Fish Cycling HELP!!

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Wmc2009

Wmc2009

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
332
Location
Daphne Alabama
I am still trying to cycle my 29 gallon aquarium. I went out and bought a penguin 350 filter for a 70 gallon tank, added plants, a master test kit, air stones, plant fertilizers, water conditioner, and stress Zyme because I was told it would speed up the process. I know that I read on here not to use the stuff because it's useless but finding pure ammonia here is IMPOSSIBLE!!! I even asked my LFS if they knew where I could get some and they looked at me like I was crazy. They said they only sell stuff to remove it and didn't know what I was talking about. Kinda made me feel like an idiot. So I bought the stress zyme and have been dosing weekly as suggested. My readings haven't changed in weeks. So while playing the waiting game I noticed snails taking over the tank. I broke down and bought two clown loaches because I wanted the snails gone and I'm tired of looking at an empty tank (It's Been At Least 4 weeks)
Ph 7.6
HRPH 8.2
AMMONIA 0ppm
Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate 0 ppm

These numbers haven't changed every time ive tested. The colors are always the same. I've even bought API ph down solution to try and lower ph but it hasnt changed a thing. I'm worried I'm gonna kill the loaches because I can't get this right. All they do is hide and I never see them. Not sure if they're stressed and that's why they're hiding??? I bought stress coat solution in hopes that it would help. I really want to have German blue rams but I can't get my water to where it needs to be. This is very frustrating and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. HELP!!!!
 
The stress zyme doesn't add ammonia to the tank for the bacteria to grow, I think that is your problem, you are adding bacteria but nothing for them to feed on say the die. I would assume this means you are going to be doing a fish in cycle so I would look that up and follow those directions.
here is a link not sure if it's okay to post it but i'm doing it anyways!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
 
Adding stress zyme and waiting will not cycle a tank. You need an ammonia source either bottled or from fish. Your cycle started when you added the fish. There is nothing wrong with a fish in cycle but it does require a bit more dedication than a fishless. Test the water daily. When ammonia or nitrIte is .25ppm or more do a water change to bring it down to as low as you can. The ammonia will rise then fall. The nitrite will then rise and fall. Then the nitrate will rise and ammonia and nitrite will stay at zero.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html
 
Now that you have added the loaches you can continue to add the stress Zyme and that should speed up the process. The loaches may be hiding because of stress but I have some skunk botias that I hardly see they are healthy but they love to hide the like to try to squeeze into places and just lay there. Also if you are seeing a lot of snails there is probably twice as many you can't see and they may just be working on those for ya. But I know my botias are more nocturnal so they do most of their activities at lights out.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm gonna do the fish in cycle and keep you posted. Thanks again.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I'll be doing a fish in cycle and I'll keep you posted. Thanks Again. This site is awesome!!!!!!
 
Can I still add ammonia if I just have two fish in my tank to speed up the process of cycling? I finally found a website I can order some from. (www.drsfostersmith.com) I just want to make sure it's not gonna harm the two I've got in there.
 
The 2 fish you have are producing ammonia now. Ammonia is toxic to fish so if it was me I personally wouldn't. That is why you have to do so many water changes with a "fish in" cycle to keep the ammonia down.
 
Also one more question. How can my nitrites be so high but ammonia levels are testing zero?
 
They're not gonna be in the 29 long term. I have a 55 gallon I want to start up eventually but only after I've mastered the 29. They're still pretty small right now.
 
It's the nitrogen cycle ammonia turn to nitrites the to nitrates. It would be a good idea to do some research on the nitrogen cycle.
 
Wmc2009 said:
They're not gonna be in the 29 long term. I have a 55 gallon I want to start up eventually but only after I've mastered the 29. They're still pretty small right now.
Click to expand...

Okay cool!
 
So I have good news to report!!

Ammo : 0
Nitrites : 0
Nitrates : 5 ppm
Ph : 7.6 ( still kinda iffy about this number)

I've read that German blue rams prefer the ph to be lower? I've thought about trying to add peat moss to my filter to lower it naturally. I've read several threads about it and that sounds like my safest option. Any suggestions?
 
Also its a foot not 6 inches. (clown loaches)
And my advice would be not to try to alter the ph at all. Just keep it stable. Fish can adapt to your ph
 
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