Test results done, am I ready for fish?

[analioness]

I just received my API liquid test kit and have tested my almost 2 week old fish less cycle tank. This tank was a second hand tank which I cleaned with salt water before adding my water on the 24.09.20. I declorinated the water and added water ager to it. I completed a 25% water change on 27.09.12 after my fish shop tested my water. The results then were ammonia 0.25-0.50 and nitrites 0-0.25. I changed 25% again on 29.10.12.

Todays test results are:

Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrate: 5.0 (I added a photo of this just to be sure I'm correct)
Ph: 7.6 or 7.4 - 7.8 ( I'm unsure of this one since the regular PH test showed the darkest range of 7.6. So then I tested with the PH High Range and I got a result which kind if matched a colour between 7.4-7.8....I've added a photo of the high range)

Dies this mean that I am cycled?

I'm quite surprised if I am since I didn't add any ammonia or prawns to the tank. Could it be that the old filter, rocks and pebbles still had some good bacteria in it (even though I washed and scrubbed them with salt and water? The filter sponge I squeezed and soaked in salt water too).

If I am cycled, then can I put it all my fish at once (they are currently at my LFS). I have 7 convicts, one black cat fish, angel, barbs and a blue gourami. Yes I know the convicts shouldn't be in there because of there aggression, but the previous owner had them all together.

 

[jlk]

Hi! Can you please test your tap water for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate and post these results? As you have not added an ammonia source with the exception of being what may possibly be in your tap, I would say your not cycled yet especially for the number of fish you would like to add. You will need to add ammonia source and bring your level up to @4ppm and then see how your tank handles this. If it can process all of the ammonia & nitrite to zero in 24hrs, then its safe to say your cycled.

 

[analioness]

I tested my tap water ammonia and got a 0.25 reading.
My PH was 7. I didn't test nitrite and nitrates (I forgot).
However, after visiting my LFS they tested my water and said that it should be fine to put the fish in.
They are all in, and seem ok. I changed 25% of the water. I tested for ammonia again and it was still at 0 after hours of adding them.
I will retest for ammonia again in 2 days.

Sounds ok huh?

 

[librarygirl]

What size tank? All of those fish are going to cause a lot of ammonia. Your tank didn't cycle in two weeks without an ammonia source I'm sorry to say. Your levels tested low b/c there wasn't an ammonia source to feed the bacteria. Now that fish are in, the levels are going to rise. Here's a link for you: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[jlk]

Please read the link Librarygirl posted for you. You need to test your water daily and do water changes as needed (likely daily) because you are just beginning a fish-in cycle. You also need to test your tap for nitrites and nitrates so you know what you are putting in your tank. A good water conditioner such as Prime or Amquel Plus is recommended because you have some ammonia in your tap. Please ask if you have questions!

 

[analioness]

Please read the link Librarygirl posted for you. You need to test your water daily and do water changes as needed (likely daily) because you are just beginning a fish-in cycle. You also need to test your tap for nitrites and nitrates so you know what you are putting in your tank. A good water conditioner such as Prime or Amquel Plus is recommended because you have some ammonia in your tap. Please ask if you have questions!

---
I tested for Nitrites and Nitrates in my tap water and they were both 0.

24hr after the fish were in:

Ammonia was at 0.25-0.50.
Nitrite 0.
Nitrate 5.0.

So I should be changing 25% of my water everyday?

So I'm definitely doing a fish in cycle? *sigh*

 

[paytertot]

You already added fish? What kind and how many? I know you had a list but I just wanna make sure wether you did all of those or not. You are doing a fish in cycle and may very well need to do daily water changes. You just need to keep ammo and nitrites as low as possible, around .25 or so.

 

[analioness]

You already added fish? What kind and how many? I know you had a list but I just wanna make sure wether you did all of those or not. You are doing a fish in cycle and may very well need to do daily water changes. You just need to keep ammo and nitrites as low as possible, around .25 or so.

I've got about:
- 15 convicts (5 babies)
- a parrot
- a gourami
- a angel
- a bristle nose catfish

Yes, I'm ensuring the water is changed everyday.

Problem is, I have 0.25 ammonia in my tap water. So effectively I'm adding ammonia each time I change the water aren't I (declorinated & conditioned)?

 

[shellieca]

You're going to see a BIG spike in ammonia probably because of all the fish you added & your BB probably wasn't ready for the bio load. Even though your tap has .25 ammonia when the tank is cycled it should be able to process that out. Definitely keep testing your water & do water changes as appropriate. You may have to do multiple water changes in the same day.

 

[librarygirl]

I've got about:
- 15 convicts (5 babies)
- a parrot
- a gourami
- a angel
- a bristle nose catfish

Yes, I'm ensuring the water is changed everyday.

Problem is, I have 0.25 ammonia in my tap water. So effectively I'm adding ammonia each time I change the water aren't I (declorinated & conditioned)?

What size tank? I hope it's massive or you're going to have issues. As it is I think your stock needs some tweaking. As the convicts grow they'll probably breed and you'll be seeing aggression toward other fish. Even with a large tank you're going to probably be fighting a losing battle with the ammonia levels.

