More Cycling Questions------Sorry......

[tjohanso]

29G FW set-up 8/16/11
1 wk later added a lot of fish due to LFS advice
Found this website & discovered Fish In Cycling & started immediately.
Stock:1 Angel, 1 Spotted Pleco(rehoming), 2 Long Fin Tetra, 1 Albino Cory, 3 Mollies(1M&2F), 4 Guppies(friend was gonna flush them so I took them on emergency basis-trying to find another tank to put them in), 6 Ghost Shrimp

Here are my most recent numbers & my questions will follow. I use the API liquid kit & Prime dechlorinator.
Tap Water: Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0, PH 7.6, & High Range PH 7.4

Moderately planted.

Date, Time, Temp, Ammo, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH
10/12 10am, 78, .25, .25, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/12 8pm, 80, 0, 0, 10, 7.6
No PWC
10/13 8am, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/13, 7pm, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/14, 8am, 79, 0, 0, 10, 7.6
No PWC
10/14, 10pm, 81, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/15, 9pm, 81, .25, .25, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/16, 9pm, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/17, 8pm, 80, .12(in between), 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/18, 10am, 79, 0, 0, 10, 6.6
No PWC
10/18, 7pm, 79, 0, 0, 10, 7.6
No PWC
10/18, 11pm, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC

Can I only do PWC's if the Ammonia or Nitrite go above 0? I didn't know if I have to do PWC's daily no matter what the numbers because I was cycling.

Also, is it normal for a tank to take more than 2months to cycle? I have been set up since 8/16/11 & started truly fish in cycling the week after set-up. It's getting pretty frustrating.

Thanks for the help. I really enjoy watching my gilled friends. They can be pretty comical.

 

[Mrc8858]

If its showing ammo no nitrIte and some nitrates then u seem to be cycled

 

[jlk]

You are doing a GREAT job taking care of your fish! They appreciate your efforts in keeping their environment healthy! Keep up the good work and keep doing what you have been doing-monitor your water parameters and do pwcs as necessary. If you are reading 0 amm, 0 nitrites, <20 nitrates then you do not have to do daily pwcs. It sounds like your just about cycled! 6-8 wks for fish-in cycling is normal and your right at the 8wk mark. Keep up the good work!

 

[LyndaB]

Just so you know, tetras and corys both require schools, 6-8 minimum for the tetras and 3-5 minimum for the corys.

Congrats at being almost cycled!

 

[librarygirl]

29G FW set-up 8/16/11
1 wk later added a lot of fish due to LFS advice
Found this website & discovered Fish In Cycling & started immediately.
Stock:1 Angel, 1 Spotted Pleco(rehoming), 2 Long Fin Tetra, 1 Albino Cory, 3 Mollies(1M&2F), 4 Guppies(friend was gonna flush them so I took them on emergency basis-trying to find another tank to put them in), 6 Ghost Shrimp

Here are my most recent numbers & my questions will follow. I use the API liquid kit & Prime dechlorinator.
Tap Water: Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0, PH 7.6, & High Range PH 7.4

Moderately planted.

Date, Time, Temp, Ammo, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH
10/12 10am, 78, .25, .25, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/12 8pm, 80, 0, 0, 10, 7.6
No PWC
10/13 8am, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/13, 7pm, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/14, 8am, 79, 0, 0, 10, 7.6
No PWC
10/14, 10pm, 81, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/15, 9pm, 81, .25, .25, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/16, 9pm, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/17, 8pm, 80, .12(in between), 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC
10/18, 10am, 79, 0, 0, 10, 6.6
No PWC
10/18, 7pm, 79, 0, 0, 10, 7.6
No PWC
10/18, 11pm, 80, .25, 0, 10, 7.6
75% PWC

Can I only do PWC's if the Ammonia or Nitrite go above 0? I didn't know if I have to do PWC's daily no matter what the numbers because I was cycling.

Also, is it normal for a tank to take more than 2months to cycle? I have been set up since 8/16/11 & started truly fish in cycling the week after set-up. It's getting pretty frustrating.

Thanks for the help. I really enjoy watching my gilled friends. They can be pretty comical.

You're pretty overstocked (particularly with the Pleco) so you're asking a lot of the bacteria to have to keep up with all of the ammonia the fish are producing. As long as ammonia and nitrite stay at 0 and nitrates are under 20, you don't have to do a water change (well, at least one weekly water change of 50% regardless of the levels should be done for maintenance purposes. Since you're overstocked and it's a new tank I'd suggest twice weekly pwc of 50% as long as ammonia and nitrites stay at 0 between water changes).

It can be hard to tell between 0 and .25 on the API ammonia test. You could test some spring water against the tank water and if they match, the tank water is 0 ammonia; if it's slightly more green, then it's .25.

I'd rehome the Pleco ASAP. You also have some other considerations such as:
-Long-fin Tetra can get a bit large (5" if what I'm reading is correct) and they should be in a group of 5+ so I'd consider re-homing those as well .
-Corys should be in a group of at least 4.

 

[tjohanso]

Stock Comments:
My tetra's are actually "Long Fin Red Minor Tetra's". I started with 5 in the beginning & 3 died due to ammonia poisoning along with quite a few other fish. I stopped buying fish until I get it cycled. Per the Petsmart website that tetra should have a max size of 2". I will do some more research on size because your saying 5". YIKES!!!
I originally had 3 cory's also & 2 died with the tetras, & a molly.
The Petsmart employee had me buy 3 angels, 3 cory's, 5 tetras, 4 mollies & the pleco in the week after set up & an ammonia spike(DUH) killed the majority.
Pleco: I don't know anyone that has an aquarium & petsmart won't take him back. Although I hear a lot of people say that there Petsmarts will so I think I will really push the issue to management. I don't wanna attempt craigslist for a fish since they are having a lot of criminal problems in my area with craigslist too.

I will test the spring water to tank water to work out the ammonia discrepencies. I am testing daily & sometimes multiple times daily to make sure I don't miss even the smallest spikes & get the water changed out.

Thanks everyone... It was encouraging to hear that I am near a complete cycle. If I can get that pleco a home & possibly the tetras it might finish faster.

 

[LyndaB]

When my shark outgrew my tank, I rehomed him to someone with 125 gallon tank, using Freecycle.org.