just another ammonia question...

[Ram897]

I am cycling with 4 molly's in a 46 gallon tank. For 2 days now my ammonia has been sitting @ 0.25. It is my understanding that I have to have some ammonia in the water to produce the bacteria to cycle the tank. The rest of my parameters are pH 8.2, no2 always @ 0 (never been anything higher) and no3 @ 5.
I added a cap of prime yesterday and am planning on adding another today but should I change water tomorrow even if still @ 0.25? Or just keep adding prime til gets up to 0.5 and then do pwc?
Thanks

 

[Ram897]

Guess I will delete this

 

[smomus]

Still do a water change. It may take the tank longer to cycle, but that is better then killing off your fish.

 

[librarygirl]

I think you're OK as long as it doesn't go higher than .25; when it does, do a 50% water change. Here's a guide to ammonia toxicity and PH and temp: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/your-guide-to-ammonia-toxicity-159994.html

Prime lasts for 24-48 hours; if you keep adding it, it could build up and then overdose. I'd just keep testing and do a water change when it starts rising or if the fish start looking stressed (gasping at the top, clamped fins, huddling at the bottom, or if you see red gils or anything that might suggest burns).

 

[biss444]

its never good to have any amonia in tank with fish in it, its normal to have amonia when cycling and some people put cheap costing fish in the tank to get it to cycle quicker

 

[Ram897]

Thank you all. I will continue with my daily changes. I am a little confused because I am starting to see some no3 but no2 still showing 0 and has never risen at all. I guess I am converting some but hopefully see no2 soon so can see some cycle progress.

 

[Phranque]

Thank you all. I will continue with my daily changes. I am a little confused because I am starting to see some no3 but no2 still showing 0 and has never risen at all. I guess I am converting some but hopefully see no2 soon so can see some cycle progress.

Did you by chance use any of the "bacteria in a bottle" like Tetra SafeStart? I decided to try some when I set up my 29g just to see what it did, and I ran into the same situation. Still had to do daily testing & water changes for about 5 weeks, but not once did I see any nitrites.... The ammonia held steady for just over a month, then was gone & nitrates slowly climbed. Kept testing every day for the next few weeks just to make sure I wasn't looking at a false cycle, but that was it......

 

[Silthrim]

Did you by chance use any of the "bacteria in a bottle" like Tetra SafeStart? I decided to try some when I set up my 29g just to see what it did, and I ran into the same situation. Still had to do daily testing & water changes for about 5 weeks, but not once did I see any nitrites.... The ammonia held steady for just over a month, then was gone & nitrates slowly climbed. Kept testing every day for the next few weeks just to make sure I wasn't looking at a false cycle, but that was it......

The same exact thing seems to be happening to me. 29g with SafeStart. Not a single nitrite I appear to be cycled though. Not sure lol

 

[biss444]

if you have 0 on your ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites, you should be good

 

[Ram897]

Thanks all. I have not used any bacteria in a bottle. Lfs recommended it but then I started doing research and saw it wasn't recommended for cycling so I took it back. My readings this morning are ammonia 0.25
pH 8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
I am heading into town to look at adding some more "fake" plants so will do my water change when I get back so have some tank water to rinse them with. It has been 3 weeks since we started the cycle with fish . Believe me if I could have taken the fish back and done fishless.... Hindsight...