New 38 gallon tank that's just about 2 weeks old is just starting to show a slight and I mean slight neon green-yellow on api chart for ammonia. I test everyday and add bacteria in a bottle every other day. I have 4 tetras in there and feed them 1x a day. Now from reading post after post on many different sites regarding cycling is enough to make my head explode. Everyone has something different to say. Water changes? Taking fish out and adding ammonia? If so do I need to sit there and watch the tank 24 hours a day to make sudden emergency water changes? NO IDEA!!!
cycling tank is annoying
- Thread starter brad15
- Start date
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librarygirl
Look It Up
Hi Brad. I hear you; cycling can be confusing!
What kind of tetras do you have? Four Tetras in a 38 gal tank isn't much so that's probably why your ammonia is slow to increase (which is good). Do you have live plants? What kind of bacteria starter are you using?
How often do you test the water now? I'd say test once a day, twice at most if you're paranoid (like me lol). Then when ammonia and/or nitrite are .25 or above (on the API kit, what test kit are you using?) do water change(s) to get them down as close to 0 as you can. As the cycle progresses you'll likely start seeing nitrite which is as toxic as ammonia and will rise a lot more quickly so staying on top of water changes and testing is going to be important. I wouldn't add any more fish until the tank fully cycles. There's a link in my signature to a guide for fish-in cycling: new tank with fish. Give it a read and see if it clears some stuff up for you. Good luck!
ashleynicole
Aquarium Advice Addict
What are your readings for nitrites and nitrates?
librarygirl
Look It Up
If you have some nitrates then you may be cycled or close-to. Do you have nitrates in your tap water? Did you use the tank water from another tank? I'm just trying to figure out why the nitrates are so high (the bacteria in a bottle stuff could also be causing odd readings which is one reason I personally don't like using them). With nitrates approaching 40 I'd do a 50% water change to get the nitrates and ammonia down.
Also test the tank water's ammonia test against some spring water. The ammonia test can be hard to differentiate between 0 and .25; the best way to tell for sure is to test some spring water and compare the two tubes. If they match, your tank has 0 ammonia.
The nitrates are coming from tap water. Kinda high right? Was gonna add a nitrate remover/ reducer but my lfs said to wait during cycling. So my ammonia readings could be a no-go? Great. I will test spring water when I get home. But now that I think about it, when tank was first set up the ammonia reading was a pure yellow on api chart so...
I did use some water from other tank when starting new one but was told by people on this site that its a waste of time. They said the bacteria just doesn't hang out in the water freely. And now after doing all this research on cycling I am beginning to wonder if my other tank was ever cycled correctly or at all. I've had the same fish for at least 2 years if not more but didn't know about nitrogen cycle. When cleaning other tanks filter I replaced all media all the time and cleaned with tap water etc. How was I supposed to know? Now that I do know I feel bad for fishies and feel stuck in this cycle taking which feels like forever.
librarygirl
Look It Up
Don't be discouraged. If your fish have lived for 2 years you're doing something right. 
Your other tank should be cycled I would think by now (when was the last time you changed filter media). Cycling happens whether we're watching it or not; it's just best for the fish to keep an eye on paramaters and do water changes as needed so the fish don't suffer.
Cycling take about 1-3 months on average, it really depends on the individual tank. So no not forever, it'll just feel like that.
So your tap water is 30-40 nitrate out of the tap? How often do you do water changes on your 10 gal? Have you tested parameters recently on that tank?
Your other tank should be cycled I would think by now (when was the last time you changed filter media). Cycling happens whether we're watching it or not; it's just best for the fish to keep an eye on paramaters and do water changes as needed so the fish don't suffer. Cycling take about 1-3 months on average, it really depends on the individual tank. So no not forever, it'll just feel like that.
So your tap water is 30-40 nitrate out of the tap? How often do you do water changes on your 10 gal? Have you tested parameters recently on that tank?
richardh
Aquarium Advice Freak
I am in the process of doing 2 fish-in cycles, so i feel your pain....and frustration! Tank 1 is almost there after 7 weeks. Tank 2 is 3-4 weeks in and building up nitrites and nitrates, ammonia under control. I partially seeded from tank 1 to help a bit.
