Cycling A Fishtank With Fish In.

[Joshwainwright]

I have been told how to cycle my fish tank with fish in, is this right:

1. do a 10-15% water change daily.
2. continue until ammonia and nitrite are at 0 ppm.
3. Test water daily for ammonia and nitrite until holding at 0 ppm. If high do an immediate extra water change.
4. Keep bubbles going.
5. Avoid medicines.
6. Keep plants.
7. If high, dont feed fish, if do, only little and clean after.
8. Wash filter in tank-water when needed.

 

[Truck]

you will be doing more than 15% more likely 90% twice a day

 

[Joshwainwright]

I don't get how it says nitrate levels should be 0, i thought thats what ate ammonia?

 

[Bignose]

1) Welcome to the forum

2) I actually wrote up a good article on why you should be doing very large water changes if you are stuck cycling with fish:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...&hl=ammonia

Of course, if the world was perfect, I'd like everyone to do a fishless cycle, but I know that it will never happen

3) this scientific section is meant to discuss things a little more in depth. Unless you have some in depth questions about this, I am going to move this thread to Tropical Discussion. A lot more people will probably see and reply to it, and there are several similar threads in that section, so several people have been down this road before. If you have any questions about this move, please PM me.

 

[mancin]

I don't get how it says nitrate levels should be 0, i thought thats what ate ammonia?

Ammonia -> NitrIte -> NitrAte

At the end of your cycle you should have Ammonia and NitrIte readings of 0. Your NitrAte levels will depend on your tap water + how many (if any) live plants are in your tank.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Just tested my nitrite level with a kit i didn't know i had, its very high, going to town now to get kits for other things.

 

[hollanda88]

Just tested my nitrite level with a kit i didn't know i had, its very high, going to town now to get kits for other things.

Get the API master freshwater test kit, has all the tests you need and no extra ones, and its reliable unlike test strips.

andrew

 

[jonp]

Make sure you get liquid tests - the strips you dip in the tank are a waste of time!

 

[SchottayB]

What ammonia and nitrite levels would you say are safem for the fish?

do a water change befor it gets to ?.?? ammonia and ?.?? nitrite

 

[tenohfive]

Basically ammonia and nitrite are harmful to fish in any level that can be detected with a good liquid drop based testing kit. So if you've got ammonia or nitrite showing, you do a big water change.

Ammonia is poisonous, and it is broken down into nitrite by a type of bacteria that builds up in the filter. NitrIte is also poisonous. Another type of bacteria breaks nitrIte down into nitrAte, which is harmful to fish in higher levels (depending on the fish, this can be 40ppm upwards) and is removed two ways - by water changes and level of planting - the more plants, the less the nitrAtes will be. Some of that depends on your tap water though - depending on where you live, you may find the tap water has nitrates in them.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Just done a test on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, really shocked.

Ammonia = 0.50 ppm
Nitrite = 0.00 ppm
Nitrate = 5.00 ppm

I'm confused.

 

[tenohfive]

Thats a little odd. Test again, and test your tap water for nitrates.

I take it you are reading the instructions religiously? The API kit (whilst good quality) instructions can be confusing and you have to follow them to the letter.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Yes I did...

 

[Truck]

looking at that pic, you still have ammonia

 

[Joshwainwright]

That was before water change, now I have no ammonia.