Cycling issue

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Kylehill

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
1
So before I start this I’m gonna say I realize I was a 100% irresponsible aquarist and I learned a valuable lesson from this and I now know in the future. So let me start by explaining my situation. Recently I bought a new 75 gal tank about two weeks ago from today and I decided I wanted African cichlids. I had a slight understanding of the nitrogen cycle but No where near an expert. So I let my tank sit and cycle for a week and I was getting very impatient and wanted fish and I heard of people cycling a tank with fish. When I heard this I thought great that’s awesome so I went down to the pet store and bought 4 African peacock cichlids because I thought for now I would just buy 4 just to get the cycling process going and I didn’t think ammonia and nitrite were that bad for the fish. Well after doing more research on cycling I’m learning I made a mistake. I now know everything about the nitrogen cycle and have a very good understanding of it. So There’s a little bit about the history of my problem, now let me tell you my current situation.

It has now been 5 days since the fish have been in the uncycled tank and this is what I have been doing...
The first day I got the fish I got an ammonia reading of 1ppm which I know is high so I did a 50% water change and got it down to .50 ppm. Everyday after that I have been doing daily water changes to keep the ammonia down and I haven’t gotten a ammonia reading over .25ppm since (it’s been staying steady at .25ppm) . My nitrites are at 0ppm and my nitrates are pretty low at like 5-10ppm. My ph is about 7.5 as well. It has been about two weeks so I’m guessing there going To go through at least another 2 weeks. Surprisingly though my fish are doing excellent, there setting territories, always begging for food, swimming around, and doing normal African Cichlid stuff so they seem really healthy. Now that you guys know that I guess this is my big question.
Do you guys think my mistake is going to cost me in terms of the fishes long term health and do you think that this little ammonia exposure will stunt there growth so they won’t get as big and colorful? Any help from you experts out there is appreciated as you guys can see I’m a rookie at this judging from my rookie mistake
 
You can do fish in cycles. It's a lot more work and requires several water changes a day. Your fish will be fine. They just can't take long term exposure of even slightly bad water conditions without taking the risk of developing disease. If your water parameters are correct you may have already cycled. The nitrite and nitrate are where they should be. Your ammonia isn't high but you could zero it out with another water change or two. I'd keep doing what you are doing until the ammonia reaches 0.
 
I am also guess you have nitrates in your tap water. Do you live near farm country? Fish in cycles take way longer than 2-4 weeks I have never seen one go that fast more like 6 weeks to 4 months. Yes I have seen it take that long. Its rare but it does. I would also do a 24hr tap test. Aerate a cup of water for 24hrs-48hrs then test your water. When you off gas it you will get true parameters.
 
I agree with both y'all. The nitrate could come from the tap. Test that. But it could be cycled too. One big way to find out for sure is to zero out the ammonia like king said. And then test it daily. If you see your ammonia and nitrite levels going up your not cycled. But if you don't see any, then I'd be enjoying your tank more. And start doing weekly water changes to let the tank mature more. Still clean it up when you start seeing build up wipe the glass down and vacuum the bottom. Sure you know that. But my thought is that it's probably cycled because your ammonia level got pretty high fast and with fish. So just keep testing and zero out the ammonia and see where your at with things. I don't call myself an expert in anyway. To be honest I don't think anyone is an expert in anything. Everyone has different ways of doing things that just works. [emoji6]
 
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