Help Please

[Jenste]

no - - what you are doing is removing a lot of bad bacteria while waiting for your beneficial bacteria to start growing - - it takes a while for the beneficial bacteria (nitrates) to catch up enough so that it can process the ammonia and nitrite...by doing water changes you are removing the amount that cannot be processed, then giving the nitrate a change to catch up with the new ammonia that is going to be added by the fish.


when you have a long series of "0" readings, it means enough beneficial bacteria has grown in your filter to handle the bioload (ammonia and nitrites) that your current fish are producing

 

[vicstar078]

Ok I see. About to do it now.

One thing though, (sorry I am probably really annoying lol) I thought I needed ammonia to make the nitrate?

Thanks

 

[Jenste]

you do....but it takes a while to build up enough nitrate in order to absorb the ammonia.

say (making the numbers up completely!!!) you have 50 parts of ammonia...it takes a while to build up an equal amount or more of nitrate
in the beginning, like now, you might have 5 parts of nitrate...which means that once you have more than 5 parts of ammonia in your tank, the nitrate can't keep up - - this is why you are seeing ammonia in your tank and are doing water changes....so that the 5 parts of nitrate in your filter have a chance and can build to 10 parts...then 20...etc etc so it can eventually handle all the ammonia your fish can produce

 

[vicstar078]

Ok, thank you very much for your help

I have now done a water change and its down to about 0.50. It was higher than 8 I think at the start.

I have done about 6 water changes last night and tonight! I will leave it for tonight as I don't want to stress them and I will do water change again tomorrow. Hopefully it will be down to 0 tomorrow. Fish are all ok apart from the same clown loach that has been on its side on and off since yesterday, he keeps getting back up occasionally and swimming around

 

[Jenste]

yea, as for the clown loach...you are seeing effects from the ammonia....fingers crossed for you that he pulls through!

.5 is definitely a head in the right direction!! congrats!!!

keep it up over the next few days to maintain a zero - -then do a change everytime you see ANY ammonia readings - - this will get your cycle under way properly!

 

[vicstar078]

Thanks.

I have just found this chart

http/www.bestfish.com/newtank3.html

I guess I am going back to the first one. If so, I am just wondering when you get to say day 14 and the nitrite is red high will this kill the fish off?


Sorry for another question, I think I am nearly done with questions and understand it!


Vicky

 

[Ashley1991]

that chart is one of those that puts getting the cycle getting done faster above that of the health of the fish

when your ammonia starts converting to nitrite you should still carry out water changes if either ammonia or nitrite get high (or even on the scale) water change

word of warning for when you do finish cycling stock slowly dont just put loads more fish in thinking its done or you will send your tank into a mini cycle take it slow

Ash

 

[vicstar078]

It already has lots of fish in . Clown loach is up again today and I fed them a little bit.

 

[BackToTheFishes]

Doesn't your lfs sell fully matured media for the filter?

 

[vicstar078]

I'm not sure, I will have a look into it.

My tank has been running for just over a month, I looked inside the pump and there is lots os stuff in there which I guess is the good bacteria, I didn't clean it.

I think my problem was overfeeding, I was putting loads in and at nights I was leaving massive algae wafers in the tank as well.

 

[BackToTheFishes]

give the filter media a rinse in tank water when you do a water change to get rid of debris.NEVER in tap water.

 

[mattlee]

if you get readings of any amount of ammonia then a water change is needed

if you get readings of any amount of nitrite then a water change is needed

the amount of water needed to be changed cepends on the levels recorded. a 50% water change will half the amount of ammonia or nitrite in the tank etc etc

fresh water will not kill the fish infact its good for them. doing many water changes per day can stress the fish a little but its best them be stressed a little than poisoned.....

feed the fish 1 x per day and feed as much as they can eat in a couple of minutes. add a pinch of food if it all goes real quick then try a little bit more. fish can survive for a few days without any food from you but its best to feed daily and in small amounts.

check your tap water for nitrates, mine is 10ppm so without plants etc that use nitrates i will never get it lower than that. when you see your nitrates rising then you have the bacteria to complete the cycle. this only matters when you have 0 readings for ammonia and nitrite constantly for a week without the need for water changes. unfortunately you will have to keep doing daily changes until its cycled or the fish may well die or become ill, long periods of poisoning will damage the fishes gills etc causing problems later in life if they survive.

 

[vicstar078]

Hello again,

Thanks for all your posts you have been very helpfull.

Water changed again tonight and the results are:

Ammonia: 0.50 ish
Nitrite: 0.00
Nitrate: 5.0 - 10.00

I am going to do another water change late tonight as well, hopefully get the ammonia down to 0!

I am going away this weekend so will be training my family to do a water change!

Vicky

 

[mattlee]

if its 0.5 then make it a big change or 2 x 50% changes also feed lightly