40% water cycle but ammonia still high

[chrisjcb]

Hi folks,

I'm just starting out with a freshwater setup and have a question. I have a 60ltr tank, with 4 x Black Widow Tetra and 2 x Gourami. The tank has been in place for the last 3 weeks and I have been cycling the water every week (around 60%). The tank was filled and running for one week before the fish went in. I'm adding API QuickStart and StressCoat to every cycle.

I'm worried the ammonia levels remain very high. My Nitrate test kit shows no readings, so the cycle has not completed, and ammonia seems to be building quickly. I have just cycled around 40% of the tank water this evening. I took a reading and was surprised the levels were still very high (2ppm). So I did it again and took a sample from the bucket before I put the water into the tank, as well as another reading from the tank after the water was added. (just to make sure there is nothing wrong with the test kit).

See attached for the photo. Am I just dealing with a spike and should 'ride it out' with another water change in 2 days, or should I change more of the water (80%)?

Any help appreciated,
Chris

 

[Sgooosh]

keeep on normally changing it, i dont think 80% is a good idea

 

[coriesinhawaii]

Hello

First of all just a heads up that to avoid confusion you need to adjust your lingo from “just cycled around 40% of the tank water” to “ just did a 40% WATER CHANGE”. If you “cycle” a tank it means that you have successfully completed the multiple weeks long process of building up the necessary biological filter to balance the water parameters of the tank. (And it’s impossible to cycle only a percentage of the tank—it’s all or nothing).

I wouldn’t be too surprised that the ammonia level is still high. Unless you added a source of ammonia before you added the fish the cycle wouldn’t have even begun until you put the fish in. Putting water in a tank and starting the filter doesn’t begin the cycle unless there is a source of ammonia to feed the beneficial bacteria.

Testing for nitrite gives you a better feel for how far along the cycle is too. Once nitrite starts testing positive you’re getting closer. In the meantime I would use an ammonia/nitrite detoxifier like Prime every couple of days to minimize stress to the fish in the tank. Fish can easily die from ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

 

[Colin_T]

Reduce feeding to once every couple of days until the filter has finished cycling. It normally takes around 4-6 weeks to cycle.

Don't bother testing for nitrates until the ammonia and nitrite have both gone up and come back down to 0ppm.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day there is an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[Jstanfill]

Hi folks,

I'm just starting out with a freshwater setup and have a question. I have a 60ltr tank, with 4 x Black Widow Tetra and 2 x Gourami. The tank has been in place for the last 3 weeks and I have been cycling the water every week (around 60%). The tank was filled and running for one week before the fish went in. I'm adding API QuickStart and StressCoat to every cycle.

I'm worried the ammonia levels remain very high. My Nitrate test kit shows no readings, so the cycle has not completed, and ammonia seems to be building quickly. I have just cycled around 40% of the tank water this evening. I took a reading and was surprised the levels were still very high (2ppm). So I did it again and took a sample from the bucket before I put the water into the tank, as well as another reading from the tank after the water was added. (just to make sure there is nothing wrong with the test kit).

See attached for the photo. Am I just dealing with a spike and should 'ride it out' with another water change in 2 days, or should I change more of the water (80%)?

Any help appreciated,
Chris

I added some seachem prime every time did water change helped my ammonia go down , still at 0.25 but getting there, need to give tank time to cycle then check levels again

 

[Essjay]

It wasn't the Prime that helped the ammonia level go down, it was the water changes and the bacteria colonies growing. All Prime does is remove chlorine and detoxify ammonia and nitrite for 24 hours - and the detoxified ammonia & nitrite still show up in the tests.


Just a pedantic point, but the word cycle does not mean water changes.
Cycling is the term used for the process of growing the beneficial bacteria. Removing water and replacing it with fresh water is water changing not cycling.

 

[Jstanfill]

My 75 tank is almost there it’s clear and such, ammonia still holding at 0.25 , what is great live plant to help bring ammonia down