Hello, new here, and already crashed my tank :(

[e30 gangsta]

just got home and tested my water.

ph 7.6ppm
nitrite 2.0ppm
nitrate 5.0ppm
ammonia 4.0ppm

thoughts?

 

[GoldsGuy]

just got home and tested my water.

ph 7.6ppm
nitrite 2.0ppm
nitrate 5.0ppm
ammonia 4.0ppm

thoughts?

Did you reuse any media that was established?
The pH is good. Since you are dosing ammonia the others look good. How many days are you on your cycle?
I'm surprised to see nitrite and nitrate already unless u had any media you are using.

 

[e30 gangsta]

I filled it last night with water, then did a huge pwc because i added too much ammonia around noon today, but that water has been in there for less than 12 hours. And the only media ive had is, my old filter.

 

[GoldsGuy]

I filled it last night with water, then did a huge pwc because i added too much ammonia around noon today, but that water has been in there for less than 12 hours. And the only media ive had is, my old filter.

Did your old filter dry out or you kept it wet?
Just curious how u have nitrite and nitrate in 12 hours. Did you test your tap? Did it have any nitrite or nitrate?

 

[e30 gangsta]

Nope it was dried out. Everything was dried out. I did it showed 0 and 0. beginners luck i guess?

Remember I did a huge water change, but I brought the water down to just above sand level, So the sand still could of had good BB from the night before.

 

[GoldsGuy]

Nope it was dried out. Everything was dried out. I did it showed 0 and 0. beginners luck i guess?

Remember I did a huge water change, but I brought the water down to just above sand level, So the sand still could of had good BB from the night before.

Wow that's awesome then. Well considering your tank crashed the first time, perhaps your luck has changed.
I may have to get tips and advice from you. Lol
What pet store near mid-town is good?

 

[e30 gangsta]

well we have the chains. petsmart is the best out of the chains I think. I've been reading about a place called fish connection in aventura. they are more of a fish hobbyist store and they carry all kinds of cool stuff. why do you ask?

 

[GoldsGuy]

well we have the chains. petsmart is the best out of the chains I think. I've been reading about a place called fish connection in aventura. they are more of a fish hobbyist store and they carry all kinds of cool stuff. why do you ask?

Just curious. I live near Aventura. I'll have to check that place out. Most seem to specialize in SW though. I found All Pets Emporium to be better than Petsmart although I do like Petsmart. APE just has more of a selection IMO.

 

[e30 gangsta]

That is true most do specialize in SW. Where is APE located? Have you ever ben to that store house of fins?

Also early morning cycle update.

ph 7.6
am 2.0 pmm ( dropped overnight )
nitrite .50ppm ( also dropped )
nitrate is yellow orangey in the test tube. Not quite 5.0 ppm but definatly not 0 ppm so I guess 3.0 - 4.0 ppm.

 

[GoldsGuy]

That is true most do specialize in SW. Where is APE located? Have you ever ben to that store house of fins?

Also early morning cycle update.

ph 7.6
am 2.0 pmm ( dropped overnight )
nitrite .50ppm ( also dropped )
nitrate is yellow orangey in the test tube. Not quite 5.0 ppm but definatly not 0 ppm so I guess 3.0 - 4.0 ppm.

APE is located in Davie and Pembroke Pines that I know of. Not sure about further south. They also have a fish only store in North Lauderdale called All Fish Emporium which is awesome and has a lot of FW and SW items and supplies.

With regard to your parameters that's great. You should be cycled soon.

How's the sand looking?

 

[e30 gangsta]

How can you tell that the tank will be cycled soon? The drop in ammonia?

Also what is considered high for nirite and nitrate's? I'm just wondering so that when they shoot up, I know when to do a pwc.

Hmmm all fish emporium. Ill have to check them out. Sand is looking great, nice white and settled.

What kit do you use to clean your sand? Anything you suggest?

As always thanks Jeff.

