How soon PWC?

[Fishanatic]

I have a three gallon bucket that I can "safely" move 2 gallons at a time. If I remove two buckets
(4 gallons) I only have about 3" to my rocks. So that should be somewhere around 60-75%. I have a 10 gallon tank, do you think I am doing more than 50% at 4 gallons?

I wouldn't doubt it. Check you're box for exact volume information. Most of the time, 20 gallons are actually 18 or 16 gallons. And also, you don't fill it up to the top, so you have to count that too. Overall, 4 gallon change should be around 55 percent.
Btw, in the previous post, when you asked what would be too toxic for the bb, I said 10ppm. Never let it reach any where close to that. Anything over 1 will be additionally toxic to the fish.

 

[xstream]

Thank you for all of your help. I checked the nitrate level and had 5 ppm. In one day I went from checking ammonia to all three! Of course the ammonia has stayed yellow.

Ten gallon tanks have furious mood swings I guess. Not a lot of space to dilute anything... I broke the news to my wife that I have the bug. I am ready for a big tank already.

I have my eye on an aqueon 36 gallon with a curved front. I would love to do some African cichlids in that boss. Do a natural looking tank. It will have to wait unless j happen across something on Craigslist I can not pass.

Until then, I an enjoying my daughters' princess tank. And digging the new live anacharis I added today.

 

[xstream]

Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 5 ppm!


I know, I need to watch for a few days to make sure I do not see another spike, but it feels good to see those numbers. I changed the water once this afternoon, but the numbers were the same. One pwc today.

I am sadden to report that I lost all three mystery snails this weekend... I hated to give up on them, but they were all hanging out of their shells. I gave them plenty of time to show me movement. My ammonia spiked Friday and Saturday too.

How long should I wait (one week clear readings, two weeks) before I buy a couple of snails?

 

[Fishanatic]

Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 5 ppm!


I know, I need to watch for a few days to bake sure I do not see another spike, but it feels good to see those numbers. I changed the water once this afternoon, but the numbers were the same. One pwc today.

I am sadden to report that I lost all three mystery snails this weekend... I hated to give up on then, but they were all ganging our of their shells and I gave them plenty of time to show me movement, and my ammonia spiked Friday and Saturday.

How long should I wait (one week clear readings, two weeks) before I buy a couple of snails?

Add one snail, then add another after 3 days-week and so on to make sure it doesn't overwhelm the bb or that it helps slowly progress the additional growth of the bb. I'm no expert on snails though.
Sorry for the snails, and congratulation on the ''almost'' done fish-in cycle

 

[xstream]

Ammonia has stayed at zero since I removed the dead snails, and my nitrites continue to reach .25 ppm each day. My nitrates have never tested above .5 ppm. I have read not to worry until I see like 40 ppm. With a norm of around 20 ppm. So is that when I should consider the tank cycled? A couple of weeks of 20 ppm nitrate and no ammonia or nitrite?

 

[Coyne]

I waited one week of solid readings and then added only a couple at a time each week after to make sure my BB could handle and adapt to the additional bio-load.

 

[xstream]

Two water changes yesterday. Nitrites above .5 ppm again. Did a 50-60% change and then a 25% before midnight so I could go to bed.

I didn't even check them this morning. I just did a 50% to be safe and headed to work. I was almost late. I will be glad when I get to the end of this. No more fish-in cycles on a ten gallon tank for this guy!

Thanks to everyone who has given me advice along the way. I have learned a great deal here.

 

[Ian086]

Two water changes yesterday. Nitrites above .5 ppm again. Did a 50-60% change and then a 25% before midnight so I could go to bed.

I didn't even check them this morning. I just did a 50% to be safe and headed to work. I was almost late. I will be glad when I get to the end of this. No more fish-in cycles on a ten gallon tank for this guy!

Thanks to everyone who has given me advice along the way. I have learned a great deal here.

Yeah it's a pain waiting but once you get it done, you can cycle other tanks using media from that 10g. There is light at the end of the tunnel!!!

 

[xstream]

Celebrating this morning.

Ammonia and nitrites still at zero ppm and nitrates appear to finally be rising due to no water changes. It is a beautiful thing.

Looks like they all made it through except the snails!

 

[xstream]

So, my ammonia and nitrite have remained at 0 simce... Friday. I haven't performed a water change on my ten gallon since then. So this make four days. My nitrates are only a little above 5 ppm. Should I do a small water change?

And if so, what should be my normal water change? 20%?

 

[Fishanatic]

So, my ammonia and nitrite have remained at 0 simce... Friday. I haven't performed a water change on my ten gallon since then. So this make four days. My nitrates are only a little above 5 ppm. Should I do a small water change?

And if so, what should be my normal water change? 20%?

Do a 20 to 50 percent water change to re establish treated water.
Asfor you're normal changes, it depends on the fish. For my oscar, due to his large bio load, I must change the water bi-weekly. If you're keeping low bio load fish, weekly changes of 50 percent should do the trick

 

[xstream]

Thanks. I have a Molly and Platy... I will probably do a weekly change of fifty. To be sure, that is one 50 not two 25s?

I was wondering if someone would take a look at my pH and tell me what they think.

I have a Molly, Platy, and three Neon Tetras currently. I plan to add two Neons to make everyone happy, and a snail... But I would really like some ghost shrimp. I might do shrimp instead of snails.

Anyway, my pH is HIGH. Like off the chart high if I am reading this kit correctly. Here is a pic;





And here is my tap tested beside my aquarium water. Magenta is aquarium, blue is pH tap, and High PH is the brown one.





Looks to me like my tap is 8.2 and the aquarium is off the chart. Should I do anything? What can I do?

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Two water changes yesterday. Nitrites above .5 ppm again. Did a 50-60% change and then a 25% before midnight so I could go to bed.

I didn't even check them this morning. I just did a 50% to be safe and headed to work. I was almost late. I will be glad when I get to the end of this. No more fish-in cycles on a ten gallon tank for this guy!

Thanks to everyone who has given me advice along the way. I have learned a great deal here.

I know it's a pain, I started with 2 platies in a 10g and it was a pain honestly. BUT once it cycled I was able to since upgrade to a 30 and 55 gallon and I never had to cycle another tank thanks to the seeded media from the 10g! Just as a helpful little bit of info... When you upgrade to a larger tank and increase your stock, ask LFS for media from one of their healthy tanks and you shouldn't have any issues with a mini cycle, I never did just be sure and add stock very slowly and give your tank a few weeks to be sure it stays in check before increasing stock!