IMO ammonia tends to build up quite slowly when compared to Nitrites. You can test and get 0.25, next day it will be more or less the same. Nitrites can be 0.25 and then 0.5-1 just 12-24 hours later! Keep a close eye on it...
IMO ammonia tends to build up quite slowly when compared to Nitrites. You can test and get 0.25, next day it will be more or less the same. Nitrites can be 0.25 and then 0.5-1 just 12-24 hours later! Keep a close eye on it...
Thanks for the encouragement. Yes tap is 30-40 ppm in nitrates. Already called water authority and they are useless. Usually with other tank a water change whenever it looked bad. Now that I'm informed 1x a week. Last week tests on that tank were 0,0, and same on nitrates being 40 ppm. So I did a 25-30% change.
43Gallons
Aquarium Advice Regular
I don't wish to complicate your cycling at the moment, but it may be worth while to look into getting live plants at some point in the future. They would certainly benefit from the nitrate, as would the fish since the plants would be absorbing it. During the tricky process you're currently involved in, it would not be prudent to go digging around placing plants and disrupting the tank, but keep it in mind for post-cycle tank planning. Your other option for handling the nitrate would be to simply carry out more water changes than the typical fishkeeper would.
In a 38 gallon tank, four tetras (dependent upon the type, I suppose) would be a rather small population. I would suggest purchasing at least two more (tetras tend to be social fish) AFTER the cycle is completed. This will make your tank more interesting, as well as please your social fish. I say all of this assuming you have a small-sized variety of tetra. Remember that more fish will produce more ammonia. It will require a mini cycle to account for the increased bio-load.
As a side note, if you do decide to get plants or more fish, I would suggest quarantining them to prevent damaging your newly cycled tank. Typically, a 2-4 week quarantine is sufficient.
All of the above may be too much to think about now, but if you are a very serious hobbyist, it is worth considering.
In a 38 gallon tank, four tetras (dependent upon the type, I suppose) would be a rather small population. I would suggest purchasing at least two more (tetras tend to be social fish) AFTER the cycle is completed. This will make your tank more interesting, as well as please your social fish. I say all of this assuming you have a small-sized variety of tetra. Remember that more fish will produce more ammonia. It will require a mini cycle to account for the increased bio-load.
As a side note, if you do decide to get plants or more fish, I would suggest quarantining them to prevent damaging your newly cycled tank. Typically, a 2-4 week quarantine is sufficient.
All of the above may be too much to think about now, but if you are a very serious hobbyist, it is worth considering.
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Every water company has to provide the customers with a water quality report annually. I can access mine on-line by googling the name of my water company. You might want to try that. It could be that your water authority has a subcontractor do the testing and they might not have the report right there.
I have 2 black neons and 2 harlequin rasboras. Another website regarding cycling said 3-4 hardy fish. I would love more tetras but after cycle is complete. I have a bala shark and a cory in other rani but refuse to lose them during this.
43Gallons
Aquarium Advice Regular
Ah! I see. A planted tank is not for everyone as it is indeed a lot of work.
arcticfirefighter
Aquarium Advice Regular
I just cycled my 29 Gal FW and it took 9 weeks doing a fishless cycle. I used pure ammonia and the ammonia was dropping around the 4th week. The Nitrites spiked and were off the chart for the next 4 weeks and then started to drop quickly. Within the next week the nitrites and ammonia were dropping in 24 then 12 then 8 hrs. All done right at 9 weeks, hit it with a 75% water change to get the Nitrates in check. Fishes in the next day
Stick with it and don't get discouraged, it will finish almost overnight when you are getting ready to pull your hair out... Good Luck!
Stick with it and don't get discouraged, it will finish almost overnight when you are getting ready to pull your hair out... Good Luck!
richardh
Aquarium Advice Freak
brad15 said:
It will be worth it in the end. The hardest part is seeing the sad look in that red dwarf gourami's eyes in the lfs when I have to leave without him
One day soon you will be mine, oh yes, you will be mine
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