Novice that needs help!

[brian7]

Hi. I am new to the hobby, so I please ask that there is no harsh criticism. Thanks. Sorry this may be long

I set up a brand new 55 gallon, and in doing research I learned I needed to cycle my tank. So I was going the fishless route until I learned shortly after that I was using ammonia with surfactants... I took all of the water out and started over, this time with fish.
I bought to long fin zebra danios to cycle my tank, being nieve and new to the hobby I felt bad for the two little guys and bought four more a few days later, know that they are schooling fish. To make long story short my girlfriend talked me into getting guppies more schooling fish... we now had 12 fish.
I was adding biozyme to kick start the bacteria. The ammonia did not seem to take too long to drop. But now i've been stuck with high nitrites for a few weeks now, this is where I need help. I was adding salt to help with the high nitrite levels. After a while of them remaining high I figured putting a couple live plants would help reduce the nitrites. Still high nitrites. In research I stumbled across seachem prime. A few days ago I purchased this product, immediately put 5x the dose is (5 caps) because this was an emergency. It immediately seemed to drop the nitrites from 2-5 ppm to .25. This is great. Next day they seemed a little higher than .25. I did about a 10% water change and added one cap of prime. Day three they seem to still be at .25. After all this being said I just need advice on what to do. Am I almost done?

Notes: I have been doing very frequent water changes. I have a decoration that blows bubbles and a bubble curtain, a sufficient filter (not under gravel). Let me know if more info is needed.

I AM A COMPLETE NOVICE; I KNOW I REALLY SCREWED THIS UP, BUT I AM TRING TO FIX TO HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY TANK. PLEASE NO CRITISCIM.
THANKS

 

[HN1]

Hi Brian. Welcome to AA!

Most of the advice I'd offer is already typed here http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html and I'm a tad lazy.

We were all novices at some point so try not to sweat the setbacks too much. Just learn and move on.

 

[skiweeangel]

You are doing what yu should for the most part. Keeping a close watch on your tank levels and PWC are the best thing to do IMO. I'm not a novice but I'm not by any means an expert. There are others on here who can help more than I. There is a thread in the freshwater beginners forum that gives you everything you need to know about cycling with fish. I can't post the link right now but check it out if you can. Constant checking and PWCs are very important right now. Zebra danios are pretty hardy IMO and can make it through a lot. Guppies might not but if you stay on top of the tank they will hopefully be ok. Keep a watch on their gills as well. If they start to look really red do an immediate PWC to bring ammonia levels down.

I have been where you are and joining AA is one of the best things you can do. This place is a wealth of knowledge! Welcome! Good luck!

 

[zparticle]

Hi start by reading this:

I-just-learned-about-cycling-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now

There will be some other folks along shortly so if you have more questions after reading that article please ask and the folks here will help.

 

[skiweeangel]

+1 HN! That is the link I was talking about n

 

[librarygirl]

Hi. I am new to the hobby, so I please ask that there is no harsh criticism. Thanks. Sorry this may be long

I set up a brand new 55 gallon, and in doing research I learned I needed to cycle my tank. So I was going the fishless route until I learned shortly after that I was using ammonia with surfactants... I took all of the water out and started over, this time with fish.
I bought to long fin zebra danios to cycle my tank, being nieve and new to the hobby I felt bad for the two little guys and bought four more a few days later, know that they are schooling fish. To make long story short my girlfriend talked me into getting guppies more schooling fish... we now had 12 fish.
I was adding biozyme to kick start the bacteria. The ammonia did not seem to take too long to drop. But now i've been stuck with high nitrites for a few weeks now, this is where I need help. I was adding salt to help with the high nitrite levels. After a while of them remaining high I figured putting a couple live plants would help reduce the nitrites. Still high nitrites. In research I stumbled across seachem prime. A few days ago I purchased this product, immediately put 5x the dose is (5 caps) because this was an emergency. It immediately seemed to drop the nitrites from 2-5 ppm to .25. This is great. Next day they seemed a little higher than .25. I did about a 10% water change and added one cap of prime. Day three they seem to still be at .25. After all this being said I just need advice on what to do. Am I almost done?

Notes: I have been doing very frequent water changes. I have a decoration that blows bubbles and a bubble curtain, a sufficient filter (not under gravel). Let me know if more info is needed.

I AM A COMPLETE NOVICE; I KNOW I REALLY SCREWED THIS UP, BUT I AM TRING TO FIX TO HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY TANK. PLEASE NO CRITISCIM.
THANKS

HI and welcome to AA!

Live plants are good, aquaruim salt is not. You generally do not need to add salt to a freshwater tank unless you are treating a disease, so stop adding the salt

Frequent water changes are good, but how frequent and how large? If your nitrite levels are anything over 0.25 (same with ammonia) the only way to bring them down safely is through water changes. Prime will help TEMPORARILY but it is not a fix in itself. I think you still need to change water even if you keep dosing with Prime. Prime can and should be used with your water changes and as it says can be used in higher doses in an emergency but you dont' want to keep adding capfuls of that every day without taking out water.

Test your water at least once per day for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates (if you don't have a good liquid test kit -- not strips -- like the API Kit, get one soon). Any time the ammonia or nitrites read over 0.25 or the nitrate reads over 20, you'll want to do a water change to get the ammonia and nitrite under 0.25 and the nitrate under 20. The tests should dictate how much of a water change to do (example, if the ammonia is .5 you'll want to do at least a 50% water change to get it down to 0.25 and actually another 50% after that would be better).

Be prepared (and don't be afraid) to do large frequent water changes daily for a while. That's the price you pay for cycling with fish Temperature match the water each time you put it in and use the Prime, but don't use it in place of water changes.

Good luck.

 

[librarygirl]

Hi start by reading this:

I-just-learned-about-cycling-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now

There will be some other folks along shortly so if you have more questions after reading that article please ask and the folks here will help.

Thanks Z ! I just realized I forgot to add that link!

Brian: Read that ^^ it'll help you.

 

[brian7]

Thanks librarygirl! Great info I appreciate the help. I have only had prime for a few days so I haven’t added too much, from here out ill just use it as water conditioner. I usually did 10-30% water changes and if I thought it needed it 50%. But does this slow the process down (so i’ve heard)? Also what about biozyme... doesn’t seem like it’s doing much. Since I had to start over it seems like it has been forever, but realistically less than 8 weeks. I will wait patiently; I just can't wait to really get going.

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks librarygirl! Great info I appreciate the help. I have only had prime for a few days so I haven’t added too much, from here out ill just use it as water conditioner. I usually did 10-30% water changes and if I thought it needed it 50%. But does this slow the process down (so i’ve heard)? Also what about biozyme... doesn’t seem like it’s doing much. Since I had to start over it seems like it has been forever, but realistically less than 8 weeks. I will wait patiently; I just can't wait to really get going.

You're welcome

Bacteria in a bottle is hit-or-miss with some people and even if it seems to work can be unstable and can cause a cycle crash down the road. You already used it so let it be, but don't use any more, let the tank cycle naturally in it's own time, it'll get there and be more stable.

Changing water doesn't drastically change cycle time IMO, most of the beneficial bacteria you are growing are living in your filter media (just don't change it and don't rinse it in pure tap water!) and some on your substrate, plants and decor, not much in the water itself.

Just keep testing the water daily and do water changes as needed even if it's more than one in a day and even if they are large (I hope you have an automatic changer like a Python for that size tank? It'll make things a lot easier for you) and your tank will cycle.