Amonia ??

[Enzo]

Exactly how much amonia must there be for a tank to cycle? Does it (amonia) have to peak at a certain level for the bacteria to develope? Before joining AA I had forgotten more than I thought about cycling. I started the tank with goldfish, to get it going with the intention of giving them to a friend as feeders when I was ready for my tropicals. Well the trops are in and the amonia levels are elevated into the stress zone. I've been doing 25% water changes everyday to keep the levels down. Am I defeating the purpose of cycling by doing water changes? Any advise will be appreciated. Most importantly, what can I do to save the fish?

Thanks,
Enzo

 

[astroguy]

Enzo, read the articles here at AA and at the faq.thekrib.com. How much to cycle? It all depends on the size of the tank, the stocking, etc. I guess the best thing for now is to keep on with the daily water changes. It will make the cycle longer, but will keep the fishes in the safe zone. Do not forget that goldfishes are good poop machines and thus contribute a lot. Vacuum clean every day will help reduce decaying material

 

[Enzo]

P.S. The gold are gone.

 

[astroguy]

Hmm, I cannot seem to read posts properly these days... Is this the tank in your signature?

 

[Enzo]

Yes

 

[astroguy]

When you are cycled, you can consider adding 2-3 more emerald cories, as they prefer to stay in shoals of a few. Also because you still have a bit of space and definitely need to give back your bumblebee gobies as they are brackish water fishes that will not do well in a freshwater tank. They also are carinorous and prefer live foods to flakes. The pleco (if hypostomus plecostomus) will in time outgrow the 38gal tank.

 

[Christmasfish]

I agree with Enzo except you should add no more fish...maybe ONE cory so they are at a good number after removing the gobies..not counting them and the plecos you are still pretty much overstocked anyway
16 in of danios, 10 inches of blue, 12 of moonlight, 4 (plus one more?=6) inches of corycat..that is 44 inches of fish mostly dwelling in the same zones (gourami also hang at the bottom instead of the top to sleep sometimes).


plus the pleco slowly adding bioload until is simply to big to live there.
2 goldfish couldn't prepare your cycle for the load of all those fish at whatever juvenile size they are now, which still adds to more than double the inches of gold you had I bet.
As Astro suggested: Test -test- test and change- change- change! you can add lucky bamboo to help with the nitrate levels as the ammonia drops. You may want to remove it after the cycle completes tho, because bamboo lays down silicates that diatom algae just loves! I trade off the the near zero nitrAtes for the vacuuming I do.

 

[Enzo]

I did have 10 big feeder goldfish in the tank for about three weeks. I called a friend who has an established tank and asked to "borrow" a cup of gravel and some water. I put both in the tank and will keep tabs on it regularly. Thanks for all the help.

Enzo