A Mini-cycle? Are These Test Stats Normal After Adding Fish?

[ey2006]

Hi, my tank recently completed cycling and I added some danios in yesterday and tested the water today.

The results were:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 30
PH 7.4

After doing the water test, I did a 25% water change.

Is this a mini-cycle? Wouldn't ammonia spike first, before nitrite does? Or maybe Ammonia has already spiked between yesterday and today and I didn't realise it?

What can I do now to reduce Nitrite back to zero? Should I do a 25% daily water change?

Thank you

 

[TammyLiz]

It would mean the bacteria for coverting ammonia are better established than the bacteria for converting nitrite. Your ammonia has already spiked and gone down. Now that you already have fish, water changes until nitrite is back to 0 is the only thing you can do.

EDIT: I just noticed your thread in tropical chit chat. Hmm..it sounds like you already knew your tank was shaky on the nitrifying bacteria. Is this that same tank? You should have taken the advice of the people who posted on your thread and waited to add more fish. This is what you said on Mar. 8th:

"I did a water test earlier today, here are the results:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 20
PH 7.2"

You were advised not to add any new fish for a while. tisk tisk! If you ignore good advice, don't be surprised when things go wrong.

 

[ey2006]

It would mean the bacteria for coverting ammonia are better established than the bacteria for converting nitrite. Your ammonia has already spiked and gone down. Now that you already have fish, water changes until nitrite is back to 0 is the only thing you can do.

EDIT: I just noticed your thread in tropical chit chat. Hmm..it sounds like you already knew your tank was shaky on the nitrifying bacteria. Is this that same tank? You should have taken the advice of the people who posted on your thread and waited to add more fish. This is what you said on Mar. 8th:

"I did a water test earlier today, here are the results:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 20
PH 7.2"

You were advised not to add any new fish for a while. tisk tisk! If you ignore good advice, don't be surprised when things go wrong.

Thanks TammyLiz. I did a water change and will wait until tomorrow before testing the water to see if nitrite has gone down.

Sorry about the confusion, instead of updating that thread, I started a new thread as my stats considerably improved. Here is the link to the thread:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=132269&hl=

Nitrites had peaked and fell to 0.25 and then to 0, there was no way I would have added new fish if I had any readings/signs of Nitrites. Again, apologies or the confusion caused...hopefully I did the right thing!

 

[Shelly_Otterkin]

I have seen this happen in a new tank. Its hard to do but try to wait 2 weeks between adding new fish to make sure your tank is stable. My 4 year old 55 will still do a mini in a 24 hour if I add new fish. If I was not board that day and was testing ever coulpr hours just to see what was happening I would have never seen it.

 

[ey2006]

Just tested the water this morning and Nitrites have gone back to zero. Nitrates are at 20 so the water stats are back to "normal".

Cheers

 

[TammyLiz]

Thats wonderful. I'm glad things have improved quickly.