Cycling 10 Gallon Tank

[thezodiac]

hey guys im currently fish in cycling a 10 gallon tank
contains 2 guppies, 1 apple snail, 1 baby snail (One of the Physa species most likely randomly appeared)
(i lost 1 guppy earlier in cycling, the 2 living currently seem healthy and very happy/playful)


anyways its prob been a week and a half maybe 2

tested this morning and results were as follows


ammonia .50 ppm
nitrite .50 ppm
nitrate 5.0 ppm

(last time i did a water change was the morning of the 7th i believe)
tested 08 May 2011 ammonia .50 ppm
tested 07 May 2011 ammonia .50 ppm nitrite was prob .25 or .50 ppm


anyways where should i go from here?
how much of a water change should i do today, and in the future ?



edit: wanted to add tank specs
10 gallon tank w/ hood and 2 15 watt bulbs
aquarclear mini filter 5/20
air stone , 1 inch of gravel aprox.
50w heater, 1 live plant (may be dying through leaves loosing color)
and fake plants/ornaments)

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Do as big and as many water changes as necessary to keep ammonia and nitrite UNDER 0.25ppm.

If that means 50% every day for a while, then do it. If it means 25% every other day, or if it means a 90% water change, and then another 50% water change after that. Whatever it takes to keep the ammonia AND nitrite under 0.25ppm.


You need to do a water change.

 

[thezodiac]

Do as big and as many water changes as necessary to keep ammonia and nitrite UNDER 0.25ppm.

If that means 50% every day for a while, then do it. If it means 25% every other day, or if it means a 90% water change, and then another 50% water change after that. Whatever it takes to keep the ammonia AND nitrite under 0.25ppm.


You need to do a water change.

thanks thinking ill prob do a 60% tonight then retest right after to see where im at.

 

[thezodiac]

just did a 6 gallon water change (60%)

ammonia showing .50 ppm
nitrite .25 ppm

do i need to change more water? or do i need to wait longer? (tested right after water change from the center of the tank)

 

[Miles_hot]

looks to me to be another water change.
you may also want to check your tap water numbers
What test kit are you using?
Regards
Miles

 

[seizethecupcake]

I certainly feel your pain. I'm doing a fish-in cycle of a 10 gallon and it's been very hard to maintain the water quality. I will NEVER, EVER in my lifetime ever do a fish-in cycle after this. Good luck getting your parameters under control.

 

[Tizer]

fish in cycle is so easy, dont know what all the fuss is about, check my sig.

 

[seizethecupcake]

fish in cycle is so easy, dont know what all the fuss is about, check my sig.

I read your thread, and your barbs are lovely. I'm glad the cycle went relatively smoothly for you!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

fish in cycle is so easy, dont know what all the fuss is about, check my sig.

Your cycle was with mature media. That's a completely different ball game. The idea of a fish-in cycle with mature media is something that all fishkeepers look forward to and its how "the pros" start new tanks. However, with someone who is just starting out, who has no access to mature media, and is completely new to fish keeping in general, a fish-in cycle is a high stress affair with lots more water changes and lots more days to completion.


Congratulations on the new tank, it looks great, but it really isn't comparable to an unseeded cycle.

 

[seizethecupcake]

fish in cycle is so easy, dont know what all the fuss is about, check my sig.

Your cycle was with mature media. That's a completely different ball game. The idea of a fish-in cycle with mature media is something that all fishkeepers look forward to and its how "the pros" start new tanks. However, with someone who is just starting out, who has no access to mature media, and is completely new to fish keeping in general, a fish-in cycle is a high stress affair with lots more water changes and lots more days to completion.


Congratulations on the new tank, it looks great, but it really isn't comparable to an unseeded cycle.

Exactly, I'm a nervous wreck. I must test that water five times a day. I live in perpetual fear that I will lose a fish--or heaven forbid, ALL of them--due to ammonia poisoning or some other folly I've committed because I didn't think to research things properly before jumping in head-first. I get the most bizarre readings, too. My pH looks to be around 6.8 or so, my ammonia usually runs around 0.50ppm (which is followed by a huge water change, naturally). Nitrate and nitrite both 0.

 

[Tizer]

fish in cycle is so easy, dont know what all the fuss is about, check my sig.

