aquachris
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Okay, so I finished my fishless cycle, and added eight gold pristella tetras (five one day, three the next). I have a 50 gallon tank btw:
My cycle took slightly over 3 weeks (I did have a used fluval with some of the old ceramic rings still).
I followed the fishless cycle thread we have here, EXACTLY. Everything went nice and smooth. At the end, when my nitrites finally dropped to zero, I was happy, and knew I was finally cycled. zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and high nitrates
So I did a 50% water change. didn't drop them. so a few hours later, did a 80% water change, and it dropped them to 10, which was great news. I was ready to add fish.
Well, so i add fish, and 24 hours later, tested again (API liquid test kit), and everything was perfect, except my nitrates went from 10, to 20 That big of a jump in just 24 hours. That's my problem. Now I know 20 is okay, and not harmful to the fish. But that much of a jump, in just 24 hours cannot be good, right? What can the problem be?
I don't have any plants in the tank btw. Rocks and driftwood (all clean and tank ready). My substrate is pool filter sand though. Silica Sand. I am thinking perhaps that can be the problem to my nitrates rising in just 24 hours? Nitrates come from dirty stuff, like in your filter, and possibly substrate right? Well my filter media has to be fine, since I just barely set it up 3 weeks ago, with new sponges, floss, etc. I'm worried about the sand. Any one else reading ever use sand in your FW tank??
My cycle took slightly over 3 weeks (I did have a used fluval with some of the old ceramic rings still).
I followed the fishless cycle thread we have here, EXACTLY. Everything went nice and smooth. At the end, when my nitrites finally dropped to zero, I was happy, and knew I was finally cycled. zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and high nitrates
So I did a 50% water change. didn't drop them. so a few hours later, did a 80% water change, and it dropped them to 10, which was great news. I was ready to add fish.Well, so i add fish, and 24 hours later, tested again (API liquid test kit), and everything was perfect, except my nitrates went from 10, to 20
That big of a jump in just 24 hours. That's my problem. Now I know 20 is okay, and not harmful to the fish. But that much of a jump, in just 24 hours cannot be good, right? What can the problem be?I don't have any plants in the tank btw. Rocks and driftwood (all clean and tank ready). My substrate is pool filter sand though. Silica Sand. I am thinking perhaps that can be the problem to my nitrates rising in just 24 hours? Nitrates come from dirty stuff, like in your filter, and possibly substrate right? Well my filter media has to be fine, since I just barely set it up 3 weeks ago, with new sponges, floss, etc. I'm worried about the sand. Any one else reading ever use sand in your FW tank??
