Fish in cycle

[Pongeer247]

14 gallon tank, aqueon 20 filter

4-card tets, 2-fancy guppies, 5-guppy fry and 2-African dwarf frogs.

I have had this set up for just over a month. Had water checked at petco before I got the fish and they said it was good. Turns out it wasn't and now I'm going through a fish in cycle. Lets just say I won't be going there for any more advice. I also want to thank everyone who has helped on here so far. All the members here are friendly and helpful! My questions are 1) how to properly lower ammonia levels? ( getting prime today) 2) what's the next step? 3) is there any way to speed up the cycle?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

You should be testing a couple times a day and watching all your water perimeters. If ammonia or nitrite rise above .25 you need to do a water change to get it down.

 

[BBradbury]

Fish-In Tank Cycling

14 gallon tank, aqueon 20 filter

4-card tets, 2-fancy guppies, 5-guppy fry and 2-African dwarf frogs.

I have had this set up for just over a month. Had water checked at petco before I got the fish and they said it was good. Turns out it wasn't and now I'm going through a fish in cycle. Lets just say I won't be going there for any more advice. I also want to thank everyone who has helped on here so far. All the members here are friendly and helpful! My questions are 1) how to properly lower ammonia levels? ( getting prime today) 2) what's the next step? 3) is there any way to speed up the cycle?

Hello Pon...

If you'll commit to monitoring the water chemistry daily for a while, then this type of tank cycling is very efficient, won't harm the fish and the good part is, you enjoy an active tank right away.

You need a good water test kit, API is the one I used and you test the water for ammonia and nitrite every day. When you have a test that shows a trace of either of these two toxins, you remove a quarter (25 %) of the water. You replace it with pure, treated tap water. You're done until the next day. You retest and change a quarter of the tank water if you have a positive test for the two toxins, the same as before. I'd get some Anacharis (Waterweed) into the tank. It's the best natural water filter, ever. Good for the tank and good for the fish. They'll feel at home and relax.

When you test several days and each test shows no traces of ammonia or nitrites, your tank has completed the nitrogen cycle and then you change half the tank water every week, to make sure the water chemistry remains stable.

That's pretty much it.

B

 

[librarygirl]

Hi and welcome. When you had them test the water prior to getting fish it tested fine as there wasn't an ammonia source in the tank. Now that you have fish, they are excreting waste which is causing the ammonia to rise. Once the tank cycles the levels will stabilize but until then you're going to need to test the water daily and keep up with water changes. Here are a couple of guides that should help:
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

 

[bettagirl03]

Do a partial water change every day to keep ammonia down (twice a day if necessary) and add some Tetra SafeSart. this product completely cycled my tank in a few days, so I would add it just to shorten the cycle and help prevent more stress on the fishies.

 

[Pongeer247]

thanks every one! the link and advice is very helpful. Will be getting safestart tomorrow, i also have some prime for the tap water. Will have to do 2 water changes a day for now. Ammonia is at 1 and hasnt changed.

 

[Coyne]

I had the same thing happen to me at my PetCo and now Im in the middle (hopefully the middle) of a fish-in cycle with some Serpe Tetras.
They also told me my PH was on the "high side" but that it was typical of the local tap water and that theirs is the same. When I started testing the water myself I found that its around 8.4 - 8.8. High side indeed!

From now on if I have a LFS test my waters Im going to ask them for the numbers rather than just have them say "Looks ok". I suppose I shouldnt complain too much about free water testing, but even if its free its pointless if the person doing it doesnt know (or care) about what they're doing.

Luckily this site has been very informative and hopefully it can help us and other newbies avoid future bad LFS part-timer advice.

 

[Pongeer247]

I will be using this forum and hobbyist I know personally for advice on all my future decisions.

 

[Pongeer247]

Doing water changes twice a day. Have been using new water prime and ammonia is finally dropping. Fishe and frogs are looking a lot happier. Thanks for the advice!