What am I doing?

[fanaticbooks]

Finally got my API Dohickey tester kit. Tested the tank.

Now to give brief background to get everyone up to who is what since a week has passed...

I have a 28 gal. octagonal tank that used to have 3 guppies, removed pleco.

Because it was so dirty from pleco, I changed 3/4 water, washed rocks and changed double filter (Marineland E Cartridge). Put in new plastic plants and white cave-like rock.

OOPS! Did not know that was not the thing to do. Ended up with Ammonia majorly which killed the 3 guppies.

For the last week I have been leaving the water alone waiting for kit to arrive. I have added a little fish food crumbled up in case the bacteria needed something to work...at least from what I read it might need it.

Now, dohickey has arrived and these are the results........

ph = 6.0 definitely sunshine yellow
ammonia = about 2.0, definitely not 4.0. It doesn't seem to have moved at all from my using test strips.
Nitrite = pretty blue, no purple shade
Nitrate = pretty orange, probably 20 ppm or between that and 10.


My questions:

1. Do I continue to treat without fish? If so what should I be doing, adding, whatever?

2. I don't think it is ready for fish but if so what are suggestions for introducing. I plan about 8 coreys (small), 10 neons, 6-8 guppies if you think the tank will hold that many.

I am TOTALLY open to advice. Just don't want to kill fish. HELP!

Attached are pictures of the empty-of-fish tank.

fanaticbooks

 

[fanaticbooks]

One other comment

I have the Seachem prime (it came with tester kit). Should I add some to water? Would that help?

me again

 

[Aspencer]

Answers in red...I am no expert but have two healthy tanks.

Finally got my API Dohickey tester kit. Tested the tank.

Now to give brief background to get everyone up to who is what since a week has passed...

I have a 28 gal. octagonal tank that used to have 3 guppies, removed pleco.

Because it was so dirty from pleco, I changed 3/4 water, washed rocks and changed double filter (Marineland E Cartridge). Put in new plastic plants and white cave-like rock. If you do wash your hardscape, it should be in tank water because lots of your good bacteria that keeps your tank water parameters good are in there. Just vacuum up debris during water change.

OOPS! Did not know that was not the thing to do. Ended up with Ammonia majorly which killed the 3 guppies.

For the last week I have been leaving the water alone waiting for kit to arrive. I have added a little fish food crumbled up in case the bacteria needed something to work...at least from what I read it might need it.

Now, dohickey has arrived and these are the results........

ph = 6.0 definitely sunshine yellow
ammonia = about 2.0, definitely not 4.0. It doesn't seem to have moved at all from my using test strips.
Nitrite = pretty blue, no purple shade
Nitrate = pretty orange, probably 20 ppm or between that and 10.
You could dose it back up to 4 ppm but 2.0 is good to feed bacteria and keep the cycle going. Just let the ammonia go until it hits 0.0 and redose since you have a fishless cycle going.

My questions:

1. Do I continue to treat without fish? If so what should I be doing, adding, whatever? Let ammonia go to 0 and redose to 4 ppm. What you are looking for is NitrItes to go to 0 after spiking and for Ammonia to go to 0 in 24 hours...NitrAtes will build up and you have to do a water change to get rid of them but without fish, you can let them build up.

2. I don't think it is ready for fish but if so what are suggestions for introducing. I plan about 8 coreys (small), 10 neons, 6-8 guppies if you think the tank will hold that many. You need to wait until you can process the ammonia to 0 in a 24 hour period and your NitrItes remain at 0 which means that the bacteria can process the NitrItes and turn them into NitrAtes.

I am TOTALLY open to advice. Just don't want to kill fish. HELP!

Attached are pictures of the empty-of-fish tank.

fanaticbooks

 

[fanaticbooks]

Thank you. I will mention that the NitrItes have been at 0 all this time. No change. Don't know if that means anything and don't know how to get them to spike.

 

[eco23]

Voila! Give this a read and see if it gives you some info . Good luck!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

 

[Aspencer]

Thank you. I will mention that the NitrItes have been at 0 all this time. No change. Don't know if that means anything and don't know how to get them to spike.

When I mention spike, it usually happens when bacteria converts ammonia to nitrItes. It then takes some time for a second bacteria grows to convert NitrItes to NitrAtes. That is when NitrItes spike, waiting for the second bacteria to catch up.

Eco can give truly informed answers!

 

[fanaticbooks]

Thank you eco and Aspencer.

