I don’t fully understand the cycle. What is going on here?

[Kennakm]

I thought in new tanks nitrite and ammonia will rise, drop to 0, and then nitrate will slowly rise. But that’s not whats happening here. I started this tank using some water from my first tank (which i just discovered never finished cycling) and a decoration (knowing most of the bacteria sticks to surfaces). Its about 2–3 weeks old. 7gal. 1 guppy, 7 fry. Can someone tell me where i am in the cycle from this graph or do i need more data?

I’ve been vacuuming the gravel and changing the water every 2-3 days. Am i ruining the cycle? I’m worried about the parameters of the tank affecting the guppy’s pregnancy and the fry development.

Here are the parameters for the 1st tank.


Would it be safer to put the breeding box and guppy in tank 1? And use a different fish to cycle the tank?

I AM SO CONFUSED. I just wanna help the fishies feel better.

What steps should i take from here on out concerning water and fry care?

Steps I’ve been taking:
- prime to detoxify with water changes
- stability daily
- feeding smaller amounts
- water change/ vac every 2 days

 

[Aiken Drum]

I think what might be happening is that you have some beneficial bacteria, but not enough to fully cycle out the ammonia and nitrite, so you will see the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate rise. The water changes you are doing arent sufficient to remove what isnt being cycled out.

This video i think more simply explains what is going on using M+Ms.

https://youtu.be/PWoiCqCvJco

 

[Aiken Drum]

The video doesnt quite show what i remember it doing.

But basically your system is producing 4 yellow beans (ammonia) per day, but only cycling out 2 beans, those beans turn to 4 brown beans (nitrite), but can only cycle out 2 of these beans, and those 2 beans turn to 4 blue beans (nitrate).

The following day add another 4 yellow beans. 2 are turned to 4 brown beans, and 2 of those to 4 blue beans. You now have 4 yellow, 4 brown and 8 blue. 25% water change removes 1 y, 1 br and 2 bl. The following day another 4 yellow beans are added and your number of beans keeps increasing day after day until your cycle is enough to remove all 4 yellow beans, and the resultant 4 brown beans.

 

[Kennakm]

The video doesnt quite show what i remember it doing.

But basically your system is producing 4 yellow beans (ammonia) per day, but only cycling out 2 beans, those beans turn to 4 brown beans (nitrite), but can only cycle out 2 of these beans, and those 2 beans turn to 4 blue beans (nitrate).

The following day add another 4 yellow beans. 2 are turned to 4 brown beans, and 2 of those to 4 blue beans. You now have 4 yellow, 4 brown and 8 blue. 25% water change removes 1 y, 1 br and 2 bl. The following day another 4 yellow beans are added and your number of beans keeps increasing day after day until your cycle is enough to remove all 4 yellow beans, and the resultant 4 brown beans.

I understand now. But not enough to figure out how to resolve this issue. Do i stop doing water changes? Or do i do more water changes... I’ve been told both and am quite confused.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Do water changes when needed. As you are still cycling, test your water daily and if your ammonia + nitrite combined is 0.5ppm then do 25% water change. This might be daily. If your parameters are getting much higher than the 0.5ppm combined number, then increase to a 50% change or do 2 x 30% changes a few hours apart. You can cut back to weekly water changes when you are consistently seeing 0ppm ammonia and nitrite your nitrates are steadily rising. Do 25% water change weekly regardless of what your testing says.

 

[Kennakm]

Do water changes when needed. As you are still cycling, test your water daily and if your ammonia + nitrite combined is 0.5ppm then do 25% water change. This might be daily. If your parameters are getting much higher than the 0.5ppm combined number, then increase to a 50% change or do 2 x 30% changes a few hours apart. You can cut back to weekly water changes when you are consistently seeing 0ppm ammonia and nitrite your nitrates are steadily rising. Do 25% water change weekly regardless of what your testing says.

Thank you that clears up a lot. However, my water test showed 40ppm nitrate, and both nitrite and ammonia went down, somewhere between 0ppm and 0.25ppm. That’s a bit more than a steady climb. Should i be concerned or is it just cycling as it should

 

[Aiken Drum]

You want to keep your nitrate below 40ppm. It does appear to be a big jump, but do a 25% water change and see what it is tomorrow. I wouldnt be too concerned at the moment.

