Cycling With Fish And Seeded Media

[Squeegeatc]

Most of you have seen me bumbling around already.   But just just in case......4 kids and a husband, all VERY impatient. LFS sold me fish that ended up grossly overstocking my 10 gallon.  10 gallon was already in "Old Tank Syndrome".  So NOT healthy for anyone.  Lost the receipt, so no returning overstock fish.  Bought a 55 gallon, had it running for 4 solid days with old tank's media on it.  There was NO way to not move over the overstock fish.  So I moved them, for a modified fish-in cycle.
 
I'm watching the levels VERY closely.  There are 6 black skirt tetras in a 55 gallon.  I removed about 11 gallons of water from the 55, and added fresh.   Ammonia is still at 0.25.   nitrite is 0, nitrate is 0.
 
Mr Impatient, the husband, is trying VERY hard to bring home some neons. I keep trying to tell him to wait.  If I added his neons and a few water wysteria, would that be sufficient?   I'm hoping the seeded filter is helping.  But the old tank was a 10g, and this is a 55g.   That is a LOT of water to fill with bacteria. 
 
Basically, I KNOW what I should do.   I also know that I am not going to "win" this battle.  I'm trying to minimize the losses. 
 
Advice???
 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

1. The bacteria live on surfaces not the water.
2. The amount of bacteria needed will depend on the amount of fish.
3. Wait for the tank to show a 'full cycle' having been established, so that you can not fear overstocking the 55.

 
Wait for the fish-in cycle.  Tell Mr. Impatient to find something else to research.  Plants would be great additions to the tank, NOT fish.  Leave the fish, and add the wisteria anyway.
 
When the ammonia and nitrite stay at zero for a full week, then you are cycled.   Patience is the key for a good fish-in cycle.  You need to remain PATIENT!!  Adding some bacteria in a bottle COULD help, but not just any kind... Tetra Safe Start or Dr. Tim's One and Only would be the best choices. 

 

[sawickib]

Neons are very bad cycling fish, danios are very hardy and survive the harsh changes in the water. You could also buy some bacteria in a bottle to help grow the colony, and technically you could move all the fish and all the media over and there would already be enough bacteria to withstand the amount of fish, can someone else tell if im right or wrong on this lol
But yea like eagle said i wouldnt buy anymore fish until cycled.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I did break down and allowed a LFS to talk me into the bottle stuff.   I added that Wednesday.  API Stress+zyme was the brand.   I know these black skirts are hardy, because they should have died when I added them to the 10 gallon.  Poor Guys.  It's amazing what I've learned since Saturday.  There are still 6 other fish in the 10 gallon. 
 
Do I need to drain and add water to decrease the ammonia levels with fish-in?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

API Stress-zyme is basically worthless, unfortunately.
 
 
0.25 ppm ammonia isn't dangerous.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I had a feeling it was a waste of money.   Drat.   I will continue keeping a close eye on this tank.   Husband said he was leaving work over an hour ago.   I hope he didn't hit the petshop on the way home.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I lost the battle.   6 neons and a bottle of seachem's "tank starter".   All I can do now is pray.   Thanks for the help.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Actually... all you can do is test daily and perform necessary water changes.
 
 
Keep us updated on pH and temp, as well.  These affect how much ammonia is available in the toxic form versus the less toxic form.

 

[Squeegeatc]

This mornings specs...
Temp--78
PH--8.2
Ammonia--0.025
NItrite--0
nittrate--just a trace (using those stupid test strips still..not as dark as 20, but darker than 0)
 
I intend on testing ammonia 2x a day for a while.  And I'm about to start a thread in the journal section so I can keep track.
 
We also added a plant.....the name evades me at the moment.  Hopefully that will also help.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I have another question....I have seen NUMEROUS times here that "I am not cycling because I'm just moving the old fish and filter over"  I had 9 fish in the old tank, and now have 11 fish in the new tank.  Granted, the old was a 10g and the new is a 55.   But is it possible that I WON"T have as many issues as I'm thinking I will? 

 

[sawickib]

Well i wouldnt add more fish to the 55 gallon for a few weeks just to establish the colony around the tank, then you can add more fish weekly.

 

[Squeegeatc]

My goal is to add nothing until ammonia and nitrites are at 0!!    GOAL being the operative word.   Husband is already talking about growing the neon shoal next weekend.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hide his car keys, wallet, and credit cards.

 

[Gruntle]

Or wait for all his new fish to die and then say "told you so." Heartbreaking, I'm sure, but experience may be the only way to get the message across.

 

[rms]

Seems to me your cycle is going to take a very long time due to the volume of water v's how many fish (and their size). Maybe emptying half the tank will speed up the cycle as the ammonia will pass through your filter more quickly, and then so will the nitrite. As long as you change large volumes daily the fish will be ok, and your water changes will be smaller than with a full tank, so won't take as long  
And Eagle is spot on there. Hide credit cards and car keys. Also ignore any advice your LFS give you. They've already caused enough grief.