TheFragile
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2015
- Messages
- 96
Hey all, still semi new to the aquarium game. I set up my 6.5 gallon tank in the beginning of April with 4 neon tetras because I had no clue about fishless cycling and was poorly informed. I have been struggling with getting the tank to cycle.
After doing some reading about TSS, I decided to give it a shot. Only I made some mistakes with it too. I did not wait 24 hours since using Prime. I also used a bigger bottle than necessary (the one for 40 gallon tanks) because I didn't know there was a smaller bottle.
So I treated with TSS 2 days ago, tested this morning and saw higher ammonia levels than I have ever had (4.0!!!) so I panicked and did 2 partial water changes and got it down to 0.25ppm. I treated the new water with prime and decided I would add a new bottle of TSS tomorrow after waiting the 24 hours.
On a whim, I decided to test for nitrates tonight. I have still yet to see a nitrite spike so I figured I was wasting my time but amazingly, I have nitrates! I never had a positive nitrite test. Is this common with TSS? To get positive nitrates without ever having a nitrite spike since I am introducing the bacteria directly?
My nitrates are between 5.0 and 10.0 ppm, and I tested for ammonia again tonight and it is around 0.5 ppm so it is still unstable. Should I add more TSS (I already bought another bottle) and continue as planned or just wait it out and see where the levels go? Also, what are the ideal nitrate levels that I should be looking for and with the reading I got, how long until my ammonia stops climbing?
After doing some reading about TSS, I decided to give it a shot. Only I made some mistakes with it too. I did not wait 24 hours since using Prime. I also used a bigger bottle than necessary (the one for 40 gallon tanks) because I didn't know there was a smaller bottle.
So I treated with TSS 2 days ago, tested this morning and saw higher ammonia levels than I have ever had (4.0!!!) so I panicked and did 2 partial water changes and got it down to 0.25ppm. I treated the new water with prime and decided I would add a new bottle of TSS tomorrow after waiting the 24 hours.
On a whim, I decided to test for nitrates tonight. I have still yet to see a nitrite spike so I figured I was wasting my time but amazingly, I have nitrates! I never had a positive nitrite test. Is this common with TSS? To get positive nitrates without ever having a nitrite spike since I am introducing the bacteria directly?
My nitrates are between 5.0 and 10.0 ppm, and I tested for ammonia again tonight and it is around 0.5 ppm so it is still unstable. Should I add more TSS (I already bought another bottle) and continue as planned or just wait it out and see where the levels go? Also, what are the ideal nitrate levels that I should be looking for and with the reading I got, how long until my ammonia stops climbing?