New Aquarium, trying to start the cycle

[bakablah]

Hey guys,

I've started up an smallish (55L) aquarium around 2 weeks ago, from the look of the ammonia test results, it looks like the bacteria that converts ammonia isn't present yet, is it normal?

I started my aquarium with 6 Neon Danios and 3 Cory catfish. I wish I have read around first and did the fish-less cycle. It's probably too late now. All I want to do now is to get the cycle going without much harm to the fish.

For the past week, I'm detecting constant readings of 0.5ppm ammonia, with 0ppm nitrites, and 5ppm nitrates. The reading of ammonia seemed constant and doesn't have signs of increase. I've been doing small 10-15% water changes with Prime, essentailly leaving some food for the bacteria in the form of ammonium. Even with no water change for a couple of days, the ammonia/ammonium level is not increasing, which I find odd...

However, when I last contacted my local aquarium shop, they advised me to stop using prime and stop with the water changes. Am I doing the wrong thing?

I know Prime binds the ammonia temporarily for 24-48hrs into a harmless chemical (for the fish) called ammonium, so the fish won't be affected by it, and I also know it only works up towards 1ppm. That's what my friend recommanded to me to do.

My aquarium have two bunch of long grass, a small bunch of java fern and a medium sized anubias.

My friend brought over some ceramic balls from his established aquarium and I've placed those in the filter section of the tank, where water flows through. However, there's been no change of ammonia/ammonium readings.

I only feed the fish lightly once per day, one small tiny spoonful of sinking pellets.

What should I do? Keep going with the water changes to reduce the ammonia? or leave it as 0.5ppm? and stop using Prime?

All these conflicting information is kinda confusing...

For your reference, I've initially used API Quick Start to 'jump start' the tank, but haven't used it ever since. Should I give that a go again or just wait it out?

Any response will be really appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Delapool]

Hey guys,

I've started up an smallish (55L) aquarium around 2 weeks ago, from the look of the ammonia test results, it looks like the bacteria that converts ammonia isn't present yet, is it normal?

I started my aquarium with 6 Neon Danios and 3 Cory catfish. I wish I have read around first and did the fish-less cycle. It's probably too late now. All I want to do now is to get the cycle going without much harm to the fish.

For the past week, I'm detecting constant readings of 0.5ppm ammonia, with 0ppm nitrites, and 5ppm nitrates. The reading of ammonia seemed constant and doesn't have signs of increase. I've been doing small 10-15% water changes with Prime, essentailly leaving some food for the bacteria in the form of ammonium. Even with no water change for a couple of days, the ammonia/ammonium level is not increasing, which I find odd...

However, when I last contacted my local aquarium shop, they advised me to stop using prime and stop with the water changes. Am I doing the wrong thing?

I know Prime binds the ammonia temporarily for 24-48hrs into a harmless chemical (for the fish) called ammonium, so the fish won't be affected by it, and I also know it only works up towards 1ppm. That's what my friend recommanded to me to do.

My aquarium have two bunch of long grass, a small bunch of java fern and a medium sized anubias.

My friend brought over some ceramic balls from his established aquarium and I've placed those in the filter section of the tank, where water flows through. However, there's been no change of ammonia/ammonium readings.

I only feed the fish lightly once per day, one small tiny spoonful of sinking pellets.

What should I do? Keep going with the water changes to reduce the ammonia? or leave it as 0.5ppm? and stop using Prime?

All these conflicting information is kinda confusing...

For your reference, I've initially used API Quick Start to 'jump start' the tank, but haven't used it ever since. Should I give that a go again or just wait it out?

Any response will be really appreciated!
Thanks!

Hi, welcome to AA

The bacteria can still use ammonium and prime treated water. It may take a little longer.

API quick start I thought helped, others will disagree. Usually it shouldn't make anything worse though so worth a try.

Have you tested tap water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates to get a baseline? My tap water runs at about 5ppm nitrates. Slightly above 0.

Also have you checked tank ph? Below 6.4 the bacteria slow down.

I'd just carry on doing water changes as you are. There's more than enough ammonia to get the bacteria going and no point stressing the fish. It just takes time.

 

[bakablah]

Thanks for that!

