Hello everyone, over the past several weeks I've purchased and set up my first tank. It is a 29 gallon tank with a Penguin Bio-wheel 200, Visi-therm Stealth 100W heater, and 20W hood. Now I was told that I didn't need to wait for my tank to cycle before adding fish. ( Contrary to what seems the norm on this forum). I've had the tank set up for 3 weeks and fish in it for a little over 2 weeks ( 2 platies, 2 black mollies). I've been completing weekly 10 gallon water changes but had to administer Ammo-lok because the fish were hanging at the top of the tank and the Ammonia was 3 or 4 ppm. After administering the Ammo-lok the fish have return to normal behavior but my water tests show 2 ppm ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, 7.2 ph. I thought the nitrites were supposed to build until the nitrates took over. Is my tank lagging behind in the cycle or am I being inpatient Thanks in advance
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You're probably going to need to change out more than 10 gallons a week, especially while your tank is cycling. If you have to do that daily or every other day, that may be what you need to do. Are you using a gravel vac or just taking the water out? 4 fish isn't a huge bioload for a 29 gallon, so despite you going through a fishless cycling, it might end up ok. In any case, doing the water changes more frequently is definitely a better option than using the ammo-lok. I don't know how that stuff works, but it might be that it has itnerfered with your cycle. Adding chemicals like that to your tank is really never a good idea. Cycling your tank takes a while, especially going the route you're going. Do more frequent water changes. As your tank is cycling, there's no way 10 gallons a week is going to keep your fish alive. Good luck, and welcome to AA!
EDIT: Also, I'm not sure of the exact way ammolok works, but it could be that if it simply convets the ammonia to a form that isn't as harmful to your fish, your tests may still pick it up even though it's not harmful. I wouldn't count on that at all though. I'd stop using that stuff immediately and start doing more frequent water changes. Also, there are products such as Cycle or Biospira which claim to have bacteria to help your cycle along. Cycle can be found on the shelf, but Biospira will be in a refrigerator at your pet stoer, if it has it. Biospira I think is what people have had most success with, so if you want to try it, I'd call around and see who has it, and brin ga cooler with you to pick it up to keep it chilled untill you can add it to your aquarium. If you have a friend with an established tank, you can also get some rocks from their tank, put them in some pantyhose and put them in your filter. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but I'm sure someone else will pick it up
Make sure you're using something to remove the chloring from your water too before you put it in!
EDIT: Also, I'm not sure of the exact way ammolok works, but it could be that if it simply convets the ammonia to a form that isn't as harmful to your fish, your tests may still pick it up even though it's not harmful. I wouldn't count on that at all though. I'd stop using that stuff immediately and start doing more frequent water changes. Also, there are products such as Cycle or Biospira which claim to have bacteria to help your cycle along. Cycle can be found on the shelf, but Biospira will be in a refrigerator at your pet stoer, if it has it. Biospira I think is what people have had most success with, so if you want to try it, I'd call around and see who has it, and brin ga cooler with you to pick it up to keep it chilled untill you can add it to your aquarium. If you have a friend with an established tank, you can also get some rocks from their tank, put them in some pantyhose and put them in your filter. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but I'm sure someone else will pick it up
Make sure you're using something to remove the chloring from your water too before you put it in!
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree with Regen, increase the water changes to get that level under 1 ppm. If it reaches 1, do a water change. Otherwise it is just harming your fish. Don't use the Ammo lock, just keep doing changes.
Cycling with fish can take up to 6-8 weeks. You have to be very patient and keep up with the changes. What kind of test kit are you using?
Cycling with fish can take up to 6-8 weeks. You have to be very patient and keep up with the changes. What kind of test kit are you using?
I found some helpful information
http://www.watergarden.org/s.nl/it.A/id.844/.f?sc=2&category=21
So the ammolok doesn't interfere with the cycle, I was wrong about that. But...
"Q: After adding Ammo-Lock my ammonia test kit still tests positive.
A: Ammo-Lock does not "remove" ammonia from the pond. Ammo-Lock simply makes the ammonia non-toxic to the fish. The ammonia level will drop as the biological filter consumes the ammonia."
I still wouldn't recommend using it though... but that is of course up to you.
Also, it removes chlorine from the water as well, so that answers my question about that.
Apparently also this product is recommended for use for when you have an ammonia spike for some reason as an emmergency to save your fish, not as a product to use for cycling purposes.
http://www.watergarden.org/s.nl/it.A/id.844/.f?sc=2&category=21
So the ammolok doesn't interfere with the cycle, I was wrong about that. But...
"Q: After adding Ammo-Lock my ammonia test kit still tests positive.
A: Ammo-Lock does not "remove" ammonia from the pond. Ammo-Lock simply makes the ammonia non-toxic to the fish. The ammonia level will drop as the biological filter consumes the ammonia."
I still wouldn't recommend using it though... but that is of course up to you.
Also, it removes chlorine from the water as well, so that answers my question about that.
Apparently also this product is recommended for use for when you have an ammonia spike for some reason as an emmergency to save your fish, not as a product to use for cycling purposes.
Thanks for the responses. I've been using a gravel vac to clean the gravel while I do the water changes. I also add AquaSafe to the water before adding it back to the tank. I'll make sure that I up the number of water changes and stop using the Ammo-Lok. Would you recommend testing the water daily?? How much is too much water to change?? Oh the test kit I'm using is a API Freshwater master test kit. Thanks again.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
Don't touch the gravel. Only siphon the gravel where there is a buildup of crud. By cleaning it regularly you are getting rid of some of the beneficial bacteria.
I would test the water daily and do water changes accordingly. Try to keep the Ammonia level just below 1 ppm. If it hits 1, do the water change. The percentage will depend on what your levels are. If you test tomorrow and have a reading of 2 ppm, do a 75% change. The day after check it again. If you have a result of 1 ppm, do a 50% change, etc.
I'm glad to see that you are using the API kit. The best IMO.
I would test the water daily and do water changes accordingly. Try to keep the Ammonia level just below 1 ppm. If it hits 1, do the water change. The percentage will depend on what your levels are. If you test tomorrow and have a reading of 2 ppm, do a 75% change. The day after check it again. If you have a result of 1 ppm, do a 50% change, etc.
I'm glad to see that you are using the API kit. The best IMO.
tropicfishman
Aquarium Advice Addict
ammo lock just locks up the ammonia and converts from the deadly form to the harmless form
7Enigma
Aquarium Advice Addict
Try to get some seed material, it will be the #1 best thing (next to the water changes) that you can do in your tank to speed up the cycle and prevent harm to the fish.
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