Cycling With Fish...Stagnation

[The HTR]

Hello all,

I've been testing my tank and performing regular water changes as much as I can since I first bought the test kit on 6/22/08. There are two small cichlids, a pleco, and two mystery snails in the tank.

The ammonia has been hovering between 0ppm and 0.25ppm for the last week or so.

The nitrites have bounced periodically from 1.0ppm to 5.0ppm.

The nitrates hit 10ppm at one point but has been 5.0ppm for 90% of the tests. I tested my tap water and got a nitrate reading on 5.0ppm which may explain the nitrate readings in my tank water tests.

My question is: Have I reached a stagnant point in the cycle or is the tank cycled already? It's been up since May 18. Today's reading after a 30% water change is

Ammonia: 0-0.25
Nitrite: 1.0
Nitrate: 5.0

 

[Purrbox]

Until Ammonia and Nitrites hit zero, it's not cycled. You may find that doing an extra large water change helps hurry it along to completion.

 

[Zagz]

I agree with Joy, a 75% water change may help things along. Good for you doing the testing to keep an eye on things.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

It took me 2 months cycling my 10G with fish. It seemed to stall at 1month with still no nitrites, I stoped doing PWC's for 3-4 days, then Nitrites showed up. I continued doing daily PWC's then 1more month and still no Nitrates, again I stopped doing PWC's for 3-4 days and it was cycled. Been good ever since.

 

[warped1]

Hang in there. Cycling a tank really tests a persons ability to be patient. Follow the advice the other have given you. Keep up with the water changes and remember what SpeedEuphoria said about his cycle - it may take a while. And I don't think your cycle stalled or stagnated for the simple fact that you have fish in the water. There presence practically guarantees reading fluctuations on the water tests.

 

[meegosh]

I agree with everyone's advice given so far. I cycled my 10g with 2 danio's and I'll never do it again. I'd keep up on the water changes, a nitrite reading of 1-5ppm is high I feel, I'd keep it right around 1 or lower. Like warped said, this is the time when this hobby really tests your patience. Also, what size tank is it? I didn't see it posted anywhere. Good luck and be patient!

 

[The HTR]

It's 20 gallons

 

[lance]

In a new setup thats cycling you dont want any fish and no water changes. With fish and water changes your not giving the bacteria proper time to multiply and your extending your cycle.
Then doing more then a 40% water change within 1 week isnt good and only used for extreme cases.
Heres an article on whats happing in a cycling tank.

What is the Nitrogen Cycling Process?

Common Saltwater Aquarium Mistakes 10 Most Common Saltwater Aquarium Mistakes

 

[rkilling1]

In a new setup thats cycling you dont want any fish and no water changes. With fish and water changes your not giving the bacteria proper time to multiply and your extending your cycle.
Then doing more then a 40% water change within 1 week isnt good and only used for extreme cases.
Heres an article on whats happing in a cycling tank.

What is the Nitrogen Cycling Process?

Common Saltwater Aquarium Mistakes 10 Most Common Saltwater Aquarium Mistakes

If that '40% within a week' is truely bad for you, then why do a large amount of EI doses do 50% every week? Or the Discus people do 50% multiply times a week?

I also wanted to point out that most of the bacteria that live within our tanks, reside on the surfaces within it. There is normally very little contained in the water itself.

 

[kimo]

It's 20 gallons

It shouldn't take more than five weeks to cycle a 20g with the amount of fish you have. (3 weeks for a 10g) Do not do large water changes - only 20 - 30% at a time.

"If that '40% within a week' is truely bad for you, then why do a large amount of EI doses do 50% every week? Or the Discus people do 50% multiply times a week?"


Discus people and ones who fertilize using EI are doing large water changes FOR A SPECIFIC REASON.
Discus: to hold a specific level on the nitrates
Fertilizers: to drop tds levels back to managable levels.

 

[lance]

This is more so in a reef tank. In a FO tank its not so important. Im not sure if this will be a reef tank anymore.
A 40% change would be done for extreme problems. Changing to much to often could throw PH and other elements to either rise to high or go out of wack. Then your removing water thats more mature. This could cause your bacteria level to drop as older and younger bacteria would be affected. Then theres the temp. differance if not done right.
Your beneficial bacteria is all over the rock and sand and like other stock they like steady readings. Extreme changes isnt good for the older and younger ones and could leave them lower then your load which could mean other problems.

With all that said i think the ammonia source would be from 2 or 3 sources and water changes alone wont fix.

Your LR and LS will convert ammonia into harmless nitrogen but not if flow is to low or to high or if poor feeding habits are in place.
Then water source like tap takes time to build levels like nitrate and phosphate and ammonia and whene it reaches readable levels its harder to control and tap isnt constant as 1 water change could add unwanted levels.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I disagree with these last few posts.

I understand where lance is coming from in regards to a sw tank, but the op was discussing an fw tank with ciclids.

Continue to do large water changes as necessary to remove ammonia and nitrites and keep at a safe level for your current inhabitants. Large water changes may extend the life of your cycle slightly, however; your current fish and snails will be appreciative.