The pH of the water is around 7.5.
I tested the tap water, there's around 0.25ppm ammonia, 0.25ppm nitrites and 5ppm nitrates.

So that's where the nitrates in my water came from...
Strange that it has nitrites though...

 

[Delapool]

That is odd for nitrites. Mine is 0 on nitrites and either 0 or slightly above for ammonia.

Tank ph sounds good.

Copied in a link on ammonia but your using prime anyways


http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/your-guide-to-ammonia-toxicity-159994.html

 

[bakablah]

Thanks for the link!

Looks like my fish are in the safe zone

With my tank temperature at 25 Degrees Celcius and pH of 7.5, it's in the safe zone.

I will keep up with the water changes and addition of Prime.

How often should I monitor the ammonia level? Daily before and one hour after water change?

 

[Delapool]

I did daily and then every second day when it seemed to be consistent but as suits really. Nothing wrong with your way.

 

[bakablah]

Hey Delapool,

It's been nearly 3 weeks now since my first test.
Ammonia has dropped to 0.25ppm and staying constant.
The ammonia level was flutuating around 0.25 to 0.5 before.

There has been 0 nitrite.
For the first time, nitrate have dropped to 0.

There's been some build up of algae in the tank.
The white gravel is turning yellowish.

Where am I currently at the cycle?

 

[Delapool]

Hi, I'd say into the second phase as nitrite is dropping now. Are you seeing nitrates increase at all?

Can't say I've had yellow gravel. Is it something growing on it or staining it?

The tap water of 0.25 ammonia is bit of a nuisance. What sort of filter media do you have in there now? Do you still have the ceramic balls in? These are great spots for the bacteria to live so I usually add extra in. That way I have backup for my filter cleans in old tank change water.

Even with the tap water, tank ammonia should be 0 (except maybe after a pwc), so something still settling down there (or being disturbed from filter or gravel cleans).

 

[bakablah]

l haven't done any pwc for a few days now. The ammonia is staying constant at 0.25, still no signs of nitrites and nitrates have climbed back up to 5ppm this morning. Odd... does that mean any signs of nitrites was immediately converted to nitrates?

 

[Delapool]

l haven't done any pwc for a few days now. The ammonia is staying constant at 0.25, still no signs of nitrites and nitrates have climbed back up to 5ppm this morning. Odd... does that mean any signs of nitrites was immediately converted to nitrates?

It sounds like it. The ammonia converting bacteria should catch up eventually.

I've always thought the entire process can take a month and up to 2 months if unlucky. It's just very slow for the populations to get going.

I've had the bacteria population decimated from too many filter cleans and it took at least 2 weeks for the population to recover and that was in a tank that had been going for 5 months or so.

 

[bakablah]

Recently in the last couple of days, we started noticing tiny snails appearing around the tank.
The live plants from the local fish shop must have had some snail eggs in there...
The snails are around couple of mm big and looks like this:

A friend is recommending to get some clown loaches, but since my tank is cycling. I know is not a good idea to add any extra fish population to my fish tank.

How else can I control the snails population?

 

[sinibotia]

You absolutely do not EVER want to get clown loaches, cycling or otherwise. Clown loaches get to a foot long and need to be kept in groups- 150 gallon+ tank sizes.

You could try assassin snails?

 

[bakablah]

Latest update, ammonia has now dropped down to 0! no signs of nitrites and nitrates are between 5 and 10.
Is it cycled now? I haven't seen any signs of nitrites since setting up the tank. I did have ceramic media from a friend's tank. maybe that sped things up a bit?

As for loaches, I'm thinking of dwarf loaches, thier size seems appropriate for my tank.

 

[Jerky]

Sounds like your good to go IMO!

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sinibotia]

Latest update, ammonia has now dropped down to 0! no signs of nitrites and nitrates are between 5 and 10.
Is it cycled now? I haven't seen any signs of nitrites since setting up the tank. I did have ceramic media from a friend's tank. maybe that sped things up a bit?

As for loaches, I'm thinking of dwarf loaches, thier size seems appropriate for my tank.

I think your tank is a bit small even for dwarf loaches. They do need to be kept in schools of at least 5 so that would practically be the entire full stocking of your tank.