Cycling Ammonia?

[meloyelo]

Hello all,

Wanted to ask if these numbers would indicate that my filter is now cycling ammonia or at least moving in the right direction. Tank is 26 gal. bow front. I've been doing fish in cycle for about 6 weeks now. Daily water changes have been a blast.

Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40

I know the ammonia reading is bad, 0 Nitrite reading is a good thing and the 40 Nitrate is acceptable. I did a 50% water change tonight to get the ammonia reading down and will retest tomorrow and do another water change which I'm sure will be necessary. My Nitrate level has been as high as 80 before doing a water change.

Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It is probably close. Keep up with the water changes, the increasing nitrates is a great sign. The end is near.

 

[the_lock_man]

I personally find it almost impossible to tell from the given information.

It could be that Eagles is right, and that you're processing both ammonia and nitrite, hence the increase in nitrate. However, if you were processing ammonia, you would expect to see nitrite, as these bacteria take longer to establish than the Ammonia ones. The nitrate could easily be in the tapwater anyway.

It would be easier to tell if we had a log of test results over a longer period, as well as knowing whether the test was before or after a water change. And knowing what level of fish you have in the tank.

 

[CezzaXV]

I was going to say more or less what the lock man said. The presence of nitrate would appear to be a good thing, but it's impossible for us to say for sure without knowing how much (if any) nitrate is in your tap water.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Agreed. Its been 6 weeks according to the OP, that's why I assume that the nitrate is being processed. THis probably isn't the start of the cycle where ammonia builds up but no nitrite is produced. For some reason ammonia is lagging behind. Possibly due to overfeeding or a variety of other reasons. Further, she mentioned that nitrate has been as high as 80, but now it is 40 as a result of a water changes, so that indicates that the nitrate has to be from processing ammonia, not just from the tap. If it were, a water change wouldn't lower the nitrate.

 

[meloyelo]

I personally find it almost impossible to tell from the given information.

It could be that Eagles is right, and that you're processing both ammonia and nitrite, hence the increase in nitrate. However, if you were processing ammonia, you would expect to see nitrite, as these bacteria take longer to establish than the Ammonia ones. The nitrate could easily be in the tapwater anyway.

It would be easier to tell if we had a log of test results over a longer period, as well as knowing whether the test was before or after a water change. And knowing what level of fish you have in the tank.

Couple more things to add....

Stocking is - 7 zebra danios, 3 platys, 3 black skirt tetras, 1 corydora
Wouldn't think I was overstocked since ammonia level has never gone above .25, but maybe so.

Feeding has been to a minimum and only about every three days. I know this doesn't always mean much, but fish appear good as can be and are very active all them time. Corydora is the coolest thing in the tank to watch swimming around.

Test I mentioned in OP was done before water change.

Thanks for the input.
Meloyelo

 

[meloyelo]

I personally find it almost impossible to tell from the given information.

It could be that Eagles is right, and that you're processing both ammonia and nitrite, hence the increase in nitrate. However, if you were processing ammonia, you would expect to see nitrite, as these bacteria take longer to establish than the Ammonia ones. The nitrate could easily be in the tapwater anyway.

It would be easier to tell if we had a log of test results over a longer period, as well as knowing whether the test was before or after a water change. And knowing what level of fish you have in the tank.

Couple more things to add....

Stocking is - 7 zebra danios, 3 platys, 3 black skirt tetras, 1 corydora
Wouldn't think I was overstocked since ammonia level has never gone above .25, but maybe so.

Feeding has been to a minimum and only about every three days. I know this doesn't always mean much, but fish appear good as can be and are very active all them time. Corydora is the coolest thing in the tank to watch swimming around.

Test I mentioned in OP was done before water change.

Thanks for the input.
Meloyelo

Houston we have a problem.....maybe

Just did another water test.

.25 Ammonia
0 Nitrites
80 Nitrates

Also tested straight tap water for Nitrates and it shows 40ppm.
I'm going to do a 75% water change and then retest.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Not so much a problem, just a continuation of the daily water changes... You haven't changed any of your filter media during this time, have you? Never due that, the manufacturer tells you to do that, but that is so they can sell you more of their product, not because it is the right thing to do for your fish.

 

[meloyelo]

Not so much a problem, just a continuation of the daily water changes... You haven't changed any of your filter media during this time, have you? Never due that, the manufacturer tells you to do that, but that is so they can sell you more of their product, not because it is the right thing to do for your fish.

Nope, no media changes. Actually running two filters, Marineland Bio-wheel and the original basic HOB cartridge filter that came with my setup.

 

[mishmash]

Not so much a problem, just a continuation of the daily water changes... You haven't changed any of your filter media during this time, have you? Never due that, the manufacturer tells you to do that, but that is so they can sell you more of their product, not because it is the right thing to do for your fish.

Just to add, as well as Eagles question about you haven't CHANGED any of your filter media, I will ask the question "when you rinse your filter media, do you do it in tap water or in the water you just drained from the tank? Thats important as you should only ever rinse it in tank water. The chlorine in tap water will kill bacteria.

(Im thinking there is a likelyhood you have sponge media in whatever filter you use, but it would be worth you telling us the makeup of your filter).

Also, when you do a water change are you using dechlorinator before you add it to the tank ? (Or are you aerating it overnight, which does the same thing) ?

 

[meloyelo]

Not so much a problem, just a continuation of the daily water changes... You haven't changed any of your filter media during this time, have you? Never due that, the manufacturer tells you to do that, but that is so they can sell you more of their product, not because it is the right thing to do for your fish.

Just to add, as well as Eagles question about you haven't CHANGED any of your filter media, I will ask the question "when you rinse your filter media, do you do it in tap water or in the water you just drained from the tank? Thats important as you should only ever rinse it in tank water. The chlorine in tap water will kill bacteria.

(Im thinking there is a likelyhood you have sponge media in whatever filter you use, but it would be worth you telling us the makeup of your filter).

Also, when you do a water change are you using dechlorinator before you add it to the tank ? (Or are you aerating it overnight, which does the same thing) ?

Actually haven't even rinsed out the media since it was put in 6 weeks ago. But when I end up needing to, I know to use tank water and not from the tap. Water is flowing very freely through both filters now so I assume it's best left as is. They are the basic charcoal filled filter media cartridges. One of them has a Bio wheel. Also, my water comes from a well, so no chlorine has been added. I do add 1/2 cap of Prime about 1/2 way into my tank refill process. I'm basically back and forth with a bucket, slowly pouring each one in. I've also figured out the setting on my tap to where the water is pretty much the same temp as what the fish have been swimming in.

Also, just completed a 75% water change and readings were:

.1 Ammonia
0 Nitrite
40 Nitrate

 

[meloyelo]

Tested again this morning:

0 Ammonia
0 Nitrites
40 Nitrates

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Just stay on top of it all!

 

[meloyelo]

Just stay on top of it all!

Yep, I plan to. Tested again this morning with basically same results. Went ahead and did a 25% water change just in case. Thanks for your help.

Meloyelo