Log for 10g fish-in cycle

[librarygirl]

Sorry about your shrimp and fish Cycling is hard on fish, even good owners like you who do frequent pwc and try to keep the levels low, some fish are more sensitive than others and even low constant traces of ammonia and nitrites can be fatal. Sorry about that

If your readings above are after the pwc I'd do at least another 50% to get those levels down further. I don't know much about live plants yet but I think they can help to absorb some of the toxins, so it can't be a bad thing in adding them.

 

[TheJT]

Thanks for the support. The swordtail was one of my favs. I won't replace it till the tank is fully cycled.

Also my numbers are before the water change.

 

[TheJT]

I was very happy to see purple finally.

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks for the support. The swordtail was one of my favs. I won't replace it till the tank is fully cycled.

Also my numbers are before the water change.

Sorry, I keep doing that to you, don't I. I'll try to remember from now on that your numbers are before you change the water!

 

[TheJT]

No worries
I don't expect any to know me yet. I'm still new here.

 

[TheJT]

Day 14:

Ammo: .25
Nitrites: .50
Nitrates: didn't test.
2 PWCs.

Nothing much new to report. The remainder of my fish seem to be doing well.

One question tho, do you have to have a nitrite spike or can it be a slower growth process?

 

[eco23]

Day 14:

Ammo: .25
Nitrites: .50
Nitrates: didn't test.
2 PWCs.

Nothing much new to report. The remainder of my fish seem to be doing well.

One question tho, do you have to have a nitrite spike or can it be a slower growth process?

It spikes because the first type of bacteria (ammo > no2) develops before the second (no2 > no3). That way the first kind is converting the ammonia into nitrIte...and it builds up because there's not enough of the second type to finish the conversion into nitrAtes. Just takes time because the second type basically doesn't have a food source to start growing until the first is colonized and providing it the nitrItes.

 

[TheJT]

Day 15:
Ammo: 0
Nitrite: .50
Nitrate: 5 ppm

2 water changes today (50%) should keep the fishies safe, the water clear, and the nitrogen cycle moving.

 

[librarygirl]

0 ammonia, that's progress! Keep an eye on those nitrites, they can spike up fast from what I've heard. Keep up the great work!

 

[TheJT]

Should I begin testing more than once a day?

 

[librarygirl]

Should I begin testing more than once a day?

You can if you want to, just to be safe. Not sure you have to. It's up to you, you probably can't test too much. You can keep it to once a day for now if you want and then if you notice it rising faster you can go up to twice a day.

 

[TheJT]

Well I forgot to post this yesterday so here are yesterday and today's results.

Day 16:
Ammo 0
Nitrites .50
2 PWCs

Day 17:
Ammo 0
Nitrites .50
2 PWCs.

 

[librarygirl]

You're doing really well, keep up the good work!

 

[TheJT]

Day 18:

Had a cherry barb die. I posted in the unhealthy fish forum last night when I noticed the odd behavior. Didn't get a reply so I quarantined it and gave it clean (conditioned) water. Still it died sometime today. If you can advise, it was covered in bubbles and it's right fin seemed pinned to it's side (just in case it happens again).

On to the stats.

Ammo: 0
Nitrites: < .25
Nitrates: 5 ppm

Also I have a platy that seems to be getting fat. I think it's pregnant. I can see dark spots in her belly, but according to pics and articles I've read she is no where near popping. My question is, breeder net, breeder box, or let the fry fend for themselves? I don't have an extra tank to move the fry to.

 

[TheJT]

Day 19:

Ammo .25
Nitrites 1.0

Not sure why the ammo was that much with NO2 being 1.0

Did 2 60% PWCs a cpl hours apart to get all numbers down to acceptable.

 

[librarygirl]

Day 19:

Ammo .25
Nitrites 1.0

Not sure why the ammo was that much with NO2 being 1.0

Did 2 60% PWCs a cpl hours apart to get all numbers down to acceptable.

Good job. Sorry about your barb

Sometimes there's an overlap between when nitrites rise and ammonia goes down. You seem to be in the nitrite spike phase so keep a close eye on it and do water changes as needed, as you are doing. Nitrites are as toxic as ammonia so you want to keep them as close to 0 as possible.

I'm not sure about the pregnant Platy. If you wanted to just let nature run its course and see what happens that would be OK and then later down the road if she gets pregnant again you could then prepare ahead of time. Here's some info that might help too: All About Aquarium Fish: Platy Care and Breeding

 

[TheJT]

Day 20:
Wow 3 weeks later.

Ammo .25
Nitrites .50

I did my last water change pretty late last night so I'm guessing that's the reason for the lower numbers.

 

[librarygirl]

Looks good. I'm going to remember this reading is probably before a pwc, so I won't say it

 

[TheJT]

Lol too right you are. What would be the point of taking readings after a water change? It'd be awful hard for me to tell where I was in the cycle.

 

[TheJT]

Day 21:

Can we say Nitrite spike? Yes we can!

Ammo 0 (is it ok to stop testing this everyday?)
Nitrite 2.0 ( spike )
Nitrate 20 ppm

Woo hoo. How long does it take to complete the nitrite part of the cycle?

4 - 50% PWCs today.