so i've had problems with my tank not cycling. the ammonia was BAD. i've been doing 50% water changes daily for about a week now and finally the ammonia is very very low if any(yayyyyy!). but now the water is getting foggy. is this a bacteria bloom? does that mean the cycling is almost over?
help
- Thread starter Csheets
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SeverumGuy
Aquarium Advice Freak
What are the rest of the levels? Most of the time it will clear up when the cycle is fully set. Glad to hear the ammonia is better.
IT-FishGuy
Aquarium Advice Regular
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Sounds like
What kind of fish do you have in the tank? How long has it been up?
Sounds like a bacterial bloom which is common and natural.
What kind of fish do you have in the tank? How long has it been up?
Sounds like a bacterial bloom which is common and natural.
i have all kinds... 2 angels, 4 tiger barbs, a tetra, 2 bella sharks, a frog, a cat fish, 2 skelton catfish, a britcher, loach... its been up for over a year now, but i have recently moved twice back to back about 3 months ago..
IT-FishGuy
Aquarium Advice Regular
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Ah...
I forgot to ask how big the tank was, however the amount of fish you have in it I am guessing it's fairly large.
When you moved did you transport and move the water too? I've used Home Depot painter buckets (5 Gal.) that way I can put the bulk of the water back.
Granted if you have a very large tank that's a lot more weight to move in addition to moving your other things. I know I dread it now with MTS.
Depending on how long the tank has been up from the move then sounds like it's a bacteria bloom.
I forgot to ask how big the tank was, however the amount of fish you have in it I am guessing it's fairly large.
When you moved did you transport and move the water too? I've used Home Depot painter buckets (5 Gal.) that way I can put the bulk of the water back.
Granted if you have a very large tank that's a lot more weight to move in addition to moving your other things. I know I dread it now with MTS.
Depending on how long the tank has been up from the move then sounds like it's a bacteria bloom.
taylorodw
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Test strips are right on the lower end of okay... somebody on here tested them vs. a liquid test kit and the results for critical parameters (ie ammonia and nitrite) were off by as much as 2ppm if I recall correctly. 2ppm ammonia or nitrite can be lethal so in my opinion (and the opinion of almost all others her on Aquarium Advice) you should invest in a liquid test kit. This is a kit with test tubes instead of the strips. Most of us use the API Master Freshwater kit.
At minimum, you need to test for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates.
The bacterial bloom is a good sign, it means the beneficial bacteria are catching up to the pollutants in your tank. If you pull out tank water and put it in a white bowl, if the water looks green or brown that is an alage bloom. If the water looks white or clear, that is bacteria, and it's good stuff!
0 ammonia and 0 nitrites are good. Nitrates you want to keep below 40pppm. Get a solid test kit, and keep testing. If you test before a water change and ammonia and nitrites are below 0.25ppm, (plus nitrates below 40ppm) then you don't need to do a water change. If the levels are close to that, or above, do a water change (50% is a good amount of water to change... you can change as much as you want as long as your fish aren't flopping on the gravel ). Once your tank remains steady at 0 ammonia, and 0 nitrite, (like for a week) you are cycled and can start doing water changes once a week instead of every day.
Good luck and keep up the good work!
At minimum, you need to test for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates.
The bacterial bloom is a good sign, it means the beneficial bacteria are catching up to the pollutants in your tank. If you pull out tank water and put it in a white bowl, if the water looks green or brown that is an alage bloom. If the water looks white or clear, that is bacteria, and it's good stuff!
0 ammonia and 0 nitrites are good. Nitrates you want to keep below 40pppm. Get a solid test kit, and keep testing. If you test before a water change and ammonia and nitrites are below 0.25ppm, (plus nitrates below 40ppm) then you don't need to do a water change. If the levels are close to that, or above, do a water change (50% is a good amount of water to change... you can change as much as you want as long as your fish aren't flopping on the gravel
). Once your tank remains steady at 0 ammonia, and 0 nitrite, (like for a week) you are cycled and can start doing water changes once a week instead of every day.Good luck and keep up the good work!
Silent Night
Aquarium Advice Regular
lol are you doing water changes in the middle of your cycle to reduce ammonia..?
my tank is a 55... when i moved i put half the water in a new trash can... it was like 22 gallons.. so i got almost half the water saved.... my ammonia test is liquid..so ill have to invest in the other ones as well.. and yes silent night i have been..
Silent Night
Aquarium Advice Regular
Ok, I'd hold off on the water changes during a cycle until the am=0 and the nitri=0, let nature do the rest. Water changes can slow your cycle right down IME. Start your pwc's when you detect nitrates (as above). you've got some good advice there, I'd make it a priority to get an accurate test kit.
