended putting in the shrimp told me that the zebra danios could withstand the extra ammonia, but maybe you're right about the water changes. I have been putting bacteria into the tank to speed up the process, by the way.
 
definitely take the shrimp out if you already have zebra danios... all the shrimp will do at this point is further pollute the water and cause more stress for the danios... although they are very hardy being exposed to ammonia still burns their gills and can cause premanent respiratory damage and discomfort... although you may never actually see it. '

What kind of "bacteria" are you adding? is it something from a seeded tank or a product like biospira?
 
buttercup,

I've added both Nitromax and TLC bacteria cultures I bought from independent fish stores.
 
ManannanMacLir said:
buttercup,

I've added both Nitromax and TLC bacteria cultures I bought from independent fish stores.

Ive never heard of either of these brands, do they come refrigerated? If not they may not be reliable. Biospira is really the only bacteria product ive ever used that actually works, of course it still might help.
 
buttercup,

No, they don't come refrigerated, but you have to refrigerate them after using them the first time. The guy I bought the Nitromax from swore by it.

Mike 469,

Could I do the opposite and leave the shrimp in there and take the zebra danios out? Would I get a fishless cycle from that?
 
ManannanMacLir said:
Could I do the opposite and leave the shrimp in there and take the zebra danios out? Would I get a fishless cycle from that?

Yes, in fact I cycled with a shrimp once my ammonia spiked so that I wouldn't have to remember to keep adding more each day.
Do you have somewhere you can bring the danio's ?

If you need links to the fishless cycling articles let me know and I'll post them for you
 
Could I do the opposite and leave the shrimp in there and take the zebra danios out? Would I get a fishless cycle from that?

Actually the best and most humane way for the fish.
 
I agree taking the danios out and doing a fishless cycle is the most humane. If this isn't practical take the shrimp out and be prepared to do many water changes. Danios aren't able to tolerate ammonia any more than other fish. They may be more hardy but they will still suffer burns. If you choose to do the fishless cycle, pure ammonia can be dosed instead of shrimp, whichever is your preference.
 
Good Point Zagz. I think that some LFS sell the word "hardy" as can take anything.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. I think what I'll do is take the fish back to the store to get a store credit tomorrow, and leave the shrimp in the tank. I tested the nitrite today, and it was at 0.50 ppm. Yesterday, it looked like it was around 0.25 ppm. I'm wondering if the nitrite can spike that fast.
 
It seems I have been in a similar situation. My ammonia and nitrite sat at .25 while my nitrate was zero. Once my ammonia went slightly about .25 my nitrite went up to .50, now my nitrate has climbed to 20 ppm. The lesson I learned was that it does take "weeks" not days to cycle and that it will happen as the research indicates. I have not added any chemicals other than to treat my tap water for chlorine (Stress Coat). I am using fish to cycle due to lack of knowledge of the fishless cycle, but all seems well. Going to due a big water change due to nitrite level, but I should be close to cycling (a week or two).

Good luck!
 
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