Fish-In Cycling Question

[ragin1cajun]

Getting that first tank cycled is the one of the
most anxious times during this hobby, next anxious would be right before you get to upgrade to a bigger tank! But as long as you get that first tank cycled and keep it maintained properly, seeding future tanks is a breeze!

LOL, I already upgraded.. Doing all the research I have done since setting up the 6G for my daughter, I decided I wanted a bigger tank at some point. I happened to be at Petco looking around and ended up bringing home an Aqueon 29G tank setup with filter and heater included. I am fishless cycling it now. Thankfully, finding the Ammonia was easy for me since I have an Ace Hardware about a mile from my house! I will eventually upgrade the filter but thinking at the moment is that the included filter is good enough to cycle the tank.

Once the 6G is finished cycling, I will move the filter media I took from the turtle tank over to the 29G. Then once the 29G is cycled, I will move the fish over.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

LOL, I already upgraded.. Doing all the research I have done since setting up the 6G for my daughter, I decided I wanted a bigger tank at some point. I happened to be at Petco looking around and ended up bringing home an Aqueon 29G tank setup with filter and heater included. I am fishless cycling it now. Thankfully, finding the Ammonia was easy for me since I have an Ace Hardware about a mile from my house! I will eventually upgrade the filter but thinking at the moment is that the included filter is good enough to cycle the tank.

Once the 6G is finished cycling, I will move the filter media I took from the turtle tank over to the 29G. Then once the 29G is cycled, I will move the fish over.

Awesome! Glad you've done all your research, good for you!

 

[ragin1cajun]

Today's update:

pH = 8 - 8.2 (Increased from 7.4 yesterday)
Ammo = .25 (Same as prior to PWC Yesterday)
Nitrite = 2 (Increased from .25 yesterday)
Nitrate = 10 (increase from 5)

Not sure of the cause of the pH spike? Only thing added yesterday was tap water which tests @ 8 pH, Prime, and Aquarium Salt.

I am assuming it is normal to have Nitrite spikes at this point in the cycle as the Nitrite eating bacteria gets established before it goes down hopefully for good.

I went ahead and did a 50% PWC again today and dosed the tank with Prime.

Thanks,
David

 

[Hholly]

Your pH may change a bit because its usually different after gassing out in your tank for a while. Straight from the tap, it's usually one number, then 24 hours later it will be a bit different. Not usually enough to be a problem. Mine comes out of the tap at 7.8, then ends up 8.3 in the tank.

 

[ragin1cajun]

Ok, I think this 6G tank is almost there...

pH = 7.4
Ammo = 0-.25
Nitrite = 2
Nitrate = 10 or 20

At first, I thought the Ammo was 0, but it had a slight greenish tint to the yellow color but it also wasn't as green as the .25. So somewhere in between? The good news is that this is the closest thing to 0 I have seen so far!

The Nitrite still concerns me since I either thought or was hoping it would be going down by now. Even with the PWC each day it makes its way back up to 2.

Before I tested this evening and did the 50% PWC, we found the Danio laying on the gravel at the bottom of the tank. While I tested and did the PWC he got moving again and has seemed OK since. Is it normal for Danios to rest on the bottom or is that a sign of stress?

Thanks,
David

 

[Hholly]

You're almost there. If you can do a few 50% changes in a row to get the nitrites down. Hopefully your danio will perk up.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Ok, I think this 6G tank is almost there...

pH = 7.4
Ammo = 0-.25
Nitrite = 2
Nitrate = 10 or 20

At first, I thought the Ammo was 0, but it had a slight greenish tint to the yellow color but it also wasn't as green as the .25. So somewhere in between? The good news is that this is the closest thing to 0 I have seen so far!

The Nitrite still concerns me since I either thought or was hoping it would be going down by now. Even with the PWC each day it makes its way back up to 2.

Before I tested this evening and did the 50% PWC, we found the Danio laying on the gravel at the bottom of the tank. While I tested and did the PWC he got moving again and has seemed OK since. Is it normal for Danios to rest on the bottom or is that a sign of stress?

Thanks,
David

Being at that in between color of 0-.25 is a good thing, it means there's less and less ammonia, which is probably why your nitrites are climbing quickly to process the left over ammonia you have. Before my 10g cycled (I did fish in as well) my nitrates got pretty high even with wc's everyday, and of course the nitrates would get crazy high over night when I was asleep lol.

 

[ragin1cajun]

The cycle might be nearing complete!

