Never Ending Fish/Cycle

[almcloud]

Have a 10 gal tank.
Working on fish cycle for about a month.
Got really hight Ammonia the first week but after that I started a periodic water change (aprox 50%) treatment almost every day and it decreased significantly. The problem is that I just can't lower it to 0 and for the past 2 weeks I got stuck at 0.2
The last test results are:
PH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0.2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 2.0
I will pwc tom again.
PLS HELP ME AND TELL ME WHAT SHOULD I DO?

 

[robbeno]

Have a 10 gal tank.
Working on fish cycle for about a month.
Got really hight Ammonia the first week but after that I started a periodic water change (aprox 50%) treatment almost every day and it decreased significantly. The problem is that I just can't lower it to 0 and for the past 2 weeks I got stuck at 0.2
The last test results are:
PH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0.2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 2.0
I will pwc tom again.
PLS HELP ME AND TELL ME WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Same ere, about 5-6 weeks now, I'm doing something wrong, so prob you same,
Someone should giv us a little advise I think, my ammonia goes like fairy liquid, over2.0 ppm water change 50% treat with Ammonia remover, goes ok for a day or so next test high agen gone on for ages now, just can't get it cycled properly. & my backs in bits ha... About to give up tho myself and toss my goldfish into the pond, wich isn't inserted yet still empty

 

[sillygirl423]

You're doing fish in cycles? They can take longer than fishless because you have to keep the toxins down low enough not to hurt the fish. Also what kind of test kits are you using IMO/E the strips are very inaccurate, its best to go with the API master test kit. If you are showing nitrates your cycle is progressing. What do you have stocked in the tank?

 

[robbeno]

Hi no I'm using The Api test kit, prob is I never cycled slowly n correctly, I just put fish in weeks ago,, now 11 goldfish was 14 I removed 3 to my pond were I'm having similar problem now, there but with nitrites, pond was cycled, untill water fall leak, I refilled, I'm forever water changing there to keep nitrite down, but i've tested for nitrates and 0ppm on both pond and tank, i think now the water in pond is below 50 were fish are gonna be going into hibernation, will nitrite therefore die off soon anyway ?

 

[jlk]

Hi no I'm using The Api test kit, prob is I never cycled slowly n correctly, I just put fish in weeks ago,, now 11 goldfish was 14 I removed 3 to my pond were I'm having similar problem now, there but with nitrites, pond was cycled, untill water fall leak, I refilled, I'm forever water changing there to keep nitrite down, but i've tested for nitrates and 0ppm on both pond and tank, i think now the water in pond is below 50 were fish are gonna be going into hibernation, will nitrite therefore die off soon anyway ?

Your having a problem because you have WAY too many goldfish in a ten gal tank!!! Goldfish need 20 gal for the 1st fish, 10 gals there after for each additional fish. Common goldfish grow to be 12-18inches in length. If you want to continue a fish in cycle (please read up on this), move ALL of the goldfish except ONE to the pond. Then start doing 50% pwcs (water conditioner & temp match) until your ammonia is zero. My advice would be to remove ALL of the goldfish to the pond and continue with a fishless cycle. If you properly acclimate them to the pond (this may take hrs), there shouldnt be any issues with the pond temp being low. Please ask if you are unsure how to do this properly! Have you tested your tap water for amm/nitrites/nitrates?

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

If the cycle was'nt done in the pond and the temperature of the water was under 17C, that will not cycle at all!! Do PWC until water goes under 8C and there the fish start to hibenate.

For the tank, 1 month is not long for cycling if you dont add establish media in the filter or other bacteria sources!

For the one that is in the sixth week, howmany gal. Is the tank??

 

[jlk]

What are your water parameters in your pond (amm/nitrite/nitrate)? Is it new?

 

[kurtyboh]

alright back to the op, you dont want to manually remove the ammonia from your tank during a cycle as you're removing the food from the beneficial bacteria. It does take some time, what did you use as an ammonia source? what did your nitrite go up to? is there still an ammonia source in there? what type of filter are you using? there has to be something for the bb to grow on, like filterfloss or ceramic media, in sw live rock. The substrate will harbor some, but you should have something else.

 

[kurtyboh]

rebono, you should really start your own thread so we can address your problem properly, but like i told the op, you are removing the food source of the bb with pwc's and chemical ammonia converters, your cycle has taken so long because your not actually cycling, just using chemicals to remove the first step in the process and masking it. fish in cycles are much more work for you, last longer and in general are hard on the fish.

What youre looking to do is keep your ammonia somewhere between 1-2ppm, because if you go below that your not feeding the bacteria, go above that and its extremely hard on the fish. I would not be surprised to learn that it takes you 3 months to properly cycle with fish in.

 

[jlk]

alright back to the op, you dont want to manually remove the ammonia from your tank during a cycle as you're removing the food from the beneficial bacteria. It does take some time, what did you use as an ammonia source? what did your nitrite go up to? is there still an ammonia source in there? what type of filter are you using? there has to be something for the bb to grow on, like filterfloss or ceramic media, in sw live rock. The substrate will harbor some, but you should have something else.

