Fast Cycling!

[AdrianJames]

Ok correct me if Im wrong...but my cycling has gone REEEEEEALLY FAST! I have only had it running for 7 days. I have an ammonia reading of 0. A Nitrite reading of 1.0 (need to change water to lower now) and a Nitrate reading of .25mp/l
Is it just me or has this gone SUPER FAST!? Cant I expect spikes along the way or...Im just confused. It seems perfect as soon as I change some water to get the nitrite down.

I didnt add any filter bacteria from another tank. Just some filter start on the first three days.
Im very NEW to aquariums and this just seemed too easy...??

Any advice and thought would be extremely helpful.

 

[balajake]

were you dosing with ammonia without fish in the tank ?

 

[AdrianJames]

were you dosing with ammonia without fish in the tank ?

Nope not at all. My fish went in on the 4th day.

 

[balajake]

i think your cycle will begin now you've added fish. i would test every day now for raises in nitrite and ammonia and be prepared to carry out large water changes daily

 

[AdrianJames]

i think your cycle will begin now you've added fish. i would test every day now for raises in nitrite and ammonia and be prepared to carry out large water changes daily

Ok excellent, so atleast its starting Will check everyday now. So what % water changes should I be doing if I get a spike in ammonia and nitrite?? 25%?

 

[phoenixgsd]

how many fish have you got in what size tank? i personally would be prepared to do bigger than 25% water changes, the fish will create thier own ammonia

 

[AdrianJames]

how many fish have you got in what size tank? i personally would be prepared to do bigger than 25% water changes, the fish will create thier own ammonia

I have a 60L nano tank with a 700L per Hr filter put out. I have 3 male guppies only.

 

[balajake]

the problem is that ammonia isn't very good for fish and can kill them or do lasting damage, nitrite is harmful at much lower levels than ammonia. the cycle begins when ammonia is introduced to the tank either by the fish peeing and pooping and feeding or by a doing it by adding household ammonia without fish in the tank, so your filters can grow all the good bacteria needed to neutralise these harmful toxins.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

you should read this.


now you have added fish you are doing a Fish IN cycle. so you really need to be vigilant and watch out for ammonia raising above 0.25pp and nitrites raising above 0ppm. you need to do as much as a 90% water change if these levels rise above these levels ESPECIALLY NITRITE, you really dont want either of these above 0ppm. when you do water changes you dechloriate first, before putting new water in the tank. only ever wash your filter pads when they are dirty in old tank water and i suggest you invest in a bottle of seachem prime. it dechlorinates and also removes ammonia and nitrites. the best bit is that you only need 5ml of it per 200 litres of water so it goes much much further than other pproducts and does 3 jobs in one.

other members will be able to give more detailed advice. but keep an eye on your fishes behaviour and your water parameters. it can be over a month before a tank is properly cycled if you do it right

 

[AdrianJames]

Ok cool...90% seems alot, wont that disturb the good bacteria balance in the aquarium? Ive heard when you have spikes of nitrite and ammonia to just do 25%daily? is that wrong?
My fish seem fine and by the looks of it I've had a nitrite spike for a few days considering its at 1.0 and I only got the test kit for nirite today lol. Im not suggesting by any means that a nitrite lvl of 1.0 is good! I was SHOCKED to say the least and did a water change of 25%. I will definitely get the product you suggested though!

 

[BETTY BOO]

Ok cool...90% seems alot, wont that disturb the good bacteria balance in the aquarium? Ive heard when you have spikes of nitrite and ammonia to just do 25%daily? is that wrong?
My fish seem fine and by the looks of it I've had a nitrite spike for a few days considering its at 1.0 and I only got the test kit for nirite today lol. Im not suggesting by any means that a nitrite lvl of 1.0 is good! I was SHOCKED to say the least and did a water change of 25%. I will definitely get the product you suggested though!

no it wont disturb the good bacteria thats growing.once you get an ammonia reading of 0.25 you should do a water change to bring it down.although its the first ammonia reading on the chart its still too high for the fish.

 

[balajake]

the size of the water change depends on your test readings. if you have 0.10ppm ammonia test reading then a 50% water change would get it to 0.05ppm. if it was 1ppm then a 50% would get it to 0.50ppm. you want to get as close to zero as you can get it. if you have 0.10ppm then smaller water changes with more frequency would be prefereable to one big one.

and if you dechlorinate your water before adding it to the tank there is little chance it will kill the bacteria. ammonia and nitrite will do far more damage if you don't change the water.

 

[AdrianJames]

the size of the water change depends on your test readings. if you have 0.10ppm ammonia test reading then a 50% water chage would get it to 0.05ppm. if it was 1ppm then a 50% would get it to 0.50ppm. you want ots as close to zero as you can get it. if you have 0.10ppm then smaller water changes would be prefereable to one big one.

and if you dechlorinate your water before adding it to the tank there is little chance it will kill the bacteria. ammonia and nitrite will do far more damage if you don't change the water.

ahhhh ok. Learning heaps today. So I just did a water change about 10 minutes ago of about 25%....and added all the necessary chemicals...#106###! lol so should I do a further 25% now? Or just do the 50% tomorrow? Cause my Nirite reading is .50 or 1.0....cant tell between the colours.

 

[balajake]

Nitrite is more harmful than ammonia. if your reading is 0.50ppm then a 50% change will only bring it down to 0.25pp. if i were you i would change 90% of it right now leaving enough water in your tank for your fish to swim in upright. be prepared to do many of these water changes as it will more than likely be up again in 24 hours.

 

[AdrianJames]

Nitrite is more harmful than ammonia. if your reading is 0.50ppm then a 50% change will only bring it down to 0.25pp. if i were you i would tank out 90% of it right now leaving enough water in your tank for your fish to swim in upright. be prepare to do many of these water changes as it will more than likely be up again in 24 hours.

holy crap! Ok....I will test it again now and depending on the reading will change the water to what you've said! Thanks very much for all your help

 

[balajake]

don't buy any new fish either as it will only mess with your cycle. Make sure to buy some prime too and keep us updated. be prepared for fish deaths, they are pretty sensitive to toxins, especially guppies if you have them