Fish In Cycle Log.

[mark1979]

What a job getting the fish from that octagon tank without a net. My wife and I struggled to get it done without flooding the house. Managed to get it done though and the fish are now in their new home. The new external filter had 2 taps missing, so its not yet up and running fully, but the old filter seems to be doing the job. Will get the missing taps and get the external online later today. Did a 50% water change while moving the fish. Now we have to decide on a theme and start buying some rocks etc...

13/5 - ph 7.9, Ammonia 0, Nitrite .25, NitrAte .25

im liking the tank,not to sure on the skulls though,but each to there own

im in the middle of a fish in cycle too, im doing a 50% daily change on my 260L tank to get the nitrite down

i have 3 different theme's that i could put in. im currently soaking a bath full of mopani wood.

i am also changing my tank as soon as it arrives,mine has a problem and is under guarentee,so new tank

its a big help watching someone elses progress too

 

[rustage]

Its all good fun. I have 4 boys, so the skulls were pretty much a forgone conclusion from the start. I'm thinking a wall of rockery and some more plants. Slightly concerned as to how many rocks this tank can handle. I'd hate to over load it and flood the house.

I've just got the new external filter up and running. Wooo!

 

[rustage]

We worked on getting the Cichlids new home a little more comfortable for them today....

 

[waterdrop]

"In death he doth improve"

 

[fatheadminnow]

^ ^

The tank is coming along nicely!

I be the Cichlids like it too!

-FHM

 

[rustage]

Todays readings are... 13/5 - ph 7.4, Ammonia .25, Nitrite .25, NitrAte .25 - Could somebody please tell me if this means I'm moving in the right direction.

Thanks.

 

[waterdrop]

Todays readings are... 13/5 - ph 7.4, Ammonia .25, Nitrite .25, NitrAte .25 - Could somebody please tell me if this means I'm moving in the right direction.

Thanks.

Yes, you are moving in the right direction. By holding your highest readings to 0.25ppm on ammonia and nitrite(NO2) you are minimizing the gill and nerve damage to your fish and helping them survive the cycle. In a Fish-In cycle, you rarely get any feedback from the readings that really tell you any "stages" of cycling you're going through. Instead you just have to take it on faith that it usually takes about a month and at some point the bacterial colonies will begin doing the work that currently your water changes are doing. Since you are about a week in, you probably have 3 weeks or so to go I guess.

The test for the end is that you one day find that you test as having zero ppm ammonia and zero ppm nitrite(NO2) and you didn't change any water. If you can do that for two days then you can celebrate and begin your "qualifying week" of watching that it does that for sure for the next 3 to 7 days, after which its safe to add 2 or 3 small fish if that's what you've been waiting for. Or just begin easing down a bit on the testing and not having to do water changes, if that's what you've been waiting for.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rustage]

Thank you for that most informative reply. I'll ensure the ammonia and nitrite stay below those limits and hope for a happy ending at some stage in the near future. I appreciate there are no 'stages', but its good to hear from somebody who seems to know his onions that its on the right path. I'm hoping that by logging my results - one of you will shout and scream should something seem out of the ordinary.

I'm currently feeding a small quantity of food once per day. My fish seem happy but hungry. Am I doing the right thing, or should I feed more and suffer the increased waste?

Once again thanks.

 

[waterdrop]

My fish descend on their morning feed like a voracious pack of Pirana. Sometimes water actually spashes out of the tank from the turmoil and commotion!

When I began my sojourn as a freshwater re-beginner here on TFF I was intrigued to find that tropical fish could go without feeding for time periods that seemed shocking to me. Some of the experienced members explained you could go on a two-week vacation and not feed them and one even mentioned wanting to experiment with 3 weeks! Many said that they often left one day of the week without feeding and only fed once a day lightly otherwise.

The explanation for this had to do with the knowledge that in the wild these fish experience more of a "feast and famine" existance, with a good deal more of the famine side of things, and this is what their bodily systems have evolved to work well within (not unlike our own, much to our epicurean dissapointment sometimes, lol.)

Over time I've come to temper that more extreme end of the feeding spectrum with some balancing thoughts from OM47 and others that some of the smaller-bodied species (neon tetras come to mind) may find it more natural to have a couple of small feedings a day, rather than just one where they are given a bit more than they can eat. Also, in most cases its a good idea to be extremely careful about feeding tropicals too many rich foods or "junk foods" like too much brine shrimp.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rustage]

Thanks for all your advice waterdrop. Its great to read what other more experienced fish keepers have to say. Its much appreciated.

Very sad day today - we lost out first fish. It was expected and something I was trying to avoid, but failing a fishless cycle, I really don't think I could have done any more than I'm currently doing. The water stats looked ok and the fish had only been in the tank 2 days - I'm making myself feel better about it by thinking it may have been the environment swap. Poor chap.

Water temp crept up to 26.6 today and even thought I turned down the heater, it remained there. I swapped out the heater tonight for a more expensive version in a hope that the extra money means extra accuracy.

Todays readings are ph 7.4, Ammonia .25, Nitrite .25, NitrAte 10

 

[waterdrop]

Heaters can only heat of course. Cooling a tank in summer can be difficult. Some of the best successes come by simply directing a stationary fan at the tank.

Hang in there, you're doing the best you can ever since you got the right info,

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Hiya70310]

Sorry to hear about your fish.
From your post I can see your doing the very best for your fish considering the situation you have found yourself in. Don't give up!!! It can be alittle disheartening at times, especially when you loss a fish. Hang in there I'm rooting for you.
Nice tank by the way. (I just caught up)
I was wondering can you add water that is slightly cooler to the tank to bring the tempature down???
I'm guessing no since no one suggested it. But I wanted to make sure.

 

[rustage]

Todays readings seem to have shot up a little... ph 8.0, Ammonia .5, Nitrite .5, NitrAte .30
About to do a water change to get the ammonia & nitrite levels down.

 

[Hiya70310]

that is about all you can do. your getting there

 

[mark1979]

Todays readings seem to have shot up a little... ph 8.0, Ammonia .5, Nitrite .5, NitrAte .30
About to do a water change to get the ammonia & nitrite levels down.

mine did this a few days back,i did a 50% change for 3 days running to get it down.

now though ive had 4 days of 0's on the amm + nitrite!!

well happy,hope it stays like that!