He has to remove the ammonia! He has 11 goldfish in a 10gal tank. If he doesnt remove it, the fish will not survive.

 

[kurtyboh]

jlk, there are two posters with problems here, the first said nothing about goldfish, that was the second, second point read what was responded to the goldfish guy.

you need to keep the ammonia low with fish in, not removed completely or you will never cycle!

 

[jlk]

My fault-i didnt realize it was 2 different posters! The goldfish guy needs some emergency help!

 

[kurtyboh]

this is exactly why its best to post your own, less confusion better help!

 

[eco23]

@ almcloud- Is the ammonia steadily climbing over .2, or can you just not get it lower than that? Have you seen nitrIte readings? How many and what type of fish are in the tank? If the ammonia is not climbing, its possible you are cycled and it's an issue with color shading or inaccuracy with the test kit. Strips are very inaccurate, and even with liquid kits it can be hard to differentiate between 0 and .25. If it is still climbing, I agree to continue doing the water changes to keep the toxins as low as possible until cycled (at or below .25ppm).

@ robbeno- We'd need a bit more info about your tank. 11 Goldfish in how large of a tank? What type of ammonia removing product are you using?

@ kurtyboh- I'll take a shot in the dark and guess the OP has a filter capable of harboring nitrifying bacteria. I also strongly disagree with the idea of not removing the ammonia with water changes. Pwc's will not slow your cycle to any significant degree. The statement that "...keep your ammonia between 1-2ppm, because if you go below that you're not feeding the bacteria..." is absolute nonsense and sets a very dangerous precedent for others reading this thread. We see every day on this site people who keep their ammonia and nitrIte as low as possible (pwc's any time levels climb to .25ppm) and cycle perfectly fine, in a reasonable time frame and with healthy fish at the end of the process. Advising people keep their fish in 1-2ppm of toxins or they'll never cycle is simply wrong.

Also, depending on the product used, there is no harm in using an ammonia neutralizer. Products like Seachem Prime and Amquel temporarily detoxify the ammonia and no2 by converting it to a non-toxic form...yet still leave it available to the beneficial bacteria to consume. Thereby...not hurting your cycle. I agree that products like Zero-lite which actually absorb the ammonia will be a competing source with the BB and potentially result in a weak and unstable bio-filter, but using a blanket statement on products isn't right. Products like Prime are the most valuable tool you can have along with fresh water during a fish-in cycle.

Here's a link for everyone-
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

 

[kurtyboh]

i would also assume most to have some type of filter but without any information posted about his tank you do not know. Nor do we know that he has fish in there, how many or what they are... so telling him to remove ammonia from a fishless cycle would be horrible advice.

for yrs i was a forklift tech, a competing company had us come fix a lift that they had worked on for 2 weeks straight... it was out of gas. Assuming that they have everything right when there is a problem creates a larger problem. Start at the basics.

 

[eco23]

i would also assume most to have some type of filter but without any information posted about his tank you do not know. Nor do we know that he has fish in there, how many or what they are... so telling him to remove ammonia from a fishless cycle would be horrible advice.

for yrs i was a forklift tech, a competing company had us come fix a lift that they had worked on for 2 weeks straight... it was out of gas. Assuming that they have everything right when there is a problem creates a larger problem. Start at the basics.

Its possible I'm missing something, but I haven't seen anything related to fishless cycles. I see two posters (I agree it should be 2 threads to avoid confusion) who are doing water changes trying to keep their toxins down while the tank cycles, and receiving advice to not lower the toxins, and not use a water conditioner like Prime to neutralize them. Maybe I'm reading it wrong (the pond is throwing me off), but the information needs to be on this thread that if there are fish in an uncycled aquarium...water changes need to be done large and often to keep the toxins as low as possible (preferably at or below .25) until cycled. Also, products which neutralize, but do not remove toxins like Prime, Amquel, Stress-coat, Ammo-Lock, etc... can be great tools to protect your fish during the process...and will not prevent a tank from cycling.

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Have a 10 gal tank.
Working on fish cycle for about a month.
Got really hight Ammonia the first week but after that I started a periodic water change (aprox 50%) treatment almost every day and it decreased significantly. The problem is that I just can't lower it to 0 and for the past 2 weeks I got stuck at 0.2
The last test results are:
PH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0.2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 2.0
I will pwc tom again.
PLS HELP ME AND TELL ME WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Is there fish in there??

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Same ere, about 5-6 weeks now, I'm doing something wrong, so prob you same,
Someone should giv us a little advise I think, my ammonia goes like fairy liquid, over2.0 ppm water change 50% treat with Ammonia remover, goes ok for a day or so next test high agen gone on for ages now, just can't get it cycled properly. & my backs in bits ha... About to give up tho myself and toss my goldfish into the pond, wich isn't inserted yet still empty

How many gal for these 11 goldfish??

 

[kurtyboh]

Also test your tap water, some localities dont have the best water supplies, its quite uncommon for ammo to be there but not unheard of

 

[kurtyboh]

You could also test some bottled water, itll let you you know if your test is off