If you havent already done so I would do a test of your tap water just to make sure you arent adding anything into your tank every time you do a water change.

 

[Kennakm]

You want to keep your nitrate below 40ppm. It does appear to be a big jump, but do a 25% water change and see what it is tomorrow. I wouldnt be too concerned at the moment.

If you havent already done so I would do a test of your tap water just to make sure you arent adding anything into your tank every time you do a water change.

Just test for ammonia nitrite and nitrate or should i get some other form of test to check specific water parameters

 

[Kennakm]

You want to keep your nitrate below 40ppm. It does appear to be a big jump, but do a 25% water change and see what it is tomorrow. I wouldnt be too concerned at the moment.

If you havent already done so I would do a test of your tap water just to make sure you arent adding anything into your tank every time you do a water change.

Yikes! I tested my water. Its looking like a Ph of 7.6+, Ammonia looks too green to be at 0ppm, more like .2ppm. nitrites are at a zero. And nitrates are at 20-40ppm. What can i do about that?this might be a stupid question but do Brita Filters remove nitrates?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Just test for ammonia nitrite and nitrate or should i get some other form of test to check specific water parameters

Just run a test for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Whatever your test kit can do.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Yikes! I tested my water. Its looking like a Ph of 7.6+, Ammonia looks too green to be at 0ppm, more like .2ppm. nitrites are at a zero. And nitrates are at 20-40ppm. What can i do about that?this might be a stupid question but do Brita Filters remove nitrates?

I dont see an issue here.

You can only remove nitrate through water changes or plants will take it up. The high nitrate isnt an issue, thats why you do water changes. If doing your weekly water changes doesn't keep them below 40ppm increase the amount you are changing, and if 50% weekly water change doesnt control them you are over stocked.

 

[Kennakm]

I dont see an issue here.

You can only remove nitrate through water changes or plants will take it up. The high nitrate isnt an issue, thats why you do water changes. If doing your weekly water changes doesn't keep them below 40ppm increase the amount you are changing, and if 50% weekly water change doesnt control them you are over stocked.

Wait... but if my tap water has 40ppm nitrate, and i do a water change, won’t i just be keeping nitrates at 40ppm in my tank?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Sorry. You mean your tap water is 20 to 40ppm? Double check these results.

 

[Kennakm]

Sorry. You mean your tap water is 20 to 40ppm? Double check these results.

A local fishkeeper gave me tap water and a cycled sponge to help with the water parameters until i can get safer water, i will double check today

 

[Aiken Drum]

He gave you tap water or water from his tank? If its water from his tank then it will have nitrate in it. Also this will do very little to help your cycle. The sponge will give it a kick though.

Test your tap water.

 

[Kennakm]

He gave you tap water or water from his tank? If its water from his tank then it will have nitrate in it. Also this will do very little to help your cycle. The sponge will give it a kick though.

Test your tap water.

No, from their sink. In case my tap water really does have high nitrates, they wanted to give me a few gal of safe tap water for my next water change

 

[Kennakm]

No, from their sink. In case my tap water really does have high nitrates, they wanted to give me a few gal of safe tap water for my next water change

They also are giving me a RODI buddy in case i need to use RODI water and minerals. And they tested the hardness of my water to see if i could get away with half tap half RODI, but its not very hard at all. I think she said it took 5 drops with the API water hardness test thing.

 

[Kennakm]

They also are giving me a RODI buddy in case i need to use RODI water and minerals. And they tested the hardness of my water to see if i could get away with half tap half RODI, but its not very hard at all. I think she said it took 5 drops with the API water hardness test thing.

Okay i tested my water again and got 0ppm nitrate. How could i have messed it up so i don’t do it again?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Nitrate testing, you have to really follow the instructions carefully and exactly. If you dont shake the heck out of bottle #2 it can lead to a false 0ppm reading. If you dont read the test after 5 minutes it can lead to a false higher reading as it keeps getting redder the longer you leave it.

If you get any result on any test that you arent expecting, best to retest and double check.

 

[Kennakm]

Hm. Noted. Ill be more careful. Good news my main tank with the sick danios is stable. Ammonia and nitrite at 0ppm, nitrate steadily rising. In the past three days it went from 40ppm to 20ppm without a water change. Today it looks about 20ppm. And the best part? My last leopard danio is eating and swimming again!!