fish in cycle help

[FrolfAddict93]

Did a reading last night and decided I needed to do a 50% pwc . My reading were ammonia was in between 0 & .25 ppm, nitrite was 5-8 ppm, nitrate was 15ppm

Where am I sitting on the cycle completeness?

All help is really appreciated.
Tank has been set up since fathers days with fish in it. Starting to get some green algea starting to grow on my rocks.

 

[Mebbid]

I would say you are probably about 2/3 of the way done. I really would suggest that you try to get those nitrites a little lower though and try not to let it rise above .25 A few more 50% water changes with an hour inbetween would get them down to safe levels.

 

[FrolfAddict93]

How much longer on the cycle you think and is there anything I can add to my filters to lower nitrites

 

[Mebbid]

Water changes are by far the most efficient way to drop nitrites but I guess you could try some ammonia absorbing chips to absorb the ammonia before it gets converted into nitrites. Prime will also detoxify the nitrites for a short time giving your BB a chance to consume it while not harming the fish.

 

[FrolfAddict93]

Can I add some syno cats to the tank while it's cycling I need something to clean my rock

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Fro...

I'm no expert. But, if you're getting traces of nitrates, that's an encouraging sign your tank is well on the way to being cycled. Nitrates are at the end of the "nitrogen cycle", so there are no little bugs that use the nitrates for food. This form of nitrogen (NO3), has to be removed by doing a partial water change.

In order to grow your beneficial bacteria, your water changes need to be no more than 25 to 30 percent of the tank volume per day, if needed. Removing more water removes more ammonia and nitrite. Your bacteria needs these for food, so they can reproduce, so you can get a break in your water change duties.

B

 

[Mebbid]

Hello Fro...

I'm no expert. But, if you're getting traces of nitrates, that's an encouraging sign your tank is well on the way to being cycled. Nitrates are at the end of the "nitrogen cycle", so there are no little bugs that use the nitrates for food. This form of nitrogen (NO3), has to be removed by doing a partial water change.

In order to grow your beneficial bacteria, your water changes need to be no more than 25 to 30 percent of the tank volume per day, if needed. Removing more water removes more ammonia and nitrite. Your bacteria needs these for food, so they can reproduce, so you can get a break in your water change duties.

B

As long as there is any amount of free nitrites / ammonia in the water the bacteria will continue to reproduce. But with a fish in cycle we should be more worried about the fish than having the bacteria cycle faster. With a 5-8ppm reading of nitrites it is definitely far too high for fish to be safe.

 

[Fishperson]

Can I add some syno cats to the tank while it's cycling I need something to clean my rock

By syno do you mean synodontis? What size tank is this? I wouldn't though, just let it finish first.

 

[FrolfAddict93]

75 gallon tank. Fluval 404 canister and a double.bio wheel hob with black sand

 

[FrolfAddict93]

75 gallon tank. Fluval 404 canister and a double.bio wheel hob with black sand