A Little Confused

tom_os · Jan 30, 2009

i have 2 tanks, one has been fish in cycling for 36 days and still no nirtirte and one has been filled with water for 5 days.

i have had an extra filter in the cycing tank in the hope that it will build up bacteria so i can put it in the other tank when i want fish.

well today i put fish in there and i tested the water shortly after the fish went in. i had about 0.25 ammonia and also a small amount of nitrite. i dont get how i could have nitrite as its just been dechlorinated tap water in there for 5 days and the filter had been sitting in a tank for a few weeks which shows no sign of nitrite?

sorry if this is confusing, but im confused myself!

thanks

markandhisfish · Jan 30, 2009

im not too clued up on this but i belive the nitrite come as the bacteria process the amonia into nitrite and then finally to nitrate . so im guessing you had some ammonia buildup when you added the fish which was processed into nitrite. im sure somebody more knowledgeable can give you a better answer

tom_os · Jan 30, 2009

yeah thats about as far as my knowledge extends.

i just dont get how i have no nitrIte in current tank but some in the new tank, which should only have very little ammonia present.

raptorrex · Jan 30, 2009

tom_os said:
yeah thats about as far as my knowledge extends.

i just dont get how i have to neirIte in current tank but some in the new tank, which should only have very little ammonia present.

problem with this is,. when you cycle a tank, it makes no difference how many filters you have. you will have the same amount of bacteria, at the end of the cycle. so if you have two in and take one out, you only have half the bacteria needed to maintain the cycle. :good:

I think

tom_os · Jan 30, 2009

yeah i was aware of this. i had 2 so i could add one filter to the other tank and quickly put fish in

markandhisfish · Jan 30, 2009

yeah thats a very good point from what ive learned since joining thisa forum or my bible as i call it :lol:

is that a filter will only ever develop a bacteria colony big enough to cope with the waste it has to so if 1 filter has another helping it its not gonna develop as much so if you suddenly remove 1 the other filter suddenly doesnt have the sufficeient bio-mass of bacteria to deal with the load resulting in a " mini cycle " while the colony grows to the level whereby it can process everything. which may explain your readings.

fish.com1 · Jan 30, 2009

boboboy said:
tom_os said:

yeah thats about as far as my knowledge extends.

i just dont get how i have to neirIte in current tank but some in the new tank, which should only have very little ammonia present.

Click to expand...

problem with this is,. when you cycle a tank, it makes no difference how many filters you have. you will have the same amount of bacteria, at the end of the cycle. so if you have two in and take one out, you only have half the bacteria needed to maintain the cycle.

I think

I agree with this. Looks like daily water changes from now on.