I work from home on Tuesday's so after I took the kids to school this morning I came home a tested the water again.

pH = 7.8
Ammo = .5
Nitrite = 2.0
Nitrate = Between 5 & 10

So, to get the Nitrite's down, I went ahead and did a PWC. I just tested the water again a few minutes ago and here are the results:

pH = 7.4
Ammo = 0 (Could see very little green tint, so my daughter and I are calling it 0)
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = Between 0 & 5

Considering, I am putting Ammonia in every time I add tap water (tap water tests at 1 ppm Ammo) in the last 10 hours the Ammonia is virtually gone. Nitrites which have been testing at 2 ppm every time I have tested the last 3 days have tested 0 for the first time since 12/31.

So, I will ask the experts here? Does this sound like I am cycled? Should I expect another spike in Ammo or Nitrites at some point? Should I have seen a Nitrate spike today since the Ammo & Nitrites are now 0?

Thanks,
David

 

[Hholly]

I'm no expert, but I think you're good to go! Just keep an eye on levels for a while and when you add stock.

 

[Waylanderxx]

Hurray!

 

[DavidAl]

Feed generously tonight and tomorrow, then test the water tomorrow night. If you're getting 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and an elevated nitrate level, light up the Cuban...

David

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Feed generously tonight and tomorrow, then test the water tomorrow night. If you're getting 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and an elevated nitrate level, light up the Cuban...

David

I have to agree here. I would keep testing for a few days to a week to make sure you keep getting these readings. Then SLOWLY add fish.

 

[Waylanderxx]

When I was a kid my family never had access to the plethora of information available here and we're always stumped as to why our fish died. One such sad occurrence being my first betta. We kept him as instructed by our pet place... In a 1 gallon bowl with no heat with weekly water changes... If I knew then what I know now...

 

[ragin1cajun]

OK, going backwards now...

pH = 7.4
Ammo = 0
Nitrite = 2
Nitrate = 10

So another Nitrite spike. So I went ahead and did another 50% PWC and dosed whole tank with Prime. I am hoping a spike like this is or can be normal? If not, then I am beginning to question whether I did the test right yesterday. But it is hard to mess up the Nitrite test (just 5 drops and shake).

David

 

[librarygirl]

Normal. You just started seeing nitrite a few days ago, right? The nitrite phase is the longest, lasting a few weeks on average. Just keep testing and doing water changes as you did with ammonia. I'd try to keep nitrite as low as you can (<.5). It tends to spike rather quickly.

 

[ragin1cajun]

LG -- Thanks!

Nitrites started showing up in very small doses on 1/2. In the last five days, every time I test Nitrite has been at 2 ppm until yesterday evening. In the morning yesterday it tested at 2 ppm, then in the evening it tested at 0 ppm.

I have been averaging 2 PWC a day and dosing the whole tank with Prime each time. I went to Home Depot today and got the stuff to make a DIY Python to make it easier. I know this is only a 6G tank, but I have a 29G fishless cycling now. So, I will more water to change than I want to carry in buckets!

David

Thanks,
David

 

[librarygirl]

Since you already have fish and are doing a fish-in cycle anyway, you could just move the fish to the larger tank and cycle that with the fish. The larger volume of water will dissipate the toxins more so they won't build up as fast. Move the filter from the 6 gal to the new tank too and run it with the new filter (or put the media from the 6's filter into the new filter if it fits) to bring over any bacteria that are starting to form.

 

[ragin1cajun]

Since you already have fish and are doing a fish-in cycle anyway, you could just move the fish to the larger tank and cycle that with the fish. The larger volume of water will dissipate the toxins more so they won't build up as fast. Move the filter from the 6 gal to the new tank too and run it with the new filter (or put the media from the 6's filter into the new filter if it fits) to bring over any bacteria that are starting to form.

I already started the fishless cycle process already so I cannot move the fish. The tank is currently testing at 4ppm Ammo so I am going to let the cycle run. It is already starting to show Nitrites and Nitrates already.. I put a bit of the turtle tank filter in the 29G filter so hopefully this will speed the process a little.

I guess I could do a massive water change to get the Ammo down and move the fish. Now that I think about it I may try this but it will have to wait until this weekend when I have more time.

David

 

[ragin1cajun]

Here is the update for today:

pH = 7.4
Ammo = .25
Nitrite = 2
Nitrate = 10-20

I did a PWC this morning before I left for work and another this evening after I tested.

David

 

[Hholly]

Crap. Sorry. Don't get why it's going backward???