Help! What do I do now?

[Rosebud]

Testing today is:
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 180 (red)

Do I do a 50% water change and add ammonia back up to 4ppm?

Is the tank ready for fish when the nitrates drop?

I've read the fishless cycle steps but my nitrites/nitrates did not seem to follow the steps. My nitrites were still at 5 yesterday and nitrates were 10.


Thanks,
Roxi

 

[Kromlech54]

Testing today is:
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 180 (red)

Do I do a 50% water change and add ammonia back up to 4ppm?

Is the tank ready for fish when the nitrates drop?

Thanks,
Roxi

Do your 50% water change and that should drop your nitrates drasticly, ad of right now your tank should be ready for fish as long as your not showing ammonia or nitrItes that's a pretty good indicator that your bb is fully cultivated. Keep dosing your ammonia until you get some fish in the aquarium to add a bio load so your bb can survive.

 

[Fishless cycle]

Obviously don't add the ammonia at the same time as the fish... sorry for stating the obvious! Remember to reduce the temperature back down to the temp the fish require.
It's great that you're fishless cycling... I do mine that way and you can add the fish you like in one go. I half stocked my tank as soon as my nitrates were less than 40ppm. A 50% water change should reduce your nitrates - I do a 90% water change before adding fish to a new cycled tank.

 

[Fishless cycle]

So long as you can add 4ppm of ammo and in 24hours its not showing and it's at zero for ammo and nitrIte then get your nitrAte below 40ppm and you're good to go. I've only done two tanks this way but it worked really well. I'm cycling my friends tank now.

This site is good: http://www.oscarfishlover.com/how-to-cycle-a-tank/fishless-cycle/fishless-cycle-diary

 

[Rosebud]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'll do the water change now and add ammonia. I don't think I can get my fish until next week. Do I add ammonia to bring it to 4ppm every day until I get fish?

Roxi

 

[librarygirl]

If this is the first time nitrites have dropped that's a good sign. It's good to keep dosing for a few more days at least to be sure. If nitrites stay at 0 and ammonia keeps going to 0 in 24 hours you're cycled! Nitrates wiill rise, that's normal, and they won't drop on their own. The only way to get rid of nitrates is through a water change. High nitrates can probably stall a cycle although I've never seen it and I'm not sure how high they'd have to get to do so. MIne got to about where yours are now (160) toward the end.

You can do a full water change if you want. Keep dosing ammonia until the day before you want to get fish. If nitrites stay at 0 all that time then you're ready. The day before you get fish, do some water changes to get nitrates as low as you can get them, lower the temp if you have it up for the cycle and don't dose ammonia that day. Good luck!

 

[Rosebud]

If this is the first time nitrites have dropped that's a good sign. It's good to keep dosing for a few more days at least to be sure.

Keep dosing before doing a water change or should I go ahead and do the water change too?

 

[librarygirl]

Keep dosing before doing a water change or should I go ahead and do the water change too?

Keep dosing until you do the water change unless it's going to be in the next day or two. Then after the water change keep dosing until the day before you get fish, then do your last large water change(s) to get nitrate down.

 

[Coz]

Just curious how long it took. You should probably check ph a couple days in a row to make sure it is stable

 

[Rosebud]

Just curious how long it took. You should probably check ph a couple days in a row to make sure it is stable

COZ, I started Jan. 22 and added some plants on Jan. 25. The nitrate spike was on Feb. 21, so exactly 31 days.

 

[Rosebud]

Librarygirl, I reread your first response and it is very clear. Don't know why I was confused. Guess I was just excited I get to add fish!!!!

COZ, meant to add that my tank is 10 gallons.

Thanks to all,
Roxi

 

[librarygirl]

No problem! It's exciting when a cycle completes and you can finally get fish! Post pics when you get them.

 

[Rosebud]

I did a 50% water change today and tested water after 45 minutes. The nitrates are still at 160+. Guess I'll do a 75% water change tomorrow. Yes?

 

[Rosebud]

So I've done a 50% water change and an 80% water change and the nitrates have maybe dropped to 120. This is a 10 gallon. How many water changes am I going to have to do to get down to an acceptable level for fish?

I am dosing daily with ammonia.

 

[librarygirl]

Well if you're still dosing ammonia, the nitrates are going to continue to rise so the water changes are going to be a bit futile. Also the nitrates could be higher than what the chart can read in which case it can take multiple full-tank water changes to get them down.

 

[Rosebud]

Well if you're still dosing ammonia, the nitrates are going to continue to rise so the water changes are going to be a bit futile. Also the nitrates could be higher than what the chart can read in which case it can take multiple full-tank water changes to get them down.

Ok, I guess I misunderstood. I am dosing ammonia daily. I did a 90% water change on Sunday. The ammonia and nitrites are still zeroing out daily. The nitrates staying around 100. I have developed a lot of diatoms on the rocks and the one broad leaf plant.

I don't mean to be dense but what do I do now?

Thanks

 

[spiketooth]

Sounds like your cycled, do another water change. 80 to 100% let it set for 24.hours to stable the water and temp, check levels again and if ammo and nitrite 0 and nitrate is under 40 your good to go. Have you been checking the ph gh and kh?

 

[Rosebud]

Sounds like your cycled, do another water change. 80 to 100% let it set for 24.hours to stable the water and temp, check levels again and if ammo and nitrite 0 and nitrate is under 40 your good to go. Have you been checking the ph gh and kh?

What if i can't get the nitrate down to 40?

Been checking pH every other day or so. It's steady at about 8.1. Have not checked the gh or kh.

 

[spiketooth]

Clean your filter media with the same water, dont use tap. Your nitrate should be below 40. It was said in another post if your still adding ammo the your nitrate will always be high. When your ready to put fish in your tank stop adding ammo do a large water change and check levels in 24 hours.

 

[Rosebud]

Clean your filter media with the same water, dont use tap. Your nitrate should be below 40. It was said in another post if your still adding ammo the your nitrate will always be high. When your ready to put fish in your tank stop adding ammo do a large water change and check levels in 24 hours.

Thanks.