 

[analioness]

What size tank? I hope it's massive or you're going to have issues. As it is I think your stock needs some tweaking. As the convicts grow they'll probably breed and you'll be seeing aggression toward other fish. Even with a large tank you're going to probably be fighting a losing battle with the ammonia levels.

It's a 55g (202 liter) 4 ft tank.

I was thinking of trading my male convicts anyways, that will stop the multiplying at least. I might wait to do that until I've finished cycling.

 

[analioness]

I've tested my water every second day now since adding my fish and the parameters are the same:

Ammonia 0.25 to 5.0
Nitrite & nitrate 0
PH 8.8 -- Should I be worried?

Have I not yet started to cycle or have I finished??

Last night I did a 70% water change, gravel, glass and filter clean ( squeeze of sponge filter in the tank water). Hope this does affect my cycling, if I am??

 

[jlk]

You haven't started the cycling process yet. You really need to test your water daily & do frequent water changes. Twice daily testing would be even better. With your ph this high, any ammonia you have present is toxic. If your getting readings of 5+, you really need to stay on top of your water changes to keep this at or below .25ppm. If your going to return/rehome fish, do this right now- do not wait. It will reduce the bioload and make cycling this tank a bit easier on both you and the remaining fish. Please ask if you have questions!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I've tested my water every second day now since adding my fish and the parameters are the same:

Ammonia 0.25 to 5.0
Nitrite & nitrate 0
PH 8.8 -- Should I be worried?

Have I not yet started to cycle or have I finished??

Last night I did a 70% water change, gravel, glass and filter clean ( squeeze of sponge filter in the tank water). Hope this does affect my cycling, if I am??

First off did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Is the 5 in your ammonia results supposed to be a 1? If not .25-5 is a very very wide range, I its TRUELY that wide of a range your ammonia levels are toxic for your fish. If your doing a fish in cycle you are just beginning your cycle, anytime your ammonia or nitrite gets above .25 you need to do a WC. When doing a fish in cycle you will see ammonia for a while then have an ammonia spike, then you eventually get trace of nitrites (sometimes nitrates show before
Nitrites so don't be alarmed if this happens) and will see this spike and your ammonia should be testing at 0, then you will begin to see nitrates (or if nitrates showed first then you will see nitrites last) and once nitrates (or nitrites) spike your nitrites (or nitrates.. Whichever shows up first), will 0 out then once your cycle your readings should be 0 ammonia and nitrite, and anywhere from 10-20 nitrates (some say up to 40). Nitrates up to 20 (or 40 depending on different opinions) is a safe level for fish, anything above that a WC needs to be performed to bring levels down.

 

[librarygirl]

I've tested my water every second day now since adding my fish and the parameters are the same:

Ammonia 0.25 to 5.0
Nitrite & nitrate 0
PH 8.8 -- Should I be worried?

Have I not yet started to cycle or have I finished??

Last night I did a 70% water change, gravel, glass and filter clean ( squeeze of sponge filter in the tank water). Hope this does affect my cycling, if I am??

Nope, haven't started yet. When ammonia and nitrite stay at 0 on their own AND you have nitrates then you're cycled. This can take anywhere from 3-8 weeks.
I'm assuming you mis-typed above and meant ammonia is .25-.5 and not 5, right? Also test your tap water for ammonia if you haven't already, just so you know what you're starting with (some tap water has ammonia in it).

Your PH is fine as long as it stays stable. As JLK said though it also means the toxicity of ammonia is higher when PH is higher (although temp plays a factor too). Here's a guide for you: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/your-guide-to-ammonia-toxicity-159994.html

This early on I wouldn't mess with the filter media; once the tank is established you can start rinsing it out but until then I'd leave it alone.

Here's another link if you haven't seen it yet: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[analioness]

Thankyou everyone for your input.

Sorry yes I made a mistake on my figures it was 0.25 - 0.50 of ammonia and I have 0.25 of ammonia in my tap water which I remove with a liquid.

 

[tamtam]

Thankyou everyone for your input.

Sorry yes I made a mistake on my figures it was 0.25 - 0.50 of ammonia and I have 0.25 of ammonia in my tap water which I remove with a liquid.

what liquid are you using? Things like PRIME are not permanent. They only work for 24-48 hours. It is helpful for you though where you have .25 in your tap water you will not be able to get that ammo level down below that until your tank is cycled but if you ammo goes above .25 than you need to do a change. If it goes above .50 you will need to do a larger change, probably close to 40-50%. If you have higher level like that then wait an hour after your change and test again and see where they sit. If they still are high than do another change.

Sadly with that many fish you will probably be doing a few water changes a day that are larger once you really get into the cycle. Usually when fish in cycling you only want to add a couple at a time and build up slowly.

 

[analioness]

The liquid that Im using is called: Water Ager CN (Instant Chlorine, Chloramine, Ammonia & Heavy Metals Neutralizer + Slime Coat)

I just tested again and my results are as follows:

Ammonia 0.25 - 0.50 (I think it's closer to 0.25 but the colours are so close together it's hard to tell).
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 30 - 40 (The colour chart in my API test is so similar between 20-40 that its hard to tell)

This is the first spike I've seen since I started. So it seems that I've starting the cycling process?

Fish seem happy. I just got some fake plants which they love to hide in.

I'm doing water changes every 2-3rd day or whenever I test.