Another New Member With Issues

[cswim]

Hi everyone.

I've been lurking and absorbing for a couple of weeks now and have learnt an awful lot, just about 3 weeks too late!

Quick bit of background information:

Set up a 25l tank 5 weeks ago with 4 Zebra Danio on the recommendation of my LFS. (I now know this wasn't particularly good advice).
I've continued with the fish in cycle and things were going about as well as they could be; ammonia spiked and fell again at the end of week 2 into week 3 and the nitrites began to rise. Since then the nitrites remained high (2 - 5ppm) after several large water changes and the pH has dropped to 6, very possibly lower. (Tap is 6.4) From what I've read this has probably caused the cycle to slow dramatically. Nitrates hovered around 5 to 20ppm.

I did a 90% water change 3 days ago which has finally brought the nitrites down to 0 again and the nitrates have been slowly reducing. However, the ammonia has risen again to 2ppm and no amount of water changing is reducing this, plus the pH isn't coming back up. I think my cycle has possibly stalled completely now as there's been very little change in any of my readings.

To rectify the pH situation I'm slowly adding some coral gravel to try and bring it up a bit again. I'm not looking for 7, I'm just aware 6 is getting a bit on the low side.

I'm also looking for a bigger tank now I'm aware that 25l is pretty tiny.

I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to provide some mature filter media? Hopefully this would get my cycle going again. I've had a look on the list pinned at the top of this section but there's not anyone close enough to where I am to negate the need to post. I've got an Eheim pickup 45 so it's just basic sponge I'm using at the moment.

Am I going about this the right way? Sorry for such a long post!

Edited to add: the fish seem to be coping fine at the moment. No signs of stress however I realise lots of damage could be happening which is why I want to get the cycle finished ASAP.

 

[DrRob]

Where are you?

 

[cswim]

Where are you?

I'm in West Lothian.

 

[cswim]

Another two days of testing and water changes and nothing appears to be happening. Ammonia is still around 2ppm with nitrites and nitrates now looking very much zero. My pH is still coming out as 6 but that's as low as the API liquid test goes so could be a lot lower.

Has my cycle completely stalled? I get the feeling the water changes are keeping the ammonia constant but nothing is reducing it.

The filter is definitely operating properly in a mechanical sense. There's good surface agitation and the water itself is spotlessly clear.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Livewire88]

You say that no amount of water changes will drop the Ammonia level so I would assume your tap water has Ammonia in it!!

 

[slimeneo]

You say that no amount of water changes will drop the Ammonia level so I would assume your tap water has Ammonia in it!!

yep, try testing your tap for ammonia. Try asking your LFS if they will give you some mature media

 

[cswim]

Sorry I should have said the tap water isn't showing any signs of anything. That was my first thought too.

The ammonia had gone right down to 0 about 2 weeks ago and stayed like that until the pH crashed so it does feel a bit like I've lost the bacteria.

 

[snazy]

I wouldn't put crushed coral now, because at Ph of 6 the ammonia is mostly non-toxic to the fish as long as the temperature is not very high. Crushed coral gravel will raise the Ph(more likely over 8ppm!!! eventually), causing the non-toxic ammonium to convert to ammonia and if the filter bacteria is not-working, then it becomes very dangerous to fish.

Put a glass of tap water to stay overnight with the top open and then test your Ph. You say that your tap is 6.4 so it is quite possible that once settled it is even lower. If that's the case, then you need to leave your tank to cycle the way it is, even if it takes longer. Eventually, once finished, you will have a tank that is quite handy for soft water fish which is not that often the case with many of us.

It's worth trying with mature filter media, but keep in mind that the good bacteria is like fish and is as sensitive to different water conditions, especially extreme cases like your soft water, so it actually might not kick in that quick in your tank in theory.

 

[cswim]

I wouldn't put crushed coral now, because at Ph of 6 the ammonia is mostly non-toxic to the fish as long as the temperature is not very high.

I didn't realise this fact. Temperature is 24 degrees Celsius so not that high. That probably explains why my fish are still alive and still showing no signs of stress. I'm half expecting to see dead fish every time I look at the tank at the moment. I'm not interested in trying to hit a perfect particular pH, I just realise I could be way under 6 at the moment.

Put a glass of tap water to stay overnight with the top open and then test your Ph.

Will do.

It's worth trying with mature filter media, but keep in mind that the good bacteria is like fish and is as sensitive to different water conditions, especially extreme cases like your soft water, so it actually might not kick in that quick in your tank in theory.

I'll give the LFS a try to see if they have any media they can spare.

Thanks everyone! Feeling a bit more at ease. A new 45 litre tank is on its way to me right now, not the biggest but is about all I can manage space-wise at the moment. I'll be upping the filtration too since the current filter would be at it's limit.