Almost 5 weeks into cycle, levels a little crazy...

[HopefulHobbiest]

Ph reads 7.6+
High pH reads under 7.4
Ammo reads .25-.5
Nitrite reads 2.0-5.0(color lil hard to read)
Nitrate reads 10-20

I did almost a 50% water change THIS morning...
What the efff is going on with my tank... Please help

Pics are umm horrible but maybe someone can actually make them out

Sorry about the flash on the last two, tried to make it easier to read and it definitely failed lol

 

[librarygirl]

Is this the 55 gal with the clown loaches, etc?

If so, water changes, water changes, water changes. You probably added too many fish too fast when cycling and now the levels are spiking. I'd do a few back-to-back large (60%) water changes to try to get those nitrites down---very toxic to fish at those levels I'm afraid.

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Yea same 55G and yea I should've waited but decided to be the newb instead... Will back to back water changes help or damage anything withing the cycle? And what exactly would you define as a back to back water change?

 

[shellieca]

Ph reads 7.6+
High pH reads under 7.4
Ammo reads .25-.5
Nitrite reads 2.0-5.0(color lil hard to read)
Nitrate reads 10-20

I did almost a 50% water change THIS morning...
What the efff is going on with my tank... Please help

Pics are umm horrible but maybe someone can actually make them out

Sorry about the flash on the last two, tried to make it easier to read and it definitely failed lol

Are you doing a fish in or fish less cycle? What size tank? I'm currently fish in cycling 2 tanks. My 10g is starting its 7th week & this past week I had basically the same thing you're having, high nitrites. It can take anywhere from 4 - 8 wks to complete a cycle. I've been averaging at least a 50% water change every other day, sometimes more depending on my water tests & a couple days of 2 in one day. I think you're on track, hang in there & eventually it'll end, at least that's what they keep telling me.

 

[boadams87]

Keep doing wc until u get that nitrite down to 0! Its very dangerous to fish

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

I know the nitrites are really harmful to the fish that's why I need to fix it :/

But back to the question from my last reply... What exactly is a back to back water change?

Do I just do a normal water change, wait a few hours and do it again?

Or

Do I remove water, add water, remove water again, add water again immediately?

 

[boadams87]

Do a huge wc wait an hour retest do another huge wc. Keep doing that until u get those trites to 0.

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Does it really only take an hour for the water to cycle "around" the tank?

 

[boadams87]

It probably doesn't take that long but id give it at least 15-20. Just test it whenever you want to see.

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Fair enough... Man I'm gonna be busy the next few days... Lol

 

[boadams87]

Yea fish in cycle really sux

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Yes it does... But this proves that when I'm ready to setup the 125-150 next year I'm not messin around I'm gonna do a fish less cycle lol

 

[boadams87]

You wont have to, because you'll already have media to transfer over and you'll be instantly cycled.

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Haha good point... Still have tons to learn... Thank god for you and the rest of AA

 

[boadams87]

Your welcome. We all have to learn sometime. Just post a question, doesn't matter how simple you think it is.

 

[boadams87]

And doing back to back wc won't bother your cycle as long as you use dechlorinator every time you do a change. And make sure the temp is the same just for your fish.

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Will do, thanks again