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
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