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
For one, test strips are highly innacurate. I recommend the API Freshwater Master Test kit. Liquid tests are much more accurate and a good investment in the long run. You can find it for 18$ on walmart.com
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
IMO you are too overstocked. Also tiger barbs need to be in schools of 6 or more to minimize aggression. Tetras should also be in schools. Bala sharks and the bichir will get too big to be with the rest of these fish. Loaches also like to be in groups.
IT-FishGuy
Aquarium Advice Regular
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- 59
Test kit and cycle
Yeah follow Silent NIght's advice as it's spot on. Good to hear you took a healthy amount of the water for the move! You can get a master test kit for about $20 and it's worth the money. There are also some free online and pay for software programs that will allow you to track what you do in the aquarium. Sounds like your tank is in it's last portion of the cycle and you'll be home free in a bit.
Yeah follow Silent NIght's advice as it's spot on. Good to hear you took a healthy amount of the water for the move! You can get a master test kit for about $20 and it's worth the money. There are also some free online and pay for software programs that will allow you to track what you do in the aquarium. Sounds like your tank is in it's last portion of the cycle and you'll be home free in a bit.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Quite the opposite... when cycling with fish, you HAVE to do water changes to keep the fish at least relatively safe. Ammonia kills fish, hence the need to cycle. There's a link in my signature on cycling with fish that covers the absolute necessity of water changes during a cycle
I agree with the notion to get a good test kit... API Master FW kit is good, cheap, and pretty accurate.
As for keeping water, absolutely no need at all to keep water when doing a move. All you need to keep is enough to keep the fish in... any other water you put in is just dirty water with no benefit at all to the tank. Remember that nitrifying bacteria find their homes on surfaces inside the tank (tank wall, substrate, filter media, decor, etc). All you gotta do is keep the substrate and filter media wet and you're good.
IT-FishGuy
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2010
- Messages
- 59
Moving and cycling
One of the main reasons I move water as well is so I do not have to cycle the tank and or expose the fish to a huge change in water chemistry. Didn't have a second tank to start up so that was the best option for me. Now if you have a secondary tank and can set it up prior and transfer water from tank 1 to tank 2 that'd be different.
Didn't mention cycling with fish, because I would hope that most of us would know about levels in a tank that is starting out, however your point is absolutely on target. You cycle with fish you have to watch the levels and change water as needed to keep your fish in good shape.
One of the main reasons I move water as well is so I do not have to cycle the tank and or expose the fish to a huge change in water chemistry. Didn't have a second tank to start up so that was the best option for me. Now if you have a secondary tank and can set it up prior and transfer water from tank 1 to tank 2 that'd be different.
Didn't mention cycling with fish, because I would hope that most of us would know about levels in a tank that is starting out, however your point is absolutely on target. You cycle with fish you have to watch the levels and change water as needed to keep your fish in good shape.
taylorodw
Aquarium Advice FINatic
The water is not what "cycles". It is a population of bacteria that live on your gravel (or sand), glass, decorations, and filter. Hence, changing the water doesn't slow it down because you remove practically 0 bacteria - you just take out the fishy poison.
You can remove 100% of the water in the tank, but as long as the filter and gravel stay pretty moist, your tank won't have to start over on its cycle. You are smart to save some when moving though, unless you know the water has similar GH and pH at the new place.
Do NOT listen to those telling you to hold off on water changes. They will keep your fish healthy during this stressful time, and not slow you up a bit as long as you have some ammonia and nitrites in the water.
Edit: I can post a detailed explanation of WHY changing the water doesn't slow down the cycle, but you should just trust me
You can remove 100% of the water in the tank, but as long as the filter and gravel stay pretty moist, your tank won't have to start over on its cycle. You are smart to save some when moving though, unless you know the water has similar GH and pH at the new place.
Do NOT listen to those telling you to hold off on water changes. They will keep your fish healthy during this stressful time, and not slow you up a bit as long as you have some ammonia and nitrites in the water.
Edit: I can post a detailed explanation of WHY changing the water doesn't slow down the cycle, but you should just trust me
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your tank is going to cycle no matter what.
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
The water is not what "cycles". It is a population of bacteria that live on your gravel (or sand), glass, decorations, and filter. Hence, changing the water doesn't slow it down because you remove practically 0 bacteria - you just take out the fishy poison.
You can remove 100% of the water in the tank, but as long as the filter and gravel stay pretty moist, your tank won't have to start over on its cycle. You are smart to save some when moving though, unless you know the water has similar GH and pH at the new place.
Do NOT listen to those telling you to hold off on water changes. They will keep your fish healthy during this stressful time, and not slow you up a bit as long as you have some ammonia and nitrites in the water.
Edit: I can post a detailed explanation of WHY changing the water doesn't slow down the cycle, but you should just trust me
+1
