Fish-In With Ammonia/De-Chlor

[Violinist]

my fish in cycle was just shy of 7 weeks, so I'd sit tight for a while.

Crazy stuff.

 

[Mikaila31]

I've seen Ammo Lock give false reading, usually like you experienced tests come out off the chart. Repeated water changes will drop this, but even after multiple large WC the reading hover around 1ppm for a while.

I have not seen this issue with Prime. It will not change your test readings when you use it, they will come back false, but they don't go off the chart like ammo lock does.

 

[Violinist]

So I pissed and moaned exactly one day before the readings finally went sunshine and roses. Last two days I've been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, roughly 5 nitrate. Finally.

 

[waterdrop]

So this is a good thread for our beginners who read it. It shows why its very important not only to understand the nitrogen cycle and to understand how ammonia and nitrite behave in freshwater tanks but that it is also important to understand how precious the bacterial colonies in your mature filter media are and to be constantly questioning your own actions with respect to this valuable system running within your tank.

Anyway I'm sure we're all glad to hear things are getting under control in this tank, congrats.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Violinist]

So this is a good thread for our beginners who read it. It shows why its very important not only to understand the nitrogen cycle and to understand how ammonia and nitrite behave in freshwater tanks but that it is also important to understand how precious the bacterial colonies in your mature filter media are and to be constantly questioning your own actions with respect to this valuable system running within your tank.

Anyway I'm sure we're all glad to hear things are getting under control in this tank, congrats.

~~waterdrop~~

Yes. Think twice before reaching for the scrubbing brush...

 

[Violinist]

Couple weeks have passed. Been focused on my reef tank so just did a WC on the fresh. Readings before WC, 0 am, 0 nitrite, 8 nitrate.

Other than one loach who decided to end it all by mating with the filter impeller, things have been going well.

 

[OldMan47]

It sounds like you have this cycle completely under control in that tank now Violinist. Congratulations. Now you have the option of thinking about adding some percentage of the present stocking and moving toward the ultimate fish levels. With only 8 ppm of nitrate after 2 weeks, you probably will end up with 2 or 3 times your present stocking levels some day.

 

[Violinist]

Well my wife would certainly be happy She's always wanting to see more fish.

We'll see how it goes. It's nice having one tank that is fairly low maintenance, and I don't want a bioload that is going to make it too much of a hassle...