New Fish Tank Help!!!!

[atrbigred95]

Okay so today I checked the tank. Ammoina has went down to 0. Very excited to finally see this. I redosed and it looks to be around 4ppm.

Nitrites are still very high (off the chart) and nitrates are now at 40 ppm. So I guess there is some nitrite eating bacteria growing but not enough to lower nitrites in the tank.

Will nitrates ever stop going up or start going down? Just wondering because at this rate with in a few days they will be off the charts and unreadable too.

 

[Teakwood]

Okay so today I checked the tank. Ammoina has went down to 0. Very excited to finally see this. I redosed and it looks to be around 4ppm.

Nitrites are still very high (off the chart) and nitrates are now at 40 ppm. So I guess there is some nitrite eating bacteria growing but not enough to lower nitrites in the tank.

Will nitrates ever stop going up or start going down? Just wondering because at this rate with in a few days they will be off the charts and unreadable too.

Yay for no ammonia!!! Nitates will not go down. You remove the nitrates at the end of your cycle by doing the big 90-100% water change. Changing water is the only way to remove nitrates safest level of nitrates is below 20ppm, 40ppm is ok ish but not at all ideal, ideal is lower. So during your weekly water changes(after your cycle) that's how you will remove them and keep the water pristine

 

[atrbigred95]

So during the cycle is okay for nitrates to go pretty high?

 

[Teakwood]

So during the cycle is okay for nitrates to go pretty high?

I've never read anything that says otherwise.

 

[librarygirl]

Yep nitrates will continue to rise as the conversion happens; nitrates are the end-product of the cycle. Ammonia>Nitrite>Nitrate. Nothing removes nitrate but water changes. They can get high during the cycle but don't worry; mine went up to 160 at one point. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

 

[atrbigred95]

How long should it take for ammonia to go back down to 0ppm this time?

 

[Teakwood]

How long should it take for ammonia to go back down to 0ppm this time?

Could take any amount of time. Once ammonia and nitrites are at 0 after 24 hours you will be good to go, it should start decreasing within a couple of days.

 

[atrbigred95]

The ammonia or nitrites?

 

[Teakwood]

The ammonia or nitrites?

Ammonia will start drcreasing, it will take a little while longer for nitrites to start going down.

 

[foster53]

How long should it take for ammonia to go back down to 0ppm this time?

It will depend on how much bacteria has developed. Each time you dose ammonia, more bacteria form to consume the ammonia. Once an adequate number form they will take the amm. down in 24hrs.or less. The bacteria that consume nitrite are developing now. I will be the same scenerio for them.

 

[atrbigred95]

Well today I tested for ammonia and it is now in between .5 and 1ppm. Its been a little over 24 hours since I last dosed it so that seems pretty good to me and I am very happy . Should I go ahead and put a little more in it or wait probably until tomorrow to dose it on back up?

Nitrates seem to still be around 40ppm and nitrites are still very high. I really hope to see them nitrites start to come down pretty soon since it seems like my whole ammonia step went considerably fast.

Cant wait for this cycle to be over and get some fish!!!!

 

[atrbigred95]

So today I checked everything in the tank. The ammonia levels had dropped from 4ppm to. 5ppm. Hittites are still through the roof and nitrates have went up.

I have read around and saw that people have had problems with this stage of the cycle. Such as Hittites get so high they want come down and have to water changes to get them back down. Should i be getting worried about this stage?

It seems like most peoppe that can get ammonia to go down in 24 hours usually has nitrites drop fairly soon?

 

[librarygirl]

How long have nitrites been high? The nitrite phase is the longest, taking about 3 weeks on average. If they are very high and have been for a week or more, then you can do a full water change and try to get them down to a readable level on the chart (depending on how high they are in might take more than one water change), but don't be surprised if they rise again quickly. Also keep an eye on PH; drops are common at this stage and if it falls too low it can stall things too.

 

[atrbigred95]

If your ph goes down do u just do a water change?

 

[Hholly]

Yep.

 

[atrbigred95]

Okay nitrites have not budged at all. Ammonia is going from 4ppm to 0ppm every 24 hours.

Is there anyway to speed up this nitrite stage? It just seems like the test is getting darker and darker every day.

 

[Teakwood]

Okay nitrites have not budged at all. Ammonia is going from 4ppm to 0ppm every 24 hours.

Is there anyway to speed up this nitrite stage? It just seems like the test is getting darker and darker every day.

Not that I'm aware of. But you are sooooo close!