Fish in Cycle

[jrcoolt]

Ok, so I took the plunge, and decided to do a fish in cycle. My numbers are off the charts! I have been doing regular 50% water changes every day for a week. I was only doing a 20% every other day. Been three weeks now. I have 5 tetras in there. Its a 29 gallon tank.

My PH level is reading at 7.6 (Which is as high as my test kit will go. Also, I tested the tap water, had the same reading. Good thing I don't drink tap water.)
Any advice to get that to go down, would be great. I do use water purifier on every change.

Ammonia is at .25 ppm. I guess that's not horrible, but not ideal.

Nitrite was sky high! its reading 5.0 ppm. It cant get any higher than that.

Nitrate was at 10 ppm. I guess that not bad, but once again, not ideal.

These are all as of my last water change. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SushiLuckyFin]

Water changes water changes water changes!

More of the same of what you're doing.

It does look like your cycle is getting there, ammonia is on its way down and you have nitrates. 10ppm nitrAtes is really nothing to worry about. nor is Ph level (stable Ph is more important) But the NitrItes are a concern, but it's probably just the excess ammonia being processed, and fingers crossed will go down soon.

Good thing is, you know how the cycle works and you're doing those regular water changes.

 

[lorihallfrisch]

looks like you are almost there. In my cycling from this point on things got better quick!

 

[jrcoolt]

I did forget to mention, I have a pleco, and live plants. I am guessing the plants and uneaten algae wafers are causing the Nitrites to go sky high. I am feeding my pleco the wafers because there is no visible algae for him to eat. You think I should hold off on the wafers for a few days to see if the Nitrites go down a little? But then again, after my last water change I had the same readings, even after vacuuming out the wafer, so now that idea may be out the window. I always get rid of uneaten food during every water change.

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

Ok, so I took the plunge, and decided to do a fish in cycle. My numbers are off the charts! I have been doing regular 50% water changes every day for a week. I was only doing a 20% every other day. Been three weeks now. I have 5 tetras in there. Its a 29 gallon tank.

My PH level is reading at 7.6 (Which is as high as my test kit will go. Also, I tested the tap water, had the same reading. Good thing I don't drink tap water.)
Any advice to get that to go down, would be great. I do use water purifier on every change.

Ammonia is at .25 ppm. I guess that's not horrible, but not ideal.

Nitrite was sky high! its reading 5.0 ppm. It cant get any higher than that.

Nitrate was at 10 ppm. I guess that not bad, but once again, not ideal.

These are all as of my last water change. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello jr...

Water changes don't have to be that much. 30 percent will get the water back into the "safe zone" for the fish. A hardier fish would have been a bit better, but just keep close tabs on the water and change it daily if necessary.

Unless you keep and breed rare fish, pH really isn't an issue. Most aquarium fish will do fine between at a pH of 6 to 8 to even 8.5 with no trouble.

Keep up the daily tests and remove 10 gallons or so when you have a postitive test for either ammonia or nitrites. Next water change, you could float some Anacharis, Water wisteria or Pennywort. Stem plants are "nutrient hogs" and natural water filters.

B

 

[HN1]

The more water changed during a fish in cycle, the better.

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice