Rookie mistake. Advice appreciated

[corydoralover]

Just incase you didn't know, those are black mollies. Not trying to be rude but they prefer brackish water so they might not be best for every tank.

 

[corydoralover]

That was for the pic in the second page.

 

[Fishperson]

It Is the nitrates that you what to feed the tank. Not ammonia.

I aways use fish I have never done a fish less cycle cause you can get a false start. When doing my marine tank we didn't do any water changes until the tank cycled. Yes in my freshwater I would do weekly changes of 10%.

No, and no. Nitrates don't do anything for the bacteria, and you don't get a "false start". It works, and faster than a fish in cycle (generally).

 

[Fishperson]

Then how do you expect the tank to cycle. I was working with a marine biologist when I was learning. According to him the use of fish was the best way you use a hardy fish. You want the ammonia to spike and the nitrites to go up as they go up the ammonia comes down and then the nitrites will spike and the nitrates goes up and the nitrites goes down it is the nitrates that feeds your live Plants.

There is no difference in the type of ammonia added, just the amount, which is better in a fishless cycle as there is more "food" for the bacteria.

So tell this "Marine Biologist" to go back to college.

Just kidding, but seriously, the goal of cycling is to get the bacteria in the tank and filter to be able to keep up with what the fish are producing in ammonia, it doesn't have anything to do with plants (unless silent cycling).

 

[Fishperson]

Just incase you didn't know, those are black mollies. Not trying to be rude but they prefer brackish water so they might not be best for every tank.

That's a good point but I think mollies can do fine in freshwater, just better in brackish.

 

[owenhp]

I didn't mean to stir things up last night. With fresh water fish I never worried about the cycle. I would do 10 to 20% water change every week. I wouldn't add anymore fish for 6 to 8 weeks. I would check my ph,ammonia etc once a week. Once a tank is cycled you change the water to refresh the tank and to keep the nitrates from getting to high.

 

[Fishperson]

I didn't mean to stir things up last night. With fresh water fish I never worried about the cycle. I would do 10 to 20% water change every week. I wouldn't add anymore fish for 6 to 8 weeks. I would check my ph,ammonia etc once a week. Once a tank is cycled you change the water to refresh the tank and to keep the nitrates from getting to high.

Yeah, but I think you should do more than 10% a week for most tanks.

 

[owenhp]

I have a 40 breeder. When you account for the sand and decorations it is mor r like 30 to 34 gallons. My tank Is crystal clear with no ammonia or nitrites. I am running a emperor 400, a aqueon 55/75, 2 aqueon submerged filters.

 

[rjs2115]

I am still sitting at .25 ammonia, no trites and the trates seem to be a darker yellow than before, but still no orange on the API color chart.
I had a platy die this morning. He hadn't been eating and was just sitting on the bottom a lot the past week. last night I saw a wound on his back. So not sure if it was an ammonia burn, I wouldnt think so at .25, or if he was just weak and the tetras or rams picked on him.
I am gonna keep doing 25% water changes 2-3 times a week.

Thanks

 

[Rivercats]

I am still sitting at .25 ammonia, no trites and the trates seem to be a darker yellow than before, but still no orange on the API color chart.
I had a platy die this morning. He hadn't been eating and was just sitting on the bottom a lot the past week. last night I saw a wound on his back. So not sure if it was an ammonia burn, I wouldnt think so at .25, or if he was just weak and the tetras or rams picked on him.
I am gonna keep doing 25% water changes 2-3 times a week.

Thanks

You just have to wait it out unfortunately. Ammonia burns don't cause wounds. You'd see red inflamed gills. He either somehow injured himself or the more likely scenario was he got attacked.

 

[rjs2115]

My bolivian rams are very peaceful. So if anyone attacked him, I am guessing it was the black skirt tetras. But even that would shock me.
Hopefully this **** water will start showing changes soon!

Thanks everyone

 

[Rivercats]

My bolivian rams are very peaceful. So if anyone attacked him, I am guessing it was the black skirt tetras. But even that would shock me.
Hopefully this **** water will start showing changes soon!

Thanks everyone

You'd be surprised how skirts in the right situation will turn on something even if they have always been peaceful. It does happen. Same with Rams. Not too long ago someone attached on of my male Threadfin Rainbows. Found him in the morning after lights were on with a huge wound that hadn't been there the night before. Someone did a real number on him. He has some fin damage also. I never have had problems like that in the years I've had the 220 set up but someone did a number on him. So even when you think your tank is peaceful aggression can still happen. Heck I've seen a school of neons attach a fish before and who would expect that.

 

[rjs2115]

The funny thing, not that dead fish are funny, but my Clown Pleco, who NEVER comes out of hiding, was sitting on a rock, in plain view, just staring at the dead Platy.
I think he was planning a feast. I had to spoil his fun though and remove the body.

 

[Fishperson]

I have a 40 breeder. When you account for the sand and decorations it is mor r like 30 to 34 gallons. My tank Is crystal clear with no ammonia or nitrites. I am running a emperor 400, a aqueon 55/75, 2 aqueon submerged filters.

Maybe in that case but most of the time 25% is the minimum.

When you think about it, 10% a week, if you are aiming for 30 ppm nitrates, then you have to assume that your fish create 3 ppm nitrates a week, which doesn't really happen.

 

[mistersprinkles]

Then how do you expect the tank to cycle. I was working with a marine biologist when I was learning. According to him the use of fish was the best way you use a hardy fish. You want the ammonia to spike and the nitrites to go up as they go up the ammonia comes down and then the nitrites will spike and the nitrates goes up and the nitrites goes down it is the nitrates that feeds your live Plants.

She knows what she's talking about.

 

[owenhp]

I would like to say that I went and read some of the articles here on this site concerning fish-in and fish less cycling. Plus I also read about how high the ammonia needs to get. By the way the article was wrote, the arthur was leaning to the fish-in. I read the pro's and con's for both ways. and both ways does the job. But also for the Ammonia to properly feed the bacteria it has to get above the 3 ppm, the article said if it doesn't get above the 3 ppm to add more Ammonia or prawn until it gets above the 3 ppm. After it reaches above the 3 ppm then it should go down and then the nitrites goes up etc. Once the cycling is done then when you add new fish the cycle goes again but in a much rapid process. The nitrates never goes away totally, if they keep going up that would eventually kill your fish as well. So once the cycle is complete you do partial weekly water changes, you can do monthly water changes or more frequent changes but in smaller amounts. that is why you do the water changes to keep the nitrates down and using live plants helps with it. This will give you a good bacteria or what ever you want to call it. If it doesn't cycle properly you won't have a enough bacteria to help break down the Ammonia and you will have a problem later on(false start). Now I am not going to keep arguing with you guys or gals or who ever you are, I am sure for the most part you know what you are doing. But as far as fish-in or fish-less cycling that is your own preference. I just know that I have used the fish-in cycle and have always had good results. The fish-in takes more work, where as the fish-less takes less. That is what the articles said I just put it in my own words. May you all enjoy your fish as much as I do.