Cycling mishap

[KylieB123]

hi I'm new to aquariums and unfortunately I didn't know about fishless cycling when I started my tank, and believed the petsmart worker who told me I could add fish just a week after setting up my tank if I used a product called cycle. this clearly wasn't the case, and I now have three platys in a 37 gallon tank that has not been cycled I am doing daily water changes of 40-60% to keep the ammonia levels down, but even with these water changes, the water is cloudy and the ammonia level shoots back up to 2ppm by the end of the day. Is there anything I can do to speed up the cycle or reduce the ammonia in order to save the fish? I've heard of a product called fritz zyme turbo start, does anyone know if that would work?
currently I am using the fluvial aquaclear 50 filter, and an aerator(I'm not sure what kind it is it just produces a wall of bubbles at the back of the tank) nitrates and nitrites are at 0, and ammonia is at between 1 and 2 ppm. the tank has been set up for about a week and a half.

 

[trennamw]

I'm not very experienced but I see nobody has answered ... I'd do a little research on Prime. Petsmart has it and I understand it helps.

Do you know anyone with a healthy aquarium who can give you some of their filter media or gravel?

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Kyl...

Platys are very hardy fish. Fish in tank cycling requires daily testing of the water. When you have a positive test for ammonia or nitrite, you remove 25 percent of the water and replace that with pure, treated tap water. You just test the water every day and remove it when needed. If you remove too much water, you can delay the growth of the good bacteria. When several tests show no trace of the above toxins, the tank is cycled.

B

 

[KylieB123]

Prime is a product that removes ammonia and chlorine in the water, but does not actually cycle the tank. I'm currently changing about 60% of the water daily and ammonia is still present, though. I don't know anyone who can provide beneficial bacteria from their tank. Is there anything I can do to speed up the cycle? I know platys are hardy fish but if I'm unable to keep the ammonia down I'm worried it will do damage over time.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi Kylie.
Sorry to hear that you having problems.
Prime is used to condition tap water to remove chloride but it does not remove ammonia. What it does is to convert the ammonia to ammonium which is less toxic to fish. Your filter bacteria will process this as if it were ammonia. This will only be effective for about 24 to 48 hrs. Your test kit will show the same ammonia result, only the ammonia will be less harmful.
The only way to cycle a tank, with fish in, is to water change and keep the ammonia to safe levels for your fish. This slows down the cycling process considerably.
I have found most 'starter cultures' sold over the counter to be pretty useless. I'm afraid nothing beats some filter media from a cycled tank. Would your LFS be helpful enough to give you some. If not then you will have to just sit it out and keep up the daily maintenance. It will cycle eventually.
The cloudy water is possibly a bacterial bloom and should clear naturally. Again, sit it out.
If you do lose the fish, and I hope that you don't, then consider not buying more fish but cycle the tank without fish. There is lots of advice on here about fish less cycling. It's much easier, quicker and effective than with fish.
I hope that's been of some help.
Steve.

 

[ScotJudd]

Another thought.
Make sure you don't over feed. This will cause the ammonia levels to rise sharply. Only feed what is eaten in a few minutes and if any food reaches the gravel then you have fed too much. Just give a very little food. If it's all eaten quickly then add a little more. If it's not taken enthusiastically then again you may be over feeding.
Steve.

 

[KylieB123]

I did not know that about prime good to know. I have read up on fishless cycling and that is what I plan to do if I lose the fish. I'm not sure there are any places I would trust filter media from I wouldn't want to spread disease into my tank I think the fish have enough to deal with right now. Is there any online source maybe?

 

[KylieB123]

It looks like I have a second problem: one of the females is pregnant. I know platys are fairly hardy fish, but I don't think fry will make it in a cycling tank. I'm not sure if the fish was pregnant when I got her or got pregnant in my tank, but she is very plump. (the male platy was more interested in her than the other female so it seems likely.) Is there any way to save the fry if she gives birth before I manage to cycle the tank?

 

[Caliban07]

It looks like I have a second problem: one of the females is pregnant. I know platys are fairly hardy fish, but I don't think fry will make it in a cycling tank. I'm not sure if the fish was pregnant when I got her or got pregnant in my tank, but she is very plump. (the male platy was more interested in her than the other female so it seems likely.) Is there any way to save the fry if she gives birth before I manage to cycle the tank?

Hi Kylie

What is your ph and temperature of the water?

 

[KylieB123]

the water is 76 degrees and the ph is a about 7.5

 

[Caliban07]

the water is 76 degrees and the ph is a about 7.5

Ok I've just calculated your TOXIC ammonia to be 0.033

The are two forms of ammonia. Free ammonia nh3 (toxic) and ammonium nh4 (non toxic).

Your liquid test kit (assuming you are using the liquid kind) measures the combined total of these two forms of ammonia. The better news is that only a percentage of that total is harmful to the fish and that based on the total ammonia (TAN), ph and temperature.

Your free toxic ammonia come out at around. 0.033ppm. The threshold is around 0.025ppm and anything above 0.05ppm is damaging the fish.

So you are in the middle and need to take extra care. The good news is that your fish are probably ok unless your Total ammonia exceeds 2ppm.

To be 100% sure you need to keep total ammonia no higher than 0.5ppm by doing daily water changes of how ever much water is required. Cut back on feeding also to once a day a very tiny pinch until the cycle is complete.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[KylieB123]

I do have a liquid test kit thanks for the advice I'll cut back on feeding