Ammonia Levels High

[waterdrop]

ive just been talking to a fish expert on the phone after hearing my process they recommended i stop doing w/c's for a week or 2 they said the cycle restarts every time i do a water change, they recommeded emitite-down its an aussie bacteria product and they said you can not import live bacteria, it
dies before it arrives it is liquid or powder form that activates when it hits the water.

im wondering what yous think and will give it a go due to am i really getting anywhere, this would also explain alot like why im not gating any major readings

Hi rewlyn,

I strongly disagree! You're in a fish-in cycle and a water change will not in any way "restart the cycle." Think about what goes on when a cycled filter is working perfectly: The tests for ammonia and nitrite(NO2) will always read a big fat zero, and yet we know the bacteria are alive and well, right? That's because when the test kits read zero, there is still plenty of ammonia and nitrite flowing in there to feed the bacteria. Zero means zero for fish danger, not absolute zero ammonia or nitrite. So what that means is even though you keep seeing traces of toxins and don't seem to be making progress, you actually are moving along just fine.

People get confused by all the talk here about -fishless- cycling, where we talk a lot about nitrite spikes and all, and they think they are going to see these things clearly in a fish-in cycle, but they don't. Often the only sign of real progress you get from a fish-in cycle is that at the very end after more than a month of all those water changes, you finally one day start to see no traces of ammonia or nitrite(NO2) anymore. At first you can't believe it, but then two days go by and you haven't had to do a water change and wow!, you're finished!

Hang in there! "Bacteria in a bottle", "Bacteria from magic powders", it all usually results in disappointment - I'd not spend my money on those promises!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rewlyn]

ive just been talking to a fish expert on the phone after hearing my process they recommended i stop doing w/c's for a week or 2 they said the cycle restarts every time i do a water change, they recommeded emitite-down its an aussie bacteria product and they said you can not import live bacteria, it
dies before it arrives it is liquid or powder form that activates when it hits the water.

im wondering what yous think and will give it a go due to am i really getting anywhere, this would also explain alot like why im not gating any major readings

Hi rewlyn,

I strongly disagree! You're in a fish-in cycle and a water change will not in any way "restart the cycle." Think about what goes on when a cycled filter is working perfectly: The tests for ammonia and nitrite(NO2) will always read a big fat zero, and yet we know the bacteria are alive and well, right? That's because when the test kits read zero, there is still plenty of ammonia and nitrite flowing in there to feed the bacteria. Zero means zero for fish danger, not absolute zero ammonia or nitrite. So what that means is even though you keep seeing traces of toxins and don't seem to be making progress, you actually are moving along just fine.

People get confused by all the talk here about -fishless- cycling, where we talk a lot about nitrite spikes and all, and they think they are going to see these things clearly in a fish-in cycle, but they don't. Often the only sign of real progress you get from a fish-in cycle is that at the very end after more than a month of all those water changes, you finally one day start to see no traces of ammonia or nitrite(NO2) anymore. At first you can't believe it, but then two days go by and you haven't had to do a water change and wow!, you're finished!

Hang in there! "Bacteria in a bottle", "Bacteria from magic powders", it all usually results in disappointment - I'd not spend my money on those promises!

~~waterdrop~~

thanks waterdrop all this confusion is doin my head in, every time i start to doubt the process ill refer back to this

once again thanks

Andrew

oh and one more thing i dont want to waste the cycle i bought it cost me $35 aus should i still use it or not worry cause it sounds like its there just to give you peice of mind

 

[fatheadminnow]

Good write-up by WD there.

Your beneficial bacteria live in the filer, not in the water column.

So, when you take water out for a water change, you are not taking out any of the beneficial bacteria, thus, you are not stalling your cycle.

Just keep on doing what you are doing rewlyn, and it will all work out in time!

oh and one more thing i dont want to waste the cycle i bought it cost me $35 aus should i still use it or not worry cause it sounds like its there just to give you peice of mind

Sorry to hear that you bought that, is there anyway that you can take it back to gt your money back/

Anyways, I would not use it, as today I was reading another post, and the member did a controlled experiment using 'Cycle' and he said it actually made his tank cycle longer.

But than again, other people say that cycle has trace 'nutrients' that help the Autotrophic bacteria grow.

Personally, I would not use it, as it is pretty much snake oil, but if you want o give it a shot so that you are not wasting your money, go for it.

Or, you could try to sell it to someone who doesn't know better...lol.

-FHM

 

[rewlyn]

currently doin a w/c will post the results in about an hour

 

[fatheadminnow]

currently doin a w/c will post the results in about an hour

Sounds good!

-FHM

 

[fatheadminnow]

oh and one more thing i dont want to waste the cycle i bought it cost me $35 aus should i still use it or not worry cause it sounds like its there just to give you peice of mind

Sorry to hear that you bought that, is there anyway that you can take it back to gt your money back/

Anyways, I would not use it, as today I was reading another post, and the member did a controlled experiment using 'Cycle' and he said it actually made his tank cycle longer.

But than again, other people say that cycle has trace 'nutrients' that help the Autotrophic bacteria grow.

Personally, I would not use it, as it is pretty much snake oil, but if you want o give it a shot so that you are not wasting your money, go for it.

Or, you could try to sell it to someone who doesn't know better...lol.

-FHM

 

[rewlyn]

so thats why they flog it of, so they make more money and can you post me the link to that experiment

unfortunitly its already open

 

[fatheadminnow]

Sorry, I have no idea where to look for that, but here is something you can keep an eye one!

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...p;#entry2373592

-FHM

 

[rewlyn]

thanks and my latest results are(drumroll please)
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrItes: 0ppm

and the crowd goes wild

 

[fatheadminnow]

Looking good!

What are NitrAtes?

-FHM

 

[rewlyn]

dont know never seen them

 

[fatheadminnow]

They will be coming soon.

-FHM

 

[rewlyn]

im just waiting for the reading to come through

 

[rewlyn]

nitrAtes: 0ppm

gee i wonder what they look like

 

[fatheadminnow]

Do you have any live plants in the tank?

-FHM