I have read that (almost) Complete Guide. Did that last week. Am trying to follow it.

However, I still am concerned because the Ammonia hasn't changed and the NitrItes haven't changed.

I have ordered a thermometer and heater for the tank. I keep my house warm (about 74-76 degrees at least) but maybe it isn't warm enough. When the heater arrives, I of course will immediately install.

Ordered a Jager 100W heater which someone in here recommended.

I haven't had to heat my water for a long time. The fish seemed to like it where it was and when my thermometer worked it seemed to keep it in the right range. My thermometer died, however, so have had to order a new one.

You would think after 15 to 20 years it would still be going strong. Go figure. lol

 

[eco23]

If your pH actually is 6.0, that's something you'll need to address. Nitrification slows and will potentially stop in that range (hence why things possibly aren't moving). I'd start with a massive pwc to restore the natural value of your tap water (which I assume isn't 6), and consider adding crushed coral or aragonite to buffer and raise the pH if it continues to fluctuate.

 

[fanaticbooks]

How massive? 1/2, 3/4 of the tank?

I assume I will be adding Seachem Prime at time of water change.

Also, I have an unopened jar of Alkaline Buffer by Seachem. It raises pH, Increases Alkalinity according to the label.

Concerning that buffer: The fish store guy sold it to me but told me NOT to use it until the ammonia went to 0. I was supposed to bring water in to be tested before adding.

I have not added it into the water. Should I?

 

[librarygirl]

I don't know, but I don't think so. Some of those products are iffy, I think. Natural Crushed Coral does the same thing but it's easier to maintain and safer than just dumping chemicals into the tank, but that's just from my limited knowledge.

What's your tap water PH, do you know? I would do a big water change, as much as you can, that will restore the PH to what your tap is (which as Eco said is hopefully higher than your tank's). And yes add Prime!

 

[fanaticbooks]

by the way, just tested water right out of the tap for ph. It's in the 7.2 range

if that helps you advise.

fanticbooks

 

[librarygirl]

by the way, just tested water right out of the tap for ph. It's in the 7.2 range

if that helps you advise.

fanticbooks

OK that's good, 7.2 is a good level. I'd do as much of a water change as you can. Get down to the gravel and then refill with tap water (dechlorinated with Prime) and match the temperature of the tank water as closely as you can too. Don't forget to redose ammonia afterwards as well.

That will restore the buffers and the PH and hopefully get things moving. Test PH again tomorrow when you test the ammonia, etc. and we'll see where it is then. If it keeps dropping fast then we can look into putting some crushed coral in there as Eco mentioned.

 

[eco23]

You've just got to do however much is necessary to bring it up to the tap value. In your case, a 90% or back to back changes might be needed. I'd go ahead and add the buffer since you've got it. I have no idea what the guy at the lfs was talking about.

 

[jetajockey]

I have no idea what the guy at the lfs was talking about.

Adding the buffer raises pH (obviously) which raises ammonia toxicity, so it sounds like the guy was recommending that with the idea that there are fish in there. (IDK if the tank is stocked or not)

 

[fanaticbooks]

I don't have bottled ammonia at this time. No store around here carries the totally clear. Still looking. Will have to go to another town to try to get the Ace Hardware version.

I will do it down to 1/4 water left to keep some ammonia in there until I can get some. Then do another change if need be.

That's all I can think of.

 

[fanaticbooks]

Okay, changed 3/4 of water.

Ph still at yellow so added according to directions 3 tsp. (1= 10 gal.) ph buffer.

Ammonia now at 1.0

I think that is the best I am going to be able to do until I can get to a store to buy some clear ammonia. (I checked clear ammonia in the grocery store and it bubbled a lot when shaken so don't think it was truly clear)

I will try to get some ammonia tomorrow and then do a complete water change. Then I will leave the buffer out and hope the tap water will take over on ph.

that is all I can think of to do.
me again

 

[TCool]

Throw some food in.

 

[eco23]

Yep, a mesh bag of fish food or a raw shrimp or two tossed in works as well.

 

[fanaticbooks]

buffer powder has brought ph up to about 7.2 I think. Not over that, maybe below that but close to 7.2.

Think I will leave well enough alone until I can get some ammonia.

 

[fanaticbooks]

I have PLENTY of the flake fish food. I can do that. Thanks

edit: okay, no mesh bag SO

Used a nylon knee-hi stocking from days gone by. Filled about 1/4 cup of tropical flake fish food in it and left it floating in water.

How does that sound?