I want ammonia!

[RowdyBub50]

Hello,

I've been doing a fish in cycle with my 75G tank. Cascade 1000 canister filter, UV light for algae and other stuff (is not running as I know it would kill the bacteria until finding a home) one full dose of API Quck start and 3 Giant Danio's, feeding 3X a day. I've always done fish in and carefully watch the chem levels so no one suffers. The problem I'm having with this tank is I'm not getting any ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate (PH ~7.6) after ~10 days. The tank did get cloudy and is now clearing up but still nothing.

I've never had this large of a tank before, am I just being impatient? I don't want to add more of these fish as Danio's are not the goal.

I use API master test kit. Any suggestions that don't involve adding ammonia? I guess I could just feed more but these fish are already getting fat lol.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

You are expecting to ammonia from either food or the fish - right? You have a tank bigger than you've used before then logically your going to need the equivalent amount more in fish and food or more bottles of the "immediate" cycling fluid.

Why are you cycling a tank this way? Seems like too much risk to me. Since you've gone this far try mixing some real ammonia into a bucket that holds a few gallons of water so you don't risk spraying your fish directly with ammonia. They should either die or register ammonia on your tests or both. Dead fish tend to raise ammonia as well.

 

[RowdyBub50]

Too much risk? Not sure I understand. I do expect a little ammonia with the 3 fish and the increased amount of food. Testing as often as I do I'm not worried about any harm to the fish but so far I'm not seeing any.

Got fish in there, not going to add ammonia. The fish are doing great, I guess I'll just keep up testing and feeding and see what happens.

 

[Byron]

You probably will not see ammonia or nitrite (and hopefully you won't), because the QuickStart plus the minimal fish load in a 75g tank should allow the cycle to establish unnoticed. But don't push your luck by adding more fish until this has gone a few weeks.

Next point, this does harm the fish and you willnot see evidence of it unless the ammonia or nitrite is high enough to be detected by our aquarium test kits. But the damage is still likely. However, as I said above, the minimal fish in this much water may work to prevent problems for the fish. The unseen issues are internal damage from this, and this weakens the fish going forward so they may develop health issues or be just generally weakened and succumb to any number of other problems.

It is never wise to use fish you do not want to "cycle" a tank. This is cruel to the fish, regardless of any cycling aspects. This species requires a group and without it they are under stress, guaranteed. What this may do to them is impossible to accurately say, but it is detrimental.

Feeding the fish three times a day is unhealthy because they do not need this, and it may cause other issues as well.

Nothing with fish is ever in isolation, everything is connected biologically.

 

[Seed_