I'm about a week in my fish-in cycle. I've been testing everyday and the PH has been 8.2 and ammonia has been between .25-.5. Nititres and nitrates have been 0. Tested this morning and ammonia was .25, nitrites 0 but my PH is 8.4 and nitrates is 5. I'm confused, I thought nitrites were supposed to show up before nitrates?
Help me understand cycling #'s
- Thread starter birdma
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shellieca
Aquarium Advice Addict
I did a fish in cycle with a 10g tank & it took 6 weeks before nitrItes showed up & then I had them for 2 weeks. If your ammonia is .5 I would suggest doing a 50% water change to bring it down since you are doing a fish IN cycle. I wouldn't worry much about the Ph; it is best to keep it steady rather than to make adjustments. So long as you are doing regular water changes your Ph should be fine. Did you add any kind of start to your tank when you set it up? I have heard that sometimes nitrItes will be skipped when a bacteria starter is used.
EDIT: I should have also said I had nitrAtes very early on with my fish IN cycle.
boadams87
Aquarium Advice Addict
Shellieca- I did add some stress zyme to the water when I first set up the tank so maybe that's why. What is it that the starter would do that can cause nitrites to be skipped?
Oh yea, I've been doing water changes every time my ammonia is .25 or higher which has been every day. When it's .25 I've been doing a 25% change and the one day it was .50 I did a 50% change. I was just confused b/c all the reading I've done has indicated you had to get nitrites first in order for nitrates to appear. Just trying to understand the process better.
Oh yea, I've been doing water changes every time my ammonia is .25 or higher which has been every day. When it's .25 I've been doing a 25% change and the one day it was .50 I did a 50% change. I was just confused b/c all the reading I've done has indicated you had to get nitrites first in order for nitrates to appear. Just trying to understand the process better.
shellieca
Aquarium Advice Addict
birdma said:Shellieca- I did add some stress zyme to the water when I first set up the tank so maybe that's why. What is it that the starter would do that can cause nitrites to be skipped?
Oh yea, I've been doing water changes every time my ammonia is .25 or higher which has been every day. When it's .25 I've been doing a 25% change and the one day it was .50 I did a 50% change. I was just confused b/c all the reading I've done has indicated you had to get nitrites first in order for nitrates to appear. Just trying to understand the process better.
A bacteria starter is supposed to help you get the BB faster but many don't believe it works. Stress zyme I don't believe is a starter but you can read the bottle & see what is says. Typically it would say something about being a starter such as Prime Stability or Tetra Safe Start (I think is the name). I believe, and I could be wrong, but nitrites would be skipped because the BB is built up & therefore processing the nitrites. Like I previously stated it took about 6 wks for me to see nitrites that lasted 2 wks in my one tank & I had nitrates early in. In my other tank I only saw nitrites once about 4-5 wks in, I had used Stability in that tank. I just set up another 10g tank & had nitrates within 2 days, low but still nitrates. From my past experience I plan to do water changes when the ammo or nitrites are .5 or higher, I always do at least a 50% water change so I don't have to do quite as many, typically.
Hmm...ok. So it's not quite the exact linear process I was envisioning! . I will say it was exciting to finally get something other than ammonia. So far I don't mind doing daily smaller changes. My kids help me out so it's a good exercise in teaching responsibility for our pets.
Eta- according to the bottle stress zyme is a biological filter booster. Not quite sure what that's supposed to mean.
. I will say it was exciting to finally get something other than ammonia. So far I don't mind doing daily smaller changes. My kids help me out so it's a good exercise in teaching responsibility for our pets.Eta- according to the bottle stress zyme is a biological filter booster. Not quite sure what that's supposed to mean.
shellieca
Aquarium Advice Addict
birdma said:Hmm...ok. So it's not quite the exact linear process I was envisioning!
Eta- according to the bottle stress zyme is a biological filter booster. Not quite sure what that's supposed to mean.
That would be it! If it works it should help your BB build faster & there is a possibility, slim possibility, that you may not see ntirites or see them, as I did in my 46g, once or twice. If I hadn't been testing daily I would've missed it.
It's always good to teach kids responsibility!
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