Fish-in Cycling Confusion

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NATO

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
23
Hello all, I'm a long time lurker in the forum but this is my first post (I've done lots of reading around on the subject, but please be gentle!)

I have a Juwel Rio 125-litre tank which I've had running fish-in to cycle for around 3 weeks now (using Tetra SafeStart to get the filter going). My LFS hadn't mentioned fishless cycling when I bought it otherwise I would have done that.

However, I've currently got 10 Cardinal Tetras and 2 Dwarf Gourami in the tank (introduced in stages) and I regularly test the water with the API Liquid test kit.

My confusion seems to be regarding the readings I get - All I seem to be getting is slow increases in Ammonia, Zero nitrites and 5-10 Nitrates.

Any time I see the ammonia climb to 0.5ppm I do a 25-40% water change to get the levels down (replaced water is treated with Seachem Prime).

The Nitrites and Nitrates don't seem to be appearing at all, and the ammonia levels are just climbing slowly before each water change (usually 2-3 days).

Can anyone shed some light on what's going on? I would have thought the ammonia would rise a lot faster all things considered! The fish seem very happy and the only time I've noticed them being 'off' in any way was when the Ammonia went higher than 0.5ppm and after the water change they were happy again.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. I am new at this also but I had the same experience with my 10 gallon. I use API Quick Start and is probably similar to the SafeStart. I took readings everyday and got 0-.25 ammonia and never got nitrite readings. After a while I got nitrate readings. I used a handful of gravel from my 3 gallon to start the 10 and I'm not sure that helped any. I added fish weekly because my readings were good and have not lost any fish. I am now starting up an 125 gallon and will use the Quick Start again, I think it really works.

I would continue testing and doing water changes as necessary. I added Quick Start with every water change as stated in the instructions, so do that if the SafeStart says the same.
The most important thing when doing a fish in cycle is to monitor it daily and keeping the ammonia and nitrite under .25. As I said I am new to this so someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Good luck.
 
Fish-In Cycling

Hello NATO...

There really isn't much to this type of cycling and it's not harmful for the fish unless you fail to monitor the water chemistry carefully.

The process takes 4 to 6 weeks, so there's plenty of time left to make sure things are done safely.

You simply test the tank water every day. If a test shows a trace of either ammonia or nitrite, then you change 25 percent of the water and replace it with pure, treated tap water. The water change will remove enough of the toxins to return the water chemistry to the "safe zone" for the fish. Ideally, you use hardy fish like feeder Guppies, Platys, White Clouds, Zebra Danios, etc.

When several tests show no traces of the above toxins, your tank is cycled.

B
 
Hello all, I'm a long time lurker in the forum but this is my first post (I've done lots of reading around on the subject, but please be gentle!)

I have a Juwel Rio 125-litre tank which I've had running fish-in to cycle for around 3 weeks now (using Tetra SafeStart to get the filter going). My LFS hadn't mentioned fishless cycling when I bought it otherwise I would have done that.

However, I've currently got 10 Cardinal Tetras and 2 Dwarf Gourami in the tank (introduced in stages) and I regularly test the water with the API Liquid test kit.

My confusion seems to be regarding the readings I get - All I seem to be getting is slow increases in Ammonia, Zero nitrites and 5-10 Nitrates.

Any time I see the ammonia climb to 0.5ppm I do a 25-40% water change to get the levels down (replaced water is treated with Seachem Prime).

The Nitrites and Nitrates don't seem to be appearing at all, and the ammonia levels are just climbing slowly before each water change (usually 2-3 days).

Can anyone shed some light on what's going on? I would have thought the ammonia would rise a lot faster all things considered! The fish seem very happy and the only time I've noticed them being 'off' in any way was when the Ammonia went higher than 0.5ppm and after the water change they were happy again.

Your doing nothing wrong, keep testing and keep up want we changes your see the other levels climb soon. Although I'll add when I did a heavy fish in cycle I NEVER nitrites. I have no explanation for this other then "maybe" all my water changes due to the heavy bio load.

But I don't see anything wrong with your cycle thus far.

Do your 50% water changes when needed and you'll be good. Using Prime? Awesome! Keep it up!
 
I've had tanks take 6 wks before nitrites showed up & others have nitrites within 3 wks, there is no set rule. It can take 8 wks & on rare ocasions longer to completely cycle a tank. You're doing fine, be patient, keep testing & doing your water changes as necessary.
 
Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated! I expected ammonia to be rocketing, which is why I got worried and posted here for advice.

Currently I'm doing 25-30% water changes every 2 days as I'm finding it takes that long for the Ammonia to reach 0.5ppm, I'll keep checking the water and I'll post back once the nitrites finally show up.

I really can't imagine how people cycle a tank without a liquid test kit!
 
Just an update since my last post. It's been a number of weeks now (regular tests and partial water changes when ammonia exceeded 0.5ppm) and the Nitrites have finally showed up!

I tested the water yesterday and the ammonia was approaching 0.5ppm, with zero Nitrites. Today the ammonia has dropped to 0.25ppm and the Nitrites have registered at 0.25ppm.

So it looks like the tank is slowly cycling. I'll keep testing and doing partial water changes accordingly but at least things are going in the right direction
 
Woah, from barely any change except very slight increases in ammonia over the last weeks, things have properly got going, I came home today and my ammonia has jumped to 1.0ppm and the Nitrites were at 2.0ppm! I couldn't get a 50% water change done quick enough!

Looks like I'll be keeping a VERY close eye on things until things settle down, but I'm still glad things are going in the right direction as far as cycling goes.
 
Fish-In Tank Cycling

Woah, from barely any change except very slight increases in ammonia over the last weeks, things have properly got going, I came home today and my ammonia has jumped to 1.0ppm and the Nitrites were at 2.0ppm! I couldn't get a 50% water change done quick enough!

Looks like I'll be keeping a VERY close eye on things until things settle down, but I'm still glad things are going in the right direction as far as cycling goes.

Hello NATO...

Something to think about while your tank is going through this "nitrogen cycle". The reason for the cycling process is, you want to grow the good microscopic bugs that use these two types of nitrogen (ammonia and nitrite) for their food.

If you consistently remove most of the toxins through large water changes, you will delay the growth of the bugs (good bacteria) because you're removing their food source. That's why you use hardy fish. They'll survive the higher levels of ammonia (NO) and eventually nitrite (NO2).

When I cycled my first tank, I was instructed to remove just enough of the old water and dissolved nitrogen, to return the chemistry to the "safe zone" for the fish, but leave enough for good bacteria growth.

You can certainly remove as much water as you like, but the more water you remove, the longer the nitrogen cycle will take.

Just a thought.

B
 
These things can take time. I recently cycled a bucket, and it took about 4 weeks for ammonia to go down well and for nitrites to come up. Took about another 4 weeks or so for the nitrite bacteria to establish themselves as well.
 
Another update - My tank is cycled!

I actually look out the lower basket from my Juwel Rio 125 and replaced one of the fine sponges with an additional cirax basket (putting the replaced sponge in the top to keep the bacteria to help seed it). In addition I took out the carbon sponge from the top basket and put a basket of Cirax on the bottom of it.

Within a few days the ammonia and nitrates dropped to zero and my nitrates are slowly increasing.

Very happy that its all sorted now, I've been keeping a regular eye on the water parameters and its all good.
 
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