Newest Water Parameters

[The HTR]

After another 25% water change here are the parameters:

Ph: 6.8
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 5.0
Nitrate: 10

Am I moving in the right direction towards being cycled?

 

[Sum22]

From all my reading it looks like you are heading in the right direction. Nitrite should start dropping fairly quickly, from my understanding of cycling.

also, forgot to ask, do you have fish? If so nitrite is still way high. I might consider doing another water change to get it lower, but only if there are fish in the tank.

 

[neilanh]

Assume youi're doing a fishless cycle here. You'll want to continue adding ammonia daily to keep those bacteria alive until the cycle completes.

 

[The HTR]

No there are fish in the tank...two cichlids, a pleco, two mystery snails, and an African dwarf frog

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Whats the PH of your tap water? I saw that your tank had 7.2 at 1st now its 6.8.

 

[Zagz]

If there are fish in your tank and you want them to live do a 50% water change immediately and another one in 12 hours. Get the nitrite under 1.0ppm, the nitrite is burning your fish from the inside out. Your cycle is moving along just fine but with a fishy cycle you have to slow the cycle and save the fish.

 

[The HTR]

So much water so little time

Did the 50% water change as recommended. Here are the latest results

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 1.0
Nitrate: 5.0

 

[rich311k]

Thats better do another 50% tomorrow. then test and change as needed. Keep that nitrite under 1ppm.

 

[kimo]

If there are fish in your tank and you want them to live do a 50% water change immediately and another one in 12 hours. Get the nitrite under 1.0ppm, the nitrite is burning your fish from the inside out. Your cycle is moving along just fine but with a fishy cycle you have to slow the cycle and save the fish.

"Get the nitrite under 1.0ppm, the nitrite is burning your fish from the inside out."

This is false. IF the fish were being burned from the inside out by the nitrite (or ammonia), they would be DARTING CONTINOUSLY non-stop. Even with the lights out.

It is true that ammonia and nitrite irritate the fish but it is in the gills where the damage appears. (Flame red, possibly septicemic) 1.0 ppm is NOT a high reading. I have seen much worse and the fish survived.

 

[Zagz]

"Get the nitrite under 1.0ppm, the nitrite is burning your fish from the inside out."

This is false. IF the fish were being burned from the inside out by the nitrite (or ammonia), they would be DARTING CONTINOUSLY non-stop. Even with the lights out.

It is true that ammonia and nitrite irritate the fish but it is in the gills where the damage appears. (Flame red, possibly septicemic) 1.0 ppm is NOT a high reading. I have seen much worse and the fish survived.

Fish can survive with nitrites and ammonia over 1ppm but that does not mean they aren't suffering damage. People and animals survive lots of things that cause long lasting damaging effects. Keeping both nitrite and ammonia under 1ppm, preferably 0, is the humane thing to do.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

When I 1st cycled my tank with fish, I had a fancy gold fish die. It started acting different as soon as nitrites showed up then a couple days later was barely hanging on.

 

[kimo]

" Keeping both nitrite and ammonia under 1ppm, preferably 0, is the humane thing to do."

Agreed - IN a cycled tank.

A tank that is in the process of being cycled will not have ammonia or nitrites at zero. Keeping the PEAKS (spikes) at a reasonable level, not necessarily 1.0 ppm, will speed the cycle and cause less harm to the fish.
The only part of the fish that is not covered in a mucal membrane is the gills. That is the first place to look.