Moving right along...I think

[angeladawng]

Started fishless cycle of 75 gallon tank last Wednesday...dosed it up to 4ppm strait ammonia. Have been testing all week (yes, I'm impatient) and nothing really seemed to be moving. Just tested a few minutes ago and the ammonia is down to 2ppm and nitrites have shot up to at least 5...that's as high as the chart goes (what a gorgeous shade of purple though) and trates are still at 0. Should I just let it be for a few more days or do a water change? Oh...and pH is HIGH....having to use the high range test and came up with a reading of 7.8-8

 

[fish4phil]

You're already doing a lot better than when most of us started, so I applaud you there! This is the most boring part of fish keeping and even after only a week your tank is doing really well. Be a little more patient, most cycles take 3-5 weeks.

As far as water changes go, you will get a lot of varrying opinions. I suggest that once your Nitrites or Nitrates are over what your test kits can show, do a water change, mostly so you can track your results more accurately.

Keep at it!

Sent from my mobile aquarium device

 

[angeladawng]

thinking about waiting to do a pwc....want to see if some nitrates show up soon.

any stocking ideas? would like a nice community tank...POSSIBLY semi aggressive...haven't decided yet. would like a pair of larger "showy" ones and lots of schooling fish...

really kicking myself for not painting the back of the tank...oops

 

[fish4phil]

This will solve your background issues, wonderful product

Cardinal Tetras make a great schooling fish, but be careful which semi-aggressive fish you put in there, Cardinals might become lunch. Use aqadvisor.com as a guide to help you

 

[trennamw]

And as for pH I was told to keep it higher for the cycle, mines at 8.2 and moving very quickly. Even for pH neutral fish 7.5-8 is probably fine I'm told, if you keep it stable. Our LFS that's a west coast favorite apparently told me to quit using the API pH test because it just makes you crazy and has me using one for hydroponics that shows whole numbers only. They said 6-8 should be fine if it's stable. For fish stable is everything? But I'm new too so do your own research!

 

[fish4phil]

Yes, a stable pH is more important than a perfect one. 99% of aquarists should not alter their pH.

 

[angeladawng]

ok.....so I checked my levels at 7 pm last night...ammonia was at 2ppm, Nitrites off the chart, and nitrates at about 5. Dosed my ammo back up to 4ppm at 7 last night. Got up this morning, checked levels and ammo was at 0, nitrites still off chart and nitrates still at about 5. Dosed ammo back to 4 and by the time I got home from work, they were back down to 2ppm so I dosed back up to 4ppm. Nitrites are off chart and trates are still around 5. Does it take a long time for nitrates to start climbing? I am getting worried that I am doing something wrong but since the ammonia keeps going down, I am guessing that I have a one nice "colony" and just need the other one to build up. Should I just keep on doing what I have been by keeping the ammonia up to 4ppm??

 

[venymae]

Yes! The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrAte, take longer to multiply than the ammonia to nitrite ones.

 

[angeladawng]

Woo Hoo!! Will keep on keepin on.....

Any stocking ideas?? I want a nice community tank with maybe one or two larger "showy" fish.

 

[venymae]

Hmmm....so my favorites are always one or two large schools of fish and your favorite big fish... have you considered Angels? I think a light colored Angel like a pearl would look really good! you could get 3 and maybe a nice school of larger tetras (so the angels don't eat them ) I think red phantom tetras would look great with the splashes of red you have going on in the tank. Maybe some bleeding heart or blushing tetras? Black neons? There are so many. I find groups of 15 look the best. Though minimum is 6. They just look so much nicer in a big group. Another centerpiece fish could be a gourami. Two would be nice, though they tend to like top cover plants. Endlers are fun fish you could look into. Rainbows too. Gah, so many!

 

[angeladawng]

turning over ammonia extremely fast....dosed it to 4ppm at 1pm this afternoon and 6 hours later it's down to 1....and trites were down to 2ppm at that time...trates up to 20.

so excited I feel like a kid at Christmas....

Looks like it's going to cycle faster than I thought it would

I like gold barbs, false julii cories, Flame Dwarf Gouramies, swordtails, guppies, & glofish