Your cycle was with mature media. That's a completely different ball game. The idea of a fish-in cycle with mature media is something that all fishkeepers look forward to and its how "the pros" start new tanks. However, with someone who is just starting out, who has no access to mature media, and is completely new to fish keeping in general, a fish-in cycle is a high stress affair with lots more water changes and lots more days to completion.


Congratulations on the new tank, it looks great, but it really isn't comparable to an unseeded cycle.

Its totally comparable to an unseeded cycle, because its exactly how i cycled my 240 litre prior to the small seeded tank.

All it involved was a daily test at 6pm when i got home and a water change of whatever % required to ensure the ammonia and nitrite stayed below 0.25ppm.

If i recall it correctly, i had 3 weeks until ammonia started to process, 2 weeks for nitrite, then a qualifying week where i did test in the morning before work also.

Yes, it took longer than 11 days, in fact it took well over a month, but the process doesnt change.

I think one of the biggest problems faced by cycling a new tank with fish, is over feeding, people feel bad for stressing out their fish with a water change (which isnt all that stressful in a large tank anyway) and then feed them up to make themselves feel better. Its a sure fire way to put things out of balance and kill your fish.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

fish in cycle is so easy, dont know what all the fuss is about, check my sig.

Your cycle was with mature media. That's a completely different ball game. The idea of a fish-in cycle with mature media is something that all fishkeepers look forward to and its how "the pros" start new tanks. However, with someone who is just starting out, who has no access to mature media, and is completely new to fish keeping in general, a fish-in cycle is a high stress affair with lots more water changes and lots more days to completion.


Congratulations on the new tank, it looks great, but it really isn't comparable to an unseeded cycle.

Its totally comparable to an unseeded cycle, because its exactly how i cycled my 240 litre prior to the small seeded tank.

All it involved was a daily test at 6pm when i got home and a water change of whatever % required to ensure the ammonia and nitrite stayed below 0.25ppm.

If i recall it correctly, i had 3 weeks until ammonia started to process, 2 weeks for nitrite, then a qualifying week where i did test in the morning before work also.

Yes, it took longer than 11 days, in fact it took well over a month, but the process doesnt change.

I think one of the biggest problems faced by cycling a new tank with fish, is over feeding, people feel bad for stressing out their fish with a water change (which isnt all that stressful in a large tank anyway) and then feed them up to make themselves feel better. Its a sure fire way to put things out of balance and kill your fish.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree then. I believe a 6 week process with fish involves different levels of stress to different people, as evidenced by "cupcake's" previous comment. You probably are correct about the issue with overfeeding, but I think overfeeding is a problem for all beginners, not just ones in a fish-in cycle.


I also think that beginners struggle with the stress of a fish-in cycle because they didn't expect to have issues with ammonia, nitrite, or fish death associated with it. They believe the LFS when they say that all they ned to do is run the filter for a few days and then add fish. Then, they get smacked with reality when some or all of the fish die, and that's when the a lot of folks come to this board with the "Help! My fish are dying, but I followed all the advice I got at the LFS!" type threads.

 

[Tizer]

Well you didnt disagree with me really, you said it has "lots more water changes and lots more days to completion" and on that point we both agree.

I wasnt discussing the effect this has on the individual either, just the process of the cycle, so seeded or not, there is no difference in how you cycle with fish. So on that, again i think we both agree now?

Half the "panic" threads on this forum are easily answered with:

a) Have you got a test kit? If so, what are your readings? No? Go and buy one.
b) Do a water change daily until your readings are as they should be.

I dont find water changes stressful, i dont see why anyone would. I find it quite relaxing

For those people who are all "oh my god my fish is going to die" i suggest they go down the fish and chip shop and order cod and chips....then ask themselves if they really cared about the fish they ate.

 

[thezodiac]

looks to me to be another water change.
you may also want to check your tap water numbers
What test kit are you using?
Regards
Miles

my ammonia in my tap water tested at .50 ppm

and api freshwater master test kit

I certainly feel your pain. I'm doing a fish-in cycle of a 10 gallon and it's been very hard to maintain the water quality. I will NEVER, EVER in my lifetime ever do a fish-in cycle after this. Good luck getting your parameters under control.

agreed i will likely only do this in the future through fishless cycling

 

[thezodiac]

sooo... where should i go from here? i could get some water dechlorinator that neutralizes ammonia ?