Am I Doing The Work Of The Bacteria?

[Gillette1985]

for the past 4 weeks i've been doing 80% WC to my tank after doing tests. Im finding that my ammonia is up at 3ppm, No2 is at 0ppm, and my No3 varies 0-5ppm.

Soon as i see my ammonia at this level i panic and do a big WC. Am i infact just doing the job of the bactera, which why it may be taking so long to cycle? Doesnt the bacteria need some amount of ammonia in order to grow??

Hope someone can tell me i am doing the correct thing

 

[fish_tank0311]

Dont do such large water changes first. Secondly just let your tank cycle. All tanks go through the ammonia-nitrate-nitrite cycle, just let it do its thing and after a while it will go down.

 

[Gillette1985]

i thought that any trace of ammonia is harmful to the fish

 

[toshapetriji]

If you have fish in the tank then you must keep the ammonia reading down at zero with the large water changes so continue with that.

Even with the readings at zero there will in fact still be trace readings of ammonia which the kit cannot measure and this will be sufficient to cycle the filter.

Just keep with the water changes and the cycle will eventually complete.

The ammount of water you are currently changing is why members on TFF advocate fishless cycling.

Good Luck

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Are you using a liquid test kit, instead of the often incorrect paper test strips?

Water changes should not hinder the bacterial colonisation of your tank's filter. At all costs, if fish are present, you have to get that ammonia level down to as close to zero as possible.

If ammonia or nitrite read 0.25mg/l or more, you should be looking at a 75%+ water change (basically leaving just enough water to cover your fish). Try and "vacuum" the tank bottom for any rotting food or plants, as well as very gently rinsing your filter sponge in some of the removed tank water.

If you are not doing so already, add dechlorinator to the fresh water while filling up the bucket, as chlorine will kill the bacteria your fish need.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

the water changes are just removing any excess ammonia and nitrite that your current bacteria colony can't process. they will have already processed whatever they can and grown all they can, just stick with the big water changes.