Freshwater Startup

[jlmazz]

Hi,

I'm starting up a new 44 gal fresh tank and am having trouble with getting my ammonia to decrease. I am now at the 12 day point and the ammonia is still reading above 1 PPM and nitrites have not yet appeared. I have done several 33-50% water changes and have my PH at about 7.0. I started the tank with two zebra danios and they still seem to be doing fine. My filter is a Penn Plax Cascade Canister Filters (up to 65 gals). General info I have read is that I should have seen my ammonia decrease and nitrites appear after about a week but nothing has changed yet at the 12 day point.

Help.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

you wont be able to get it down till your BB builds up and changes it over to nitrites. its all part of the cycle. Also i would like to thank you for joining us here at AA

 

[JustinKBreen]

This would probably get more responses in the fresh water section.
Fish cycles are tough, the more water changes the longEr your cycle takes, but if you don't change water your fish will suffer and likely die before thecycle is finished.

 

[librarygirl]

Every tank is different; it can take 1-3 weeks before ammonia starts to go down and nitrites show up after that, in week 3-4. This is all on average though, as I said every tank is different. With fish in the tank and ammonia at 1 you'll want to do some more water changes to get it down. I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice