New 40g Long need help with fishless cycle.

[Deckape]

Umm.....you're adding Prime before the water, right?

If not, that's potentially a slight issue.

Yep. You're supposed to add the prime prior to adding the water back.

 

[Flash081]

I have been adding Prime after the water is in....
Is that going to really mess things up?

 

[eco23]

I have been adding Prime after the water is in....
Is that going to really mess things up?

Ummm...it could be part of it. You're on municipal water and not a well, right? If so, the chlorine is designed to kill bacteria, and there's the potential it was nuking the bacteria inside the tank during each water change. Might be why things are taking a bit longer than normal.

In the future, turn off the filter, remove the water, add Prime based off the total volume of the tank, swish it around, refill, then turn the filter back on.

 

[Flash081]

Okay, I wish I wouldn't have done that now.
So, basically I'm starting all over at this point....lame

 

[Deckape]

I have been adding Prime after the water is in....
Is that going to really mess things up?

It very well could. The chlorine killls bacteria. That's why you dechlorinate tap water. You turn off your filters while going a pwc I hope. If so the the BB in your filter may be ok, but the ones in your tank probally didn't have a chance.

 

[eco23]

Noooo...not starting over at all, haha. Just a mishap. It shouldn't hurt too bad. They happen to all of us. Hopefully the filter was off and it wasn't sucking the raw tap water up into the filter media before it was dechlorinated...that would be a potential issue.

 

[Flash081]

I added the prime and swished it but the filters had been on for maybe 10 seconds before that..
I'm a sad panda.

 

[eco23]

Looks like I'm starting all over!
Can't wait for day 1 tomorrow!

Dude! Haha...it's really okay . Was the filter off? The vast majority of the beneficial bacteria is in the filter media. At least you learned with an empty tank.

 

[Deckape]

Noooo...not starting over at all, haha. Just a mishap. It shouldn't hurt too bad. They happen to all of us. Hopefully the filter was off and it wasn't sucking the raw tap water up into the filter media before it was dechlorinated.

Yea, just a little experience thats all. When you add the prime make sure you dose the entire tank capacity when using a water changer also. That way as soon as the tap water goes in, it will instantaneously be dechlorinated.

 

[eco23]

Hopefully 10 seconds won't ruin a month and a half. Don't sweat it. Was this the first time you've changed water like this?

 

[Flash081]

Hopefully 10 seconds won't ruin a month and a half. Don't sweat it. Was this the first time you've changed water like this?

Yep, today was the first day I've done a water change through the whole cycle, but I changed it twice in the same way.

 

[Deckape]

We will see. I hope all is well and this wont have much of an affect on your cycle.

 

[Flash081]

We will see. I hope all is well and this wont have much of an affect on your cycle.

You and me both brotha.
At least we can laugh about it and say lesson well learned.

 

[eco23]

I wouldn't worry. Honestly I'm not sure of the contact time it takes for chlorine to kill bacteria. It's not like you added pool shock or something. I'm thinking there won't be any effect.

 

[Flash081]

I wouldn't worry. Honestly I'm not sure of the contact time it takes for chlorine to kill bacteria. It's not like you added pool shock or something. I'm thinking there won't be any effect.

We shall see, all we can do now is play the waiting game

 

[Flash081]

Day 9/ Day 1:
pH: i did high range pH test today because it was always slightly darker than 7.6 and my pH turned out to be 8.2. Is that going to be okay for fish?
Ammonia: 0-.25
Nitrites: 5+
Nitrates: 0-.5

 

[Flash081]

Day 10 / Day 2:
pH: 8.0-8.2
Ammonia: 0-.25
Nitrite: 5+
Nitrate: 5.0-10.0

 

[eco23]

Yay! Everything's alive! If you've got numbers rising and falling that shows the bacteria is still eating (and doing the opposite of eating). At least it was funny for those of us following...probably not as humerous for you though, lol.

*Oh, I didn't see the other question. Yep, 8.2 will be fine for fish. Just make sure that you give them a nice slow acclimation when you add them. I'd avoid a few of the very sensitive species...but everyone else will be fine.

 

[Deckape]

Great. Glad the experience was free in this case.

 

[Flash081]

haha yeah I was pretty excited to notice the fall in ammonia!
What's the best way to acclimate the fish?
-just get some airline tubing and a pitcher, tie a knot or two in the tubing and let it drip into the pitcher with the store water?