Fish-in Cycle

[beccalovely]

Ok so day 17 and things are still the same...

Ammonia is consistent at 0ppm every time I test (twice a day)
Nitrite fluctuates between 0.25 and just under 1ppm, and as a result I'm doing twice daily water changes of at least 60% (usually more).

Yesterday I checked for nitrates but unsurprisingly there was none.

So, still waiting for the nitrite munchers to arrive and then will be cycled, finally!

Happy to report that guppies are still happy and appear unhurt. They actually seem to enjoy the constant water changes because they're nosey little things!
The two females (one in particular) are getting markedly bigger, really hope it cycles before they drop any fry.
The big tank is also still stuck in the nitrite phase so can't transfer them over either...

So continue to play the waiting game and change the water regularly for now...

 

[Chad]

They actually seem to enjoy the constant water changes because they're nosey little things!

 

[beccalovely]

Honestly Chad, I have to be constantly vigilant that they don't get sucked up the syphon!!

 

[beccalovely]

Day 20 and all still pretty much the same...
Ammonia 0ppm at all times
Nitrite still present, but last couple of days highest reading has been 0.5ppm and have only needed once daily 70% water changes, so hopefully that means it is getting somewhere...
(needed twice a day water changes previously and sometimes nitrites would be 1ppm again by morning)

Fingers crossed!

 

[Chad]

Sounds promising.

 

[beccalovely]

Good news!
The big tank finished its fishless cycle a couple of days ago, so the guppies are now safely in there and also have some new friends - 6 more guppies and 7 pentazona barbs. I've decided the guppies will live in the big tank permanently, so moving them over asap was the best option.

So, the biOrb is now fishless cycling. I haven't added any ammonia yet as obviously that bit was started off by the guppies when they were in there, but I'm thinking that I will have to add some soon otherwise that bacteria will go dormant/die off now there are no fish in there.
Today's test results (day 23) are:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 1ppm

Very happy to have got the guppies out of the fish in cycle situation