Newbie with some questions regarding a Fish in cycle ?

[Bethanyjxne]

Hello all,
I am a complete Newbie to the hobby and I messed up from day one. Hence the fish in cycle. I know that some people are not keen on this method of cycling and I can only apologise and highlight that my main concern regarding this thread is so that my fish aren’t negatively impacted.
I purchased a 54 L tank, along with seachem prime to dechlorinate the water, and quick start, as recommended. I filled the aquarium with the dechlorinated water and quick start, ensured it was the correct temperature and released my 2 mollies and 2 platies into the aquarium.
Since doing so I’ve became aware of the nitrogen cycle that needs to occur to ensure my fish are healthy, therefore I have since taken base measurements of my tap water and the readings are as follows using The “Aquarium water mini test” by NTLABS I’m based in the UK if that matters..
PH: 7.5
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: I believe is 0 the solution was bright yellow.

I have also tested my aquarium water on what is now day 2 (?) I put the fish in the aquarium on 3/5/22 and today is 4/5/22. These are the readings for today:
Ammonia: not as bright but still yellow solution, so looks to be around 0.1
Nitrite: 0

Today (the same day as readings) I have done a 1x dose of seachem prime as it is stated it lasts between 24-48 hours to help to maintain the detoxifying process of the ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. My fish Are swimming around the tank, have full colour and have eaten with no issues at all and seem to be enjoying the new tank. Although the reading of ammonia is roughly 1ppm (which I understand is a dangerous level) I’m also aware that it is detoxified and not toxic for my fish.

Being new to this whole hobby I want to ensure that I am researching effectively to give my fish the best chance at living a healthy life throughout this process. So I have a couple of questions below, please feel free to inform me of anything I may not know of.

Questions:
I was just wanting some clarification that this is the correct thing to have been doing since a fish in cycle is the only way I am able to continue with my fish?

I was also wondering what my next steps are? What should I look out for? I’m going to continue (if correct to do so and safe) testing daily, and 1x dosing seachem prime, as well as only feeding once a day to keep ammonia from waste down but ensuring my fish have food. I am also aware that you can 4x dose seachem prime if needed in an emergency.

If ammonia and Nitrite levels stay below 5ppm combined is it safe to keep using seachem prime without water changes?

What is the likelihood of my fish living safely?

Am I doing anything wrong?

Any responses to any of these questions are greatly appreciated, thank you for taking the time to read this long post from a newbie x

 

[Fishlegend]

Its a little to early to determine ammonia problems if everything is ok by the end of the week you can continue as normal. hope this helps!

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Its a little to early to determine ammonia problems if everything is ok by the end of the week you can continue as normal. hope this helps!

Thank you! Any help is appreciated because I’m quite the worrier! So I continue as is for the time being? I have ordered a nitrate test which is arriving tomorrow, by the end of the week if they are showing below 40ppm that is a positive sign that the cycle is starting, yeah?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Your target should be to keep ammonia + nitrite combined no higher than 0.5ppm. Im not sure if you are missing some decimal points in your numbers. You have mentioned 0.1ppm and 1ppm for your ammonia.

1ppm ammonia is too high and needs to be brought down through a water change. 0.1ppm ammonia is fine and of no risk to your fish.

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Your target should be to keep ammonia + nitrite combined no higher than 0.5ppm. Im not sure if you are missing some decimal points in your numbers. You have mentioned 0.1ppm and 1ppm for your ammonia.

1ppm ammonia is too high and needs to be brought down through a water change. 0.1ppm ammonia is fine and of no risk to your fish.

Thank you, on the NTLABS aquarium test kit the ammonia levels on the back of the box are in the url picture attached

And the first bright yellow indicator stated 0 and the second where it’s turning kind of green states 0.2 so from that I got that my ammonia level is currently 0.1 as it’s midway (roughly) between the two colours. Is that safe? Have I interpreted the numerical side of the test wrong in terms of decimals? Is 0.1 a safe conclusion following interpretation from the scale?

Thank you!!

 

[Aiken Drum]

That test kit seems to be quite contradictary.

It appears to be a test kit for free ammonia (NH3) and 0.1ppm free ammonia would be killing your fish almost immediately.

But, the ! appears at about 1ppm, which would be consistent with a test for total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) which is free ammonia (NH3) + ammonium (NH+4). Most test kits are for TAN and the fact your fish arent dead hints that your test kit is for TAN, so i wouldnt worry.

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Well now I’m actually more confused because that picture attached is from the NTLAB website but on my mini aquarium test kit the ‘!’ Is present at the 0.2 reading and not the 1.0! So now I’m unsure of whether it is free ammonia or TAN! �� any ideas? Thank you

 

[Aiken Drum]

Having read through some of the fine print on NT Labs website, im fairly certain their ammonia test is for TAN and not free ammonia. They use some terminology im not familiar with. Im going to email them to make sure.

At 0.1ppm TAN your fish are safe.

As said if your ammonia + nitrite combined gets above 0.5ppm do a water change to bring it down.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Well now I’m actually more confused because that picture attached is from the NTLAB website but on my mini aquarium test kit the ‘!’ Is present at the 0.2 reading and not the 1.0! So now I’m unsure of whether it is free ammonia or TAN! �� any ideas? Thank you

Change 50% of the water to be sure. Our messages crossed over.

 

[Bethanyjxne]

https://www.ntlabs.co.uk/knowledge-hub/water-quality-parameters-in-freshwater-aquariums/

I’ve found the answer! TAN is being measured not free ammonia, so the current reading is safe and is of no concern? At what point on that scale should I be concerned? Greater than 0.2ppm (the second reading on the chart)?

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Messages have crossed over once again, so to finally conclude if ammonia (tan) and Nitrate readings combined go above 0.5 I do a water change, thank you so much!
And thank you for emailing them, you’ve been a great help!

 

[Aiken Drum]

I think you are right, but ive emailed them and hopefully they can confirm 100%. I did read that but there is some more linked info that complicated it further, and im no professional chemist.

If you are really interested in the chemistry, there is a good thread here about ammonia toxicity and the relationship between free ammonia and TAN. The ammonia showing in your test can get quite high (presuming typical aquarium pH and temperature), but that 0.5ppm ammonia + nitrite combined target is an easy to understand, safe limit. If you really get into the water chemistry you can push it further, but if you stick with the 0.5 target you know you are good.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/your-guide-to-ammonia-toxicity-159994.html

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Thank you so much for all of your help, you’ve really clarified the testing process for me, I think I’ll stick with the combined 0.5 ppm as it’s easy to remember and as you’ve said safe, so that’s reassuring to me. The plan going forward is to dose seachem prime as needed, as a single dose can detoxify 1ppm of ammonia I will use that knowledge accordingly and if my levels raise I will double the dose to ensure that 2ppm is detoxified.
E.g if I continue getting 0.1 ppm reading for ammonia, use 1 dose of seachem prime.
If I get a 0.2ppm reading for ammonia I shall 2 x my dose of seachem prime as I am aware that it is safe for up to 4 x it’s singular dose.

Does that sound like a good plan in terms of ammonia? I know it detoxifies 2ppm of nitrite and nitrates so will also bare that in mind for my dosing.

Thanks again! You’re a life saver

 

[Aiken Drum]

I wouldnt rely on prime to detoxify nitrite or nitrate. Again not a professional chemist, but Seachems justification of their claims that it detoxifies these is very wooly. They have no idea how it does this and no real evidence beyond anecdotal.

Water changes are your friend.

Prime detoxifies 1ppm ammonia (again this is pretty much nothing more than a claim by Seachem, although im more inclined to trust this one) so you would double up at 2ppm (not 0.2ppm). If you are keeping at that 0.5 combined target you dont really need Prime to detoxify anything, but better safe than sorry i guess.

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Okay, thank you!

It appears I’m not very good at math because I was under the assumption that my 0.1 ammonia reading was equivalent to 1ppm ammonia but I may totally be embarrassing myself either way so I’ll say it anyway would my ammonia reading on the chart need to be 10.0 to be 1ppm? Either that’s right and that’s a bonus math point for me or I’ve completely embarrassed myself! My logic there was that a combine 0.5 reading would be up to two 0.25 readings of either ammonia or nitrate. Who would have thought I’d be doing a degree with my logical math skills so poor lmao!

 

[Aiken Drum]

A reading of 1 on that chart is 1ppm. A reading of 10 would be 10ppm.

Your reading of 0.2 is 0.2ppm.

So a reading of 0.25 ammonia and 0.25 nitrite or 0.5 ammonia and 0 nitrite will be 0.5ppm.

 

[Bethanyjxne]

Well that’s embarrassing for me isn’t it lol!
Thank you so much, honestly, it means a lot! I definitely know much more now!