Confused with my ammonia lvls

[builtf0rdtough]

Well its day 6 since I put fish in my new uncycled tank....and I tested my ammonia last night and this morning and its non exsistant, I did a 15% water change/gravel vac the other day and took up some of those semi-aquatic plants...im confused I thought the levels were gonna get higher and higher until the other bacteria grow....but there are no nitrites or nitrites yet either....CONFUSED...lol someone help me out.

 

[platycrazy19]

The ammonia levels should be rising. You may not have given it enough time though. What kind of test kit are you using sometimes they are not always accurate.

 

[aa108]

always add ammonia and do not do water changes during a fishless cycle. in the water are those ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates which you want for now.

 

[builtf0rdtough]

Ive got the tetra easy strips. I tested it again after I got home from school and it was at .5 ammonia ppm. Im thinking about doing a water change just to be safe anyhow. Once I run out of these POS strips Im gonna get the API kit..I hear they last a long time? oh yea and I have fish in there, its not a fishless cycle platy. Ive heard that changing the water doesnt effect the BB, and that it just makes the water tolerable to my fish and cleans up the debri on the bottom.

 

[jetajockey]

It won't hurt to do a water change, go ahead and do it. The API kit vs strips is night and day.

 

[steez]

You need the API kit. Also, don't use your vac on the gravel. You just remove the building BB off it. Water changes are fine, because the bacteria isn't growing in the water, it's on the filter, gravel, ornaments and glass. etc

 

[builtf0rdtough]

You need the API kit. Also, don't use your vac on the gravel. You just remove the building BB off it. Water changes are fine, because the bacteria isn't growing in the water, it's on the filter, gravel, ornaments and glass. etc

If I dont vac then how am I to rid the old uneated food thats creating more ammonia?

 

[roundar]

You can vac, it's not going to hurt anything(water changes would actually impact beneficial bacteria more than vac'ing). Water changes are key, big and often. Feeding less often will help. Do you still have plants in the tank? If so, that's where your ammo is going. Plants(aquatic ones of course) are great for new tanks and will make fishless cycling easy.

 

[steez]

If I dont vac then how am I to rid the old uneated food thats creating more ammonia?

by not overfeeding, they should be eating all their food

 

[builtf0rdtough]

we started to feed little pinches twice a day....they eat everything both times
still never see the ghost cats eat tho.

 

[librarygirl]

Well its day 6 since I put fish in my new uncycled tank....and I tested my ammonia last night and this morning and its non exsistant, I did a 15% water change/gravel vac the other day and took up some of those semi-aquatic plants...im confused I thought the levels were gonna get higher and higher until the other bacteria grow....but there are no nitrites or nitrites yet either....CONFUSED...lol someone help me out.

Six days isn't a long time. Fish-in cycles can take roughly 4-8 weeks, so you're barely started. Just keep up with the daily testing (get the API test as soon as you can) and do a water change anytime ammonia and/or nitrite are over .25; same with nitrate over 20. You won't see nitrite or nitrate for a while yet. Ammonia will creep up and your water changes will increase; then ammonia will start going down and staying at 0 while your nitrite increases. Again it's a long process, just hang in there and keep up with the water changes through the process and don't add any more fish until the cycle fully completes. Good luck!

 

[steez]

we started to feed little pinches twice a day....they eat everything both times
still never see the ghost cats eat tho.

maybe cut it down to once a day. you're going to need to be testing your water at least once a day

 

[builtf0rdtough]

thanks yall, yea ive been testing twice a day lately. Its hard to not feed them, they seem so hungry lol.

 

[platycrazy19]

Lol I know what you mean I feel bad not feeding them.

 

[steez]

yeah for sure. trust me I know how hard it is, my oscar is like a dog. He comes up and just freaks out cause he's so hungry lol. Well he thinks he's hungry..they have a 13 second memory..

 

[roundar]

lol, anthropomorphism. It's funny what we can project onto our pets.

 

[steez]

it's hard not to

 

[jetajockey]

lol, anthropomorphism. It's funny what we can project onto our pets.

But it's for real, every time I come into the fish room and turn the lights on they all gather before me, prostrate and in reverence for their majesty, the appointed king of the fishes. They fear, revile, and adore me, for they know that my hand appoints unto them life and death, a future with a family, or a destiny mated with solitude. They eagerly await my hand as it sprinkles down manna from the heavens to quell their ambitions and satiate their yearnings, and for that they are thankful to the one who brings deliverance to their kind.

 

[Deckape]

always add ammonia and do not do water changes during a fishless cycle. in the water are those ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates which you want for now.

Please be careful on the information you are giving out or repeating. This person is doing a "fish in " cycle. DO NOT ADD AMMONIA.

 

[builtf0rdtough]

Please be careful on the information you are giving out or repeating. This person is doing a "fish in " cycle. DO NOT ADD AMMONIA.

lol yes, luckily Im not an idiot and can understand common sense and have a miniscule knowledge of fish tanks. I take something from everyone and use my knowledge and put them together to get what I do..but I do VERY much appreciate all the comments and I do read all of them.