Help!

[Lissyloo1]

Help w cycling information please! These are my parameters. Question is, do I keep dosing ammonia daily to 2ppm until the nitrite turn 0 one day? Do I leave the ammonia alone? Do I do a water change to get the nitrite down ? ? We have a first timer over here! Plus my algae is going crazy w no clean up crew in there.

 

[Crazyfishlady77]

You don’t need to continue dozing with ammonia. Don’t do a water change until your tank is fully cycled. Fully cycled means you have 0 ppm (parts per million) of ammonia which you are approaching. Your nitrite is rising because the beneficial bacteria is converting it to nitrite. Your tanked is cycled when you have 0 ppm of nitrite and 10-20 ppm of nitrate. Algae growth is a good sign that your tank is cycling and it’s very common. Don’t worry about the algae right now. Once your parameters are where they should be, you can do 20% of your tank’s total gallons water change to bring down the nitrate. You will need a good test kit, strips will do ok in a pinch, but the liquid drops kind is best. You can do a partial water change once daily to bring down the nitrates to 10-20 ppm. I don’t suggest doing more than 30% water change to disrupt the new cycle your tank has and don’t clean your filter for a few weeks or you risk interrupting the new cycle. Any other questions, reply back. We were all new once, you’re doing fine.

 

[1midniterider]

Patience is required when cycling your tank. Have a read.

 

[VaranusPanoptes]

How to Fishless Cycle a New Aquarium - Spec-Tanks Article helped me through my first cycle.