Cloudy water / completing the cycle...

[Josh Jennings]

I have a 60 gal tall aquarium fully stocked too quickly thanks to the wonderful folk at Petsmart. Y'all have helped me tons already with trying to get things fixed. I haven't lost any fish in 4 weeks and my numbers are as follows...

pH - 7.2
Ammonia - .5ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 5.0 ppm

I use a master test kit and do bi-weekly 40% water changes. I have been unable to get my tank cycled.

Ok. New question??? I was told that I should "fast my tank" as in, not feed my fish for one or two days in order to allow my BB to get a jump start and thus clear up my water and help it complete the cycle. Any truth to this???

 

[tharge26]

Im a newbie also... and take my advice with a grain of salt, but from your water parameters things look like your cycled or very close to being completly cycled. the Ammonia isn't too bad and you have zero Trites and 5.0 Trates which from my reading on here tells me you already have a good amount of beneficial bacteria in the tank. Also, I've heard if you use Seachems Prime you could have a slightly elevated ammonia level but it is most likely the non-toxic form of that ammonium. Again.. I'd wait for more advice from the more seasoned folks on this site.

 

[Josh Jennings]

Thanks!!

 

[spiketooth]

What filter system you use? As i was told from a expert of these fourms my gph was too low. I got another filter and sure enough my water looks crystal clear

 

[Josh Jennings]

I have a Hagen Aqua Clear Power Filter 110 Gallons for my 60 gallon tank. It has a sponge brick, then a carbon pouch which I change monthly, and then a bag of coral looking pieces which I'm guessing is where the BB grow.

What's crazy is a few weeks ago the tank went clear and then all of a sudden there was white smokey plumes in the water which I was told were bacteria plumes. I have been doing 30% daily water changes for a week and on the last day I did a 60% water change. But now it's back. I do use prime to condition my water.

Any thoughts???

 

[CrashCourse]

I know some people will fast their fish a day or two a week, but I don't know that it will help/hurt your cycle...
If you're using prime, .5 ammonia will be ok. I'd say, keep doing what you're doing, sounds like you're in the home stretch now. It'll just take a bit more time.
Can't help with the bacterial plumes, never seen that one before. Hopefully someone else will chime in on that point.
I would recommend, since you're using prime to detoxify the ammonia, to hold off on water changes until the ammonia reaches closer to 1. Having slightly elevated levels will help you finish the cycle sooner than if you keep the levels closer to zero. Keep dosing the Prime every 24-48 hours in between water changes though. After that, the ammonia will start to become toxic again.

 

[Josh Jennings]

Thank you. I had wondered if I was doing pwc's too often. I'll hold off and go back to doing water changes once per week and see how it goes.

 

[CrashCourse]

Thank you. I had wondered if I was doing pwc's too often. I'll hold off and go back to doing water changes once per week and see how it goes.

I think it'll help. Just make sure you're still testing daily so you'll know if/when it gets out of control.

 

[Josh Jennings]

Finally got an ok shot of my largest Diamond Tetra...

 

[CrashCourse]

Nice!

How's the cycle going?

 

[Josh Jennings]

The water is defiantly getting more clear and the ammonia levels are going down. The nitrate and nitrites are at 0. I think now that I'm using Prime things are going much better.