New fish tank help!

[brittany_b415]

The ammonia has not changed in 14 days?


Caleb

Has only gone from 1ppm to 3 ppm. That's literally the only change.


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[brittany_b415]

Ok so, me again! I finally have a nitrite spike after almost 3 weeks !!! There might also be some nitrates. What do I do now? Keep adding ammonia ?

Last night I checked my numbers and I had 2ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. This morning it looks like this


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[brittany_b415]

This is my nitrate reading. I got so excited I forgot to shake it for a minute.


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[ImACoolguy]

You are getting there just waiting for that nitrite to drop off back to 0ppm. Once your nitrite goes off the chart you ca. Cut back to dosing 1-2ppm ammonia.


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

You are getting there just waiting for that nitrite to drop off back to 0ppm. Once your nitrite goes off the chart you ca. Cut back to dosing 1-2ppm ammonia.


Caleb

Awesome ! I'm so excited did you mean my nitrite to go to 0 and nitrAte to go off the chart ? Or vise versa.

Thanks !!


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[ImACoolguy]

Awesome ! I'm so excited did you mean my nitrite to go to 0 and nitrAte to go off the chart ? Or vise versa.

Thanks !!


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When your NitrIte goes off the chart, cut back ammonia to 1-2ppm.

Don't worry about NitrAtes till the cycle has finished.


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

When your NitrIte goes off the chart, cut back ammonia to 1-2ppm.

Don't worry about NitrAtes till the cycle has finished.


Caleb

Okay sounds good! I will probably be back when that happens. Should I now be checking all three daily ?


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[ImACoolguy]

Okay sounds good! I will probably be back when that happens. Should I now be checking all three daily ?


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Just ammonia and nitrite. Nitrates isn't really important till cycle is completed and you want them down to a safe level.


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

It is me again, I checked my ammonia and nitrite levels today. Ammonia dropped to 0.5ppm, nitrite rose to 1-2ppm. I keep adding ammonia to keep it at around 3-4ppm right? Then when nitrite is off the chart reduce my ammonia to 1-2ppm and when it's all zero do a water change, check nitrates then add fish? I'm a little confused. I read the pinned post about "the complete (almost) guide to cycling" but it said something about a water change then adding more ammonia then a huge water change then fish.


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[ImACoolguy]

Alright let's see if we can make it simple.

You are currently dosing your ammonia to 3-4ppm.

At some point, your nitrite is going to run past what the chart will read.

When this happens, cut back your ammonia 1-2ppm.

One day you will wake up to 0ppm nitrites.

When your nitrItes bottom out at 0ppm, it's time to test your nitrates and bring them down to a safe level. Preferably 20ppm or less.

That make more sense?


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

Alright let's see if we can make it simple.

You are currently dosing your ammonia to 3-4ppm.

At some point, your nitrite is going to run past what the chart will read.

When this happens, cut back your ammonia 1-2ppm.

One day you will wake up to 0ppm nitrites.

When your nitrItes bottom out at 0ppm, it's time to test your nitrates and bring them down to a safe level. Preferably 20ppm or less.

That make more sense?


Caleb

Hahaha I'm sorry I make things WAAAAY too complicated and read into things wayyyy to much lol. Im assuming the bringing the nitrates to a safe level means water changes ?

But yes that process makes sense I guess we can worry about the nitrates once we get there. They're awfully high now, but that doesn't mean anything until my nitrites are under control right ?


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[ImACoolguy]

There's no fish in here, nitrates don't matter yet

Yes water changes on the nitrates later!


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

Okay so I'm back again. I don't know if something great happened or something terrible. I continued dosing my tank with ammonia to 4ppm. In less that 24 hours my ammonia is 0, nitrites completely disappeared they never even went off the chart and it looks like my nitrates are between 0ppm and 5ppm. Did I do something wrong ?


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[brittany_b415]

Mixed up the nitrate bottles for that test. Had anxiety over the nitrites disappearing without rising off the charts. Nitrates are at 5ppm.


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[ImACoolguy]

Try all the tests one more time.

Shake the heck out of the nitrate bottles and the test tube.


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

Try all the tests one more time.

Shake the heck out of the nitrate bottles and the test tube.


Caleb

Looks a hell of a lot better already. I keep forgetting to shake bottle number 2 for 30 seconds. Will post picture in 5 mins when they develop !


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[brittany_b415]

Try all the tests one more time.

Shake the heck out of the nitrate bottles and the test tube.


Caleb

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[ImACoolguy]

Well congratulations it looks like you are cycled!!! :cheers:

Time for water changes to bring those nitrates back down and you are ready for some feeeesh!


Caleb

 

[brittany_b415]

Well congratulations it looks like you are cycled!!! :cheers:

Time for water changes to bring those nitrates back down and you are ready for some feeeesh!


Caleb

That's so awesome!!!!! what percent water change should I do? And should I still feed my tank ammonia until I add fish ?


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[ImACoolguy]

That's so awesome!!!!! what percent water change should I do? And should I still feed my tank ammonia until I add fish ?


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Think of it this way: if your nitrates are 80ppm then a 50% water change bring it to 40ppm nitrates.

Change as much as you need to get 20ppm or below.

If you plan on adding fish in the next few days then I wouldn't worry about adding ammonia.


Caleb