Really Frustrated

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Anto26

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
13
Hi,

I have tried cycling my tank for 2 weeks using the food methood and no where. So I decided to get Dr. Tims one and only but 3 days mater my ammonia is still at 1 ppm and my nitrites are at 5 ppm. Also my ph is at like 8 and I need it to be at 7. So i added some cholla. And some more cholla. And some more. I still have 8 ph and I now have 6 chollas in my tank. Also my snails died bc dr. Toms said to add fish right away. Im really frustrated please help me.

Anthony
 
If you have a reading of 5 for nitrites then your tank is cycling. Cycles usually take a month or more unless you are using seeded filters. Your tank has started the nitrite part of the cycle so now just keep up what you are doing and soon you should start getting a nitrate reading. Ph is not a major worry. Most fish will acclimate to a higher ph fine.
 
If you have a reading of 5 for nitrites then your tank is cycling. Cycles usually take a month or more unless you are using seeded filters. Your tank has started the nitrite part of the cycle so now just keep up what you are doing and soon you should start getting a nitrate reading. Ph is not a major worry. Most fish will acclimate to a higher ph fine.
OK so in a week or so I should see the number I want? I have some fish in there rn. Should I take them out? Lastly this is gonna be a shrimp tank so I cannot have 8 Ph. Do u know how to lower it?
 
Cycling can take up to 2 months. If you have fish in then you should keep the ammonia at .25 ppm. This may require water changes every 2-3 days.
 
Use the right food

The previous posts are correct. Cycling can take some time. You definitely want to use the food method. I use food that I would feed my fish to cycle the tank. Dont use a cheap food that has fillers because it will not break down properly. Sea Diamond makes a food that works great for cycling and feeding. No additives and will expeditie the cycling process. Check it out: https://www.ebay.com/i/264088773561?chn=ps

It's pretty cheap for how good it works.

Goodluck!:)
 
OK so in a week or so I should see the number I want? I have some fish in there rn. Should I take them out? Lastly this is gonna be a shrimp tank so I cannot have 8 Ph. Do u know how to lower it?

Ah you are doing shrimp. Only ways I know to get pH down is driftwood, using a substrate that will help to lower it or using chemicals like pH down. The latter option is not a really good option to go with though. Maybe some of the gurus on here with have more options for you.
 
Some other options to lower pH....C02, add peat moss to your water filter basket, almond leaves, or use distilled/RO water.
 
Back
Top Bottom