Cycle Help

[Fishyfanatic]

You keep asking the same question over and over and it has already been answered. The percentage that you change is based on how high your levels are. If you have 5 Nitrites, then by doing a 50% water change, you are lowering it to 2.5. Don't do more than that at once though. This is why having a good test kit is important. The test strips are far more expensive than the Master Test Kits are. I figured it up one day and the strips were something like 800% more expensive than the liquid reagent kits. Try www.bigalsonline.com and look for the AP Freshwater Master Test Kit. It's about $20 after shipping. That will give you 700 tests. The test strips are somewhere around $15 for 20 strips.

 

[lightningryan]

ok, I bought the AP master test kit and tested, here are the new results:

Nirtite - .50
PH - 7.6
Nitrate - 10
Amonia - 0

Let me know what i need to do, water changes? percentage? good results? bad results?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Those results look ALOT better. The Nitrites are not at a dangers level yet, but test it daily and do water changes if it gets above 1.0 ppm. Any Nitrites is not good for fish, but we live and learn. Since you are showing Nitrates, it appears that your cycle is finishing up. I'd give it another week or two and you should be done.

Let me know what i need to do, water changes? percentage? good results? bad results?

Good Results: Ammonia and Nitrites = 0, Nitrates detectable but below 30.
Bad Results: Ammonia 1+, Nitrites 1+, Nitrates 40+
Water changes: If you have bad results, see above.
Percentage: Again, it depends on your level. If you have 2.0 ppm of Nitrites, do a 50% water change. Obviously this will lower your level by 50%. Try not to let it get that high though. Your fish will suffer.

 

[Jchillin]

I have to agree with FF. As you can see, the AP test were far more accurate than the test strips. If your nitrite reading was a little lower or 0, you would be finished.

The water change ratio is good to know going forward in the event you get a spike in the future.

Regular PWC's of 30% (weekly if possible) are great.

 

[lightningryan]

ok, what should i do now to get nitrite to 0?
how much water change? how many?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

There is no magic number. Read the advice that has already been given to you. When the cycle completes you will have 0 Nitrites. You can't do anything to keep it at 0 unless it is cycled. It will slowly work its way down. And when it is at 0, then the tank is cycled. You may have to do water changes every day of 25% but I may only have to do them three times a week of 20%. Everyones tank is different. Noone can tell you exactly how many to do and what percentage. I know you are probably nervous and want to get this right, but take the advice that has already been given. You can't screw up by doing too many water changes. Test the levels and if Nitrites are above 1, do a water change. It's as simple as that.

 

[lightningryan]

Thanks for all your help, Much appreciated

Just did a 60% water change and here are the new results:

Nitrite - its lighter than .25 but darker than 0, so its between 0 and .25

PH - 7.6

Nitrate - 6.0

Ammonia - 0

 

[Skyrmir]

Sounds like your water is in better shape now. Just need to check it every few days and keep the nitrites down under 1. When they go away your done cycling and you can just watch your nitrates to tell how often to do regular water changes.

 

[lightningryan]

so now that i got my levels low, do i need to do daily water changes?

Once its cycled, why is water changes based on nitrAtes?

 

[rich311k]

Change water when nitrites go over one. One of these days they will read zero. At that point do your happy dance, because your cycle will be done.

 

[rich311k]

Missed your second question., Your water changes are based on nitrates because you want to keep the nitrate levels under 20.

 

[Skyrmir]

I'd strongly extremely suggest you read this link and anything else you come across about the Nitrogen cycle. As for the nitrates, rich311k is right you want to keep them under 20.

The quick and dirty is this.
Fish produce ammonia,
Bacteria turns the amonnia into Nitrites,
Another Bacteria turns the nitrites into Nitrates.

The new tank 'Cycle' is simply the waiting time until all these bacteria grow enough to handle what's in your tank.

The idea of the water changes is to put in clean water without any of that in it to dilute the poisons in your water. The only solution to pollution is dilution.

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm

 

[lightningryan]

Thank you so much for all your help, i did reread all the post you guys made in this topic and man there is alot of info. Your help is greatly appreciated. I have learned alot. I will get back to you with future tests.


Thanks Again

 

[severum mama]

Once you are done with the cycle, you should be fine changing 15%-30% of the water every week. But like Rich and Skyrmir said, it should really depend on your nitrate readings. It sounds like it won't be too much longer, keep testing that water!