Fast Cycling!

[waterdrop]

Agree you are getting good advice here for your fish-in cycling situation. It can sometimes be exhausting daily work but careful water changes (done with good technique - conditioning and rough temperature matching) are your main job for the month or so it takes to grow the two slow-growing species of bacteria on the filter media surfaces. The bacteria will grow no matter what, so you don't need to worry about diluting things too much for them (after all, they are maintained in a healthy manner in a perfectly cycled aquarium that has zero ppm readings for ammonia and nitite(NO2) at all times!)

Even though your fish appear happy, your concern is making the water better to keep them this way! Unfortunately, they do not give outward signs until too late. What's going on with nitrite(NO2) in the water is that those molecules can hook up on the fish blood hemoglobin just as if they were oxygen and thus block the uptake of oxygen, in effect suffocating the fish. The nitrite locked blood has a brownish, blue-ish color instead of bright red and oxygen starvation first hits nerve cells, especially the billions of them in the fish brain. In nature, the vast marshes and lagoons help to filter and keep good conditions available for fish. In our small containers, we've trapped them in a potentially stale environment.

Anyway, you get the gist of it. Water changes are your friend and fact that you care and test will make a world of difference to your first fish that are trying to survive without the help of a working biofilter. You are the manual filter for a few weeks!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[balajake]

if you have gravel or sand it is also important to make sure its kept clean too. make sure you dig deep into it when cleaning it as it can build up deadly toxins underneath. sand needs stiring around gently with your finger or stick once a week aswell as it needs to get air to it. it can get like slurry very fast if not properly cared for

 

[AdrianJames]

Agree you are getting good advice here for your fish-in cycling situation. It can sometimes be exhausting daily work but careful water changes (done with good technique - conditioning and rough temperature matching) are your main job for the month or so it takes to grow the two slow-growing species of bacteria on the filter media surfaces. The bacteria will grow no matter what, so you don't need to worry about diluting things too much for them (after all, they are maintained in a healthy manner in a perfectly cycled aquarium that has zero ppm readings for ammonia and nitite(NO2) at all times!)

Even though your fish appear happy, your concern is making the water better to keep them this way! Unfortunately, they do not give outward signs until too late. What's going on with nitrite(NO2) in the water is that those molecules can hook up on the fish blood hemoglobin just as if they were oxygen and thus block the uptake of oxygen, in effect suffocating the fish. The nitrite locked blood has a brownish, blue-ish color instead of bright red and oxygen starvation first hits nerve cells, especially the billions of them in the fish brain. In nature, the vast marshes and lagoons help to filter and keep good conditions available for fish. In our small containers, we've trapped them in a potentially stale environment.

Anyway, you get the gist of it. Water changes are your friend and fact that you care and test will make a world of difference to your first fish that are trying to survive without the help of a working biofilter. You are the manual filter for a few weeks!

~~waterdrop~~

What an amazing blog and people! You have all been a huge help and I will keep you regularly updated. So I just changed about 80%, I would say, of the water. The Nitrite and Ammonia readings are now 0 of course Should I check the Nitrate level? So all I need to do from now on is watch the levels of Nitrite and Ammonia and if they exceed above 0 then I should do water changes depending on the levels? I think Im all set. I definitely dont want to kill the guppies

I will also purchase Seachem Prime today or tomorrow as I currently use the Nutrafin water conditioner.

if you have gravel or sand it is also important to make sure its kept clean too. make sure you dig deep into it when cleaning it as it can build up deadly toxins underneath. sand needs stiring around gently with your finger or stick once a week aswell as it needs to get air to it. it can get like slurry very fast if not properly cared for

This is where I shouldnt read into articles too much. I read that its not good to stir up and clean the gravel when cycling the tank as good bacteria have to settle there as well???

 

[balajake]

Nitrates arent usually a worry unless they get over 50ppm. most aquarists do 30%/40% water change once a week after their tank has cycled as a regular maintainence routine, this keeps your nitrate in check usually. nitrate is a sign that good bacteria is growing in your filter and a normal/non toxic level is usually below 20ppm i think ( although if im wrong a more knowledgable poster will correct me)

 

[AdrianJames]

My nitrates are still .25mg/l good!

 

[balajake]

thank the lord that you only have a 60l tank, any bigger and that water changes become punishing

 

[AdrianJames]

I can imagine! I don't think I will ever go any bigger!

 

[balajake]

good luck

 

[AdrianJames]

Nitrates arent usually a worry unless they get over 50ppm. most aquarists do 30%/40% water change once a week after their tank has cycled as a regular maintainence routine, this keeps your nitrate in check usually. nitrate is a sign that good bacteria is growing in your filter and a normal/non toxic level is usually below 20ppm i think ( although if im wrong a more knowledgable poster will correct me)

Still going good! Im changing the water everyday about 80% cause I have readings of 0.25ppm of Nitrite and Ammonia so keep bringing them down to 0ppm. My Nitrate lvl is still 0.25ppm...but I guess it will rise over the week HOPEFULLY!!!

 

[riogal_11]

Nitrates arent usually a worry unless they get over 50ppm. most aquarists do 30%/40% water change once a week after their tank has cycled as a regular maintainence routine, this keeps your nitrate in check usually. nitrate is a sign that good bacteria is growing in your filter and a normal/non toxic level is usually below 20ppm i think ( although if im wrong a more knowledgable poster will correct me)

Still going good! Im changing the water everyday about 80% cause I have readings of 0.25ppm of Nitrite and Ammonia so keep bringing them down to 0ppm. My Nitrate lvl is still 0.25ppm...but I guess it will rise over the week HOPEFULLY!!!

Everyone is content for a few weeks, lol! You'll be wanting a bigger tank and more tanks in no time!! Good on you for taking the advice given here and keeping your tank properly maintained! It is so hard when there is so many different opinions out there, but you'll find that the people on this forum are very knowledgeable and helpful!

 

[AdrianJames]

Nitrates arent usually a worry unless they get over 50ppm. most aquarists do 30%/40% water change once a week after their tank has cycled as a regular maintainence routine, this keeps your nitrate in check usually. nitrate is a sign that good bacteria is growing in your filter and a normal/non toxic level is usually below 20ppm i think ( although if im wrong a more knowledgable poster will correct me)

Still going good! Im changing the water everyday about 80% cause I have readings of 0.25ppm of Nitrite and Ammonia so keep bringing them down to 0ppm. My Nitrate lvl is still 0.25ppm...but I guess it will rise over the week HOPEFULLY!!!

Everyone is content for a few weeks, lol! You'll be wanting a bigger tank and more tanks in no time!! Good on you for taking the advice given here and keeping your tank properly maintained! It is so hard when there is so many different opinions out there, but you'll find that the people on this forum are very knowledgeable and helpful!

Thank you very much So glad I found this blog. It has been VERY helpful! Im getting exhausted changing the water everyday though to keep the Nirite lvl at 0...!!