Where, oh where, could my cycle be?

[Cassifrassy]

Hi folks! First time poster, overall new to fish keeping.

Right now I'm in the process of cycling my 29 gallon so I can later house female bettas it is actually a fish-in cycle, it is what it is, no point in dogging me for that. It is heated and filtered, all bueno.

I have a five glowlight tetras in there, and a little ADF, all of which seem to be doing great. I'm about two weeks in, but it seems like my cycle process is all over the place while still being nowhere. Pretty much for an entire week and a half my parameters have been this:

Ammonia: .25-.5ppm
Nitrite: .25-.5ppm
Nitrate: steady, solid 5.0ppm

Does this make sense? Nothing has spiked, and nothing has really changed much. I've been using the API master Freshwater Test Kit, and of course I've been doing PWCs when ammonia or nitrites climb above .5ppm

 

[sheilashoelady]

Firstly, welcome aboard!

A fish-in cycle can take weeks or even months.
A few suggestions...
When doing the nitrate test, bang the junk out of bottle #2. If it isn't mixed properly, you can get mixed readings.
Next, it is a good idea to get a baseline of parameters from your source water. Put some in a container and leave it sit for 24 hours, and then run the tests. That will give you an idea of your true water pH, and also whether you have traces of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the water.
What temperature is the heater set at?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Cassifrassy]

Thank you!

I knew that fish-in would possibly take longer, but I am not the type of gal who would be okay staring at an empty tank all the time(; I did actually purchase a bottle of Dr. Tim's, hoping that would help, but by the time I realized the bottle was almost a year past expiration date I already had the fish.. Oh well.

Oh, the struggles of nitrate bottle #2. For a while I was getting readings of 0, but then I read up on how fussy those little crystals can be inside the bottle. I try my hardest to shake the snot out of it, so I *think* I've gotten that covered, unless you have to completely abuse the bottle even more than I already am.

As for the base line, I will set out some water to sit so I can get those readings tomorrow

The heater is set at 80 (F) the water is around 82. Is this too warm?

 

[sheilashoelady]

Temperature looks good.... The cycle will actually cycle faster at a slightly temperature, but since you have fish in already, I would leave it where it is.

I bang my nitrate 2 bottle against the counter a whole bunch, haha.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Cassifrassy]

Fantastic!

I've been banging mine on a desk. A few days ago, my mom actually walked in to my room because she thought something was wrong because of all the banging! Haha

So, if my nitrate readings are correct, does my cycle sound like it's on track? Or possibly stalled?

 

[threnjen]

I think everything sounds on course. Stalled cycles are really only the purview of fishless cycles, it doesn't happen fish-in.
It just takes a longlong time. Just keep up what you're doing, it's exactly correct

 

[Cassifrassy]

Great! Today I had a harder time trying to tell if the ammonia test was leaning more towards green or yellow.. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but it seems like I may be getting closer

 

[Cassifrassy]

I'm back! I tested my tap water that sat out for 24+ hours..

Ammonia: 0-.25? (Read below)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:0

So.. Ammonia. what would you say this is? First photo with flash, second photo without, under incandescent lighting.

 

[Cassifrassy]

I compared it to bottled water.. And Unless my mind is playing tricks on me, my tap ammonia is .25ppm.

How does that affect my cycle process? Sorry I'm posting so much! Haha it's pretty much my entire thought process..

 

[threnjen]

What's the pH of your tank please?

 

[Cassifrassy]

What's the pH of your tank please?

About 7.8

 

[threnjen]

Sorry forgot to also ask temp! (I have a point, promise)

 

[Cassifrassy]

Sorry forgot to also ask temp! (I have a point, promise)

The heater is set at 80, but the water is closer to 82 (F). Haha, no worries, I trust that you have a point!

 

[threnjen]

OK so what I'm calculating is the toxicity of your ammonia level, which is dependent on your pH and your temperature.
Both your pH and temp are pretty high. I would, over the next few days, bring your temp down to 78 (which is a pretty good temp in general). This is going to make your ammonia level safer and allow you to go higher with your ppm ammonia reading. Usually we advocate a water change at .25ppm (I personally advocate .5) but with ammonia in your tap water, this isn't really possible for you.

With a temp of 78, you could let your ammonia get to .75ppm-1ppm safely and you shouldn't see any issues with your fish. 1ppm ammonia would be the upper end of what I'm comfortable with before a water change because of your high pH. Even at this level of ammonia you're only at 50% of "imminent danger" level but I'd like to see you stay well, well away from imminent danger. This does mean that if you see 2ppm ammonia for any reason, you need to take IMMEDIATE action.

I hope any other forum people reading this aren't totally spazzing out about my recommendation. I stick to the forum norms but in a case where a person has ammonia out of the tap a more personalized solution is required.

A few more thoughts, one more post ----->

 

[threnjen]

Once your ammonia readings disappear you will be in the nitrite phase. A lot less is known scientifically about nitrites and the actual "danger level". I would keep these under .5ppm to be safe. This will require more water changes than you would be used to.

After your tank is cycled, water changes are taking out nitrates - but of course, you are adding ammonia to your water. This is perfectly ok at your level of ammonia. If you do a 50% water change you are not adding a dangerous level of ammonia to your water.

 

[Cassifrassy]

Wow! Thank you very much!

Just a few questions/concerns/comments..

I thought that the bacteria needed preferred warmer temps? I'm totally fine with lowering the temperature, just curious

As is right now, I've been doing about a 30% water change every day, or every other day, in order to keep the ammonia level below .25ppm. So now I should just let it be until it gets around .75, then do a 50% change?

Again, thank you so much! This personalized help is really a life safer google searches can only help so much!

 

[threnjen]

It does prefer warmer temps, but any temp that we keep fish in is fine to grow the bacteria, so don't worry about that.

Yes I would just start using .75-1 as your target. We teach less around here but honestly it will be fine. It's pointless for you to keep replacing .25 water with .25 water

 

[Cassifrassy]

Fantastic! And since I am getting nitrites already as well, I should do a water change if that gets above .5, regardless of the ammonia level?

 

[threnjen]

Hmm yeah. This is a conundrum.
Let me do some math I'll be back in a few minutes with a recommendation

 

[Cassifrassy]

Can do!