In Fish tank cycle

[Duganie]

How long does an ammonia spike happen for. The ammonia has been up at 1ppm for a week now. We did a water change 3 days in a row a tiny bit under 25 % each time and got it down to .50 ppm.
Today its back up to 1ppm. We didnt feed Fish on Monday. Today gave them a TINY bit of crushed up flakes.
Fish seem okay...minus one molly thats always been weird and just had babies.
Babies are okay too.
But is this part of the cycing? Or should we do a bigger water change?
Nitrites and nitrates still at 0.
We have only been adding bacteria daily.
Please help if you can!

 

[Aiken Drum]

It can take weeks to cycle a tank.

1ppm ammonia is way too much and will cause harm to your fish in the long term.

As per my previous post to you, i would do 50% water change and another 50% tomorrow. From then on daily water tests. If you have detectable ammonia or nitrites do 25% water change. You will be doing daily water changes in the short term. If your ammonia and/or nitrites are creeping up even with daily 25% water changes, you should increase to 50% daily or 25% twice daily.

This is all pretty normal for a fish in cycle.

This post gives some more info on what is going on in your tank.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/i-just-learned-about-cycling-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now/

 

[Duganie]

Thank you!
And we are looking for NITRATES to be up ?
I cant keep this stuff straight...sorry I appreciate you! Just so anxious. Lol

 

[Duganie]

Nevermind! I read the post. Ill follow that.
Thanks forever!!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Nitrates rising is a sign that the bacteria is converting ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates, and therefore that your tank is cycling. You dont want high nitrates however. Through water changes you want to keep them below 20ppm, preferably 10ppm.

Thank you!
And we are looking for NITRATES to be up ?
I cant keep this stuff straight...sorry I appreciate you! Just so anxious. Lol

 

[Aiken Drum]

Link to a good youtube video explaining the nitrogen cycle if you are interested in learning more. Thomas is great.

https://youtu.be/qMk_SfR0CuU

 

[Duganie]

Thanks again- one more thing. The Molly that we believe had the babies has been vibrating a little..no one else. Is this the to ammonia?