I thought i was done with the cycle because nitrates went up and i did a water change and everything was good.Have a lion fish going on three weeks and checked today and everthing was of the charts.I did three wc of nearly 50% and still have ammonia at 0.25-0.50.nitrate at 40 and nitrite at 1.0.Should i wait till tomorrow?doesn't seem to be going down much for all the effort of all the gallons removed.
cycling
- Thread starter dwint
- Start date
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Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
The numbers will tell you when to do water changes. It may need to be done daily if you let it go naturally. You also have the option to use a product like Seachem's PRIME which will detoxify ammonia for up to 48 hours. You could also add Fritzyme #9 which is live nitrifying bacteria to help speed up the cycling process. I know there are other products that claim to be live cultures but I know Fritzyme #9 works as I've used it to cycle tanks in pet stores, wholesale houses and my own aquariums. (You just need to make sure of the expiration date. It only has a 6 month shelf life so using it past the expiration date is useless. )
I used microbacter from brightwell aquatics and already the ammonia and nitrites are down so i guess it's at the end and tomorrow another water change should do it.Glad i didn't put alot of fish in .I have a gold stripe maroon clown and a damsel and lion.All hardy but wish it was cycled.I figured since the diotoms left i was good to go.
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
You do realize that any lionfish can eventually grow to eat your Damsel and possibly your clown ( if it's a male) don't you? Even dwarf lionfish species grow to at least 6-8 inches which means their mouths can suck in a number of smaller fish species. ( The "dwarf" part is only because they are smaller than Volitans and the other mid size species like Antennatas and Radiatas.
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Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
Then I'm guessing you have a female because males only get to about 2"-2 1/2 " max so will nicely fit in the lion's mouth.
Here's a quote from a company that wholesales these fish: " Will dwarf lionfish eat clownfish?
They will eat smaller fish such as clownfish, cardinals, damsels, gobies, or blennies if they are small enough to fit in their mouth. "
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you do get an ammonia, nitrite or nitrate reading and you need to reduce the levels, do a huge 75-90% water change. That is the quickest way to drop levels.
If you do a 25% water change you leave behind 75% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 50% water change you leave behind 50% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 75% water change you leave behind 25% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 25% water change you leave behind 75% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 50% water change you leave behind 50% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 75% water change you leave behind 25% of the bad stuff in the water.