 

[GoldsGuy]

How can you tell that the tank will be cycled soon? The drop in ammonia?

Also what is considered high for nirite and nitrate's? I'm just wondering so that when they shoot up, I know when to do a pwc.

Hmmm all fish emporium. Ill have to check them out. Sand is looking great, nice white and settled.

What kit do you use to clean your sand? Anything you suggest?

As always thanks Jeff.

Well, the cycling process starts with BB that consumes ammonia and converts it to nitrite, and then another colony of BB converts the nitrite to nitrate. So when the cycle first starts you don't see any nitrite or nitrate until those BB begin to process the ammonia. Since you are already seeing nitrite and nitrate tells me that you are developing both colonies of BB in your tank. Perhaps from the media and filter you reused. Once you see ammonia and nitrite go to zero and you only see nitrate is the cycling process completed as the BB process the ammonia and nitrite as they are produced leaving on nitrate which is controlled by PWCs.

Generally anything over .50 ppm nitrite is toxic to fish. Nitrates they see are able to go up to 40 ppm but ideally around 20 ppm. Currently I have zero ammonia and nitrite and my nitrates have remained at 10 ppm due to the fact I have plants which use most of the nitrate. I still do weekly PWCs though.

So, to answer your question, since you are doing fishless, I would keep the nitrite under 1 ppm (do PWCs accordingly). You don't have to worry about nitrates now.

I use a standard gravel vac to clean my sand. You don't want or need to vac the sand though as debris stays on top. I mearly swish the gravel vac back-and-forth to stir up the debris off the sand and keep the gravel vac slightly up from the sand to minimize picking up any sand. If you get a lot of sand in the gravel vac, just hold it still until most of the sand falls back out. You'll still vac up a small amount of sand, but that's ok.

Glad I can help.

 

[e30 gangsta]

Thanks so much for your information.

Update. Just tested my tank

ph 7.6
ammonia 4.0ppm
nitrite .50ppm
nitrate 5.0 ppm

Seems like the ammonia went up just a tad.

I have turned up my heater, and I assume I just have to wait it out?

 

[e30 gangsta]

tested the water again today. non of the parameters have changed :/. how long does it usually take to start seeing ammonia levels drop.

 

[GoldsGuy]

Keep in mind it can take 4-6 weeks for enough of the BB to colonize and establish themselves. Be patient, you seem to be doing everything right.

 

[e30 gangsta]

Just checked my water today, still no change in parameters. Is there something wrong that I am doing? Is there any other way to speed this process up? Should I just switch to a fish in cycle?

 

[jlk]

Established media from a cycled tank is the quickest way to speed up a cycle. Many members have had success using a seeded, 'active' filter from Angelsplus. You are not doing anything wrong, it just takes alot of patience to cycle a tank (fishless or fish-in). Heres link for the for the 'active' filters:

Sponge Filters for aquariums

 

[e30 gangsta]

hmmm $20 for there active 4 inch filter. What exactly is it, and what does it do? It has to be hooked up to a air pump?

Is it like a airstone? Would I have to disconnect my air stone and install that?

Im confused. thanks.

 

[GoldsGuy]

You can go to your LFS and see if they have any filter media you can have. They may cut you off a piece or give you some gravel to put in a mesh bag and hang in your tank. Make sure it's from a healthy tank though. Otherwise, it can take weeks to months to fully cycle a tank. When I had my 10-gal it was taking a long time. When I moved up to my 55-gal I had reused some medial from the 10 and it only took my tank a few weeks to cycle. You just have to remember the BB grow very slowly and you have to have patience.

 

[librarygirl]

hmmm $20 for there active 4 inch filter. What exactly is it, and what does it do? It has to be hooked up to a air pump?

Is it like a airstone? Would I have to disconnect my air stone and install that?

Im confused. thanks.

Where are you looking? I see the price as $8.75. I know I didn't (wouldn't) have paid $20 for mine! lol