How Far Am I In My Fish In Cycle?

[bryan82]

hi, guys, ive done my tests again last night they are as follows

P.H LEVEL, 24/01/2008 5.5
P.H LEVEL 27/01/2008 6.5

AMONIA 24/01/2008 4.9
AMONIA 27/01/2008 1.2

NITRATE 24/01/2008 50
NITRATE 27/01/2008 7

NITRITE 24/01/2008 1.6
NITRITE 27/01/2008 0.3

IM USING A MINI MASTER TEST KIT, GOT UP THIS MORNING AND MY WATER IS A BIT CLOUDY
THANKS

 

[Squid]

You seem to be a fair way through. Once you start to see nitrites reduce, thats a fair way through the cycle. My cycle took almost twice as long to see nitrites reduce as the ammonia levels reduce.

Couple of points though..

1. I don't understand what your nitrate levels have reduced.. This should not happen unless you have an absolute jungle of plants (during a cycle) or you have been doing unrequired water changes.

2. Just to check, I take it you have been adding ammonia each day to top it up?

Squid

 

[Colin_T]

Don't bother measuring nitrates while the tank is cycling as most nitrate test kits will pick up nitrite as well and read it as nitrate. Hence the reason your nitrates go up and down during a cycle. Just test for ammonia and nitrite and when they have both gone up and come down then the tank has cycled and then you can check for nitrates.
The PH was a bit low to start with (5.5), 6.5 is fine for tetras, angels, discus, etc but you will have to bring it up a bit for barbs, rainbows etc.

 

[bryan82]

thanks for that, ive got about 6 plants i it (3 different types dont no what they are) been doing a water change every other day 25% is this o.k?

 

[rdd1952]

It looks like you are moving along but that could be wrong since you are doing water changes. The lower levels could just be a result of a water change (that is my belief since the nitrates dropped so drastically too). Since you have fish in the tank, you need to be doing more water changes to get the ammonia and nitrite levels below .25 ppm as the levels you have are too high for your fish. Even if they don't die from it, they will suffer permenant damage. Contrary to popular belief, water changes will not slow the process and may actually speed it a day or so.

I would do a 50% water change as soon as possible and then another one 3 or 4 hours later to get the levels down. What is the pH of your tap water? It also looks like the water changes are raising the pH up too but I don't know when you made water changes between the 2 dates you listed. pH tends to be all over the place during cyling.

Cloudy water is probably the start of a bacterial bloom which is good. It will sort itself out as the bacteria colony develops.

 

[Squid]

Crikey.. thanks for spotting that RDD - i missread it as fishless cycle , hence the comments about water changes..

Squid

 

[bryan82]

hi, i done a 50% water change at 5.30pm last night done a sample of my tap water and that came out at between 5.5 and 6.0, so im quite happy with that i think
then i done another 50% water change at 11.00pm went for a shower then went and done a test on the tank, as i walked into the livingroom i couldnt beleive it the water was so clear, so i done a test on it the results are as follows
P.H 7.0
AMMONIA 0.6
NITRITE 0.1
NITRATE WAS JUST ON 5

TEMPERATURE IS AT 27*C
FISH ARE VERY HAPPY AND EATING WELL

AM I READY TO ADD ANOTHER COUPLE OF FISH?
THANKS

 

[LolaLouie]

NO DONT ADD ANY FISH!!!

Your levels should be at 0, the fish you have in there are already in danger given your levels if you add more your levels will go up further and you'll just end up killing/damaging them all. Be patient ammonia should be 0 nitrite should be 0 YOU CAN NOT ADD ANY FISH UNTIL THESE LEVELS ARE REACHED. As for the pH it's not good for fish to be in pH fluctuating from 5.5-7 so i don't know whether you have a faulty test kit or what but your fish will get very stressed by that.

For now continue daily water changes until you levels are at 0 and then I would wait a week to ensure your tank really is cycled and then get some more hardy fish... and even then only a few to allow levels to remain at 0 and bacteria growth to catch up.

Please please listen to this advice or next week you will be posting on the forum about mysterious deaths/ich or whatever else.

Good luck!

Also if you have a dipstick test you may want to invest in a liquid one as those dipstick tests are very unreliable.

 

[bryan82]

thanks for that i defo wont add any fish now, i will do another water change when i get home from work and do the same as i done last night?
my P.H was at 6.5 not last night the night b4 so it hasnt gone up that much, plus i dont think the fish are stressed as iwas watching them this morning and they seemed to be fine, by the way im not disagreeing with you my levels have been comeing down gradually.

thankyou

 

[rdd1952]

For now continue daily water changes until you levels are at 0 and then I would wait a week to ensure your tank really is cycled and then get some more hardy fish... and even then only a few to allow levels to remain at 0 and bacteria growth to catch up.

I agree. Don't add any more fish until you go a full week with ammonia and nitrite at zero.