API Stress Coat and Stress Zyme during cycling?

[Aqua315]

Hi everyone. I've been trying to restart a badly neglected 28gal tank. I'm currently doing an in fish cycle because I still had fish in the tank from the old set up. I have 2 neons and 1 blue gourami. It's been cycling for 2 weeks now. I pretty much had left it alone the first week because I didn't want to stress the fish out too much, they'd been through enough already. After the first week I changed the filter cartridge which was the last thing to be changed from the old set up.

Then last week I started browsing this site and asking questions to help me along. I was told to do 50% pwc daily and test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. I've been doing this for the past 4 days (Although i missed yesterday) and haven't seen much change. I'm going to do another 50% pwc tonight. I'm wondering if I'm using the right chemicals. Every time I do a pwc I add 15ml of API stress coat and stress zyme. Are these ok to be using?

My water test results from earlier today were:

pH:7.0
NO2: 1.0ppm
NO3: 20ppm
Ammonia: 0.25-0.50ppm

The ammonia has spiked slightly from the last time I tested but I believe this is just because I missed the pwc yesterday. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. I guess I just want some reaffirmation that I'm doing what I should be doing. "Keep doing what you're doing and you should see some results soon." - something like that would be awesome.

 

[jcolon]

. After the first week I changed the filter cartridge which was the last thing to be changed from the old set up.

When you say you changed the filter cartridge ... did you completely replace the old one ... or did you place the old one next to the new one? Completely getting rid of the old one could set your cycle back as you could've tossed a bunch of beneficial bacteria that could've grown on the pad.

 

[Dylan5359]

Well as you probably already know an in fish cycle is a bit cruel. I do see the fish were already in the tank, and your just trying to give a better life to the neglected fish, so keep doing what your doing. Keep up with the water changes, if you miss a day it could result in fatality. I would just dose with API stress coat, because IMO it's not good to be mixing chemicals and throwing them in the tank with live organisms. API is a trusted company, and I use their stress coat dechlorinator myself. So chose one and dose accordingly.

 

[Aqua315]

When you say you changed the filter cartridge ... did you completely replace the old one ... or did you place the old one next to the new one? Completely getting rid of the old one could set your cycle back as you could've tossed a bunch of beneficial bacteria that could've grown on the pad.

Yeah I completely replaced the old one. I didn't know then that it was actually beneficial so when I saw how nasty it had gotten i just replaced it.

 

[Aqua315]

Well as you probably already know an in fish cycle is a bit cruel. I do see the fish were already in the tank, and your just trying to give a better life to the neglected fish, so keep doing what your doing. Keep up with the water changes, if you miss a day it could result in fatality. I would just dose with API stress coat, because IMO it's not good to be mixing chemicals and throwing them in the tank with live organisms. API is a trusted company, and I use their stress coat dechlorinator myself. So chose one and dose accordingly.

ok I'll skip the stress zyme during tonights pwc. I know that the in fish cycling is cruel and I honestly didn't want to do it. Theres a lfs near me that will take fish "donations" and I honestly wanted to give away the 3 I had and start over completely but my mom went all "No! We've had those neons since we started that tank you can't give them away! And you're not getting rid of Rami!!!" (Rami is the blue gourami) So I didn't have much of a choice. I am however, making sure I don't get any new fish until my tank is back in order.

 

[jcolon]

oppps .. oh well live and learn. In terms of chemicals? What de-chlorinator are you using? Seachem Prime is what's recommended and really should be the only chemical you need to use.

Since however ... you have the stress coat, I say use it until you get past the cycle.

 

[Dylan5359]

She's using the API stress coat. It is also a dechlorinator.

 

[Aqua315]

oppps .. oh well live and learn. In terms of chemicals? What de-chlorinator are you using? Seachem Prime is what's recommended and really should be the only chemical you need to use.

Since however ... you have the stress coat, I say use it until you get past the cycle.

I've been using stress coat which is also a dechlorinator and stress zyme.
I looked in my fish tank drawer and found an old container of Seachem Neutral Regulator. It says it adjusts pH to 7.0 and removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Should I use this instead?

 

[Dylan5359]

No, you want nitrifying bacteria growing, don't jeopardize your cycle with anything artificial. You don't want anything altering pH either. That just gives your fish another thing to stress about.

 

[jcolon]

She's using the API stress coat. It is also a dechlorinator.

Yep ... just realized it after I posted Duh .... I confused it with meds for some reason.

 

[Aqua315]

Ok I'll just use the stress coat for tonight. Should I get some seachem prime now or wait until the cycle is over? If I do get it, should I dose after every pwc like I've been doing with the stress coat?

 

[Dylan5359]

You'll just be wasting money. I use API stress coat for all my tanks as a dechlorinator. Your fine.

 

[Aqua315]

You'll just be wasting money. I use API stress coat for all my tanks as a dechlorinator. Your fine.

Finally something I like to hear. I'll just keep up with the daily 50% pwc and testing but I'll drop the stress zyme. One last question. On the bottle of stress coat it says I should use it when adding new fish. I'm no where near there yet but it'd be nice to know for future reference if this is right.

 

[jcolon]

Ok I'll just use the stress coat for tonight. Should I get some seachem prime now or wait until the cycle is over? If I do get it, should I dose after every pwc like I've been doing with the stress coat?

Really no need to in this case .. continue to go with the de-chlorinator you're comfortable with. To be honest ... I don't have Seachem Prime either ... bought something else before AA came along. I'll switch to SP but your brand's good also.

 

[Dylan5359]

It's meant for new fish to reduce unnecessary stress during acclimating and what not. You don't need too. I personally would just do PWC's. Mostly because continuously dosing with stress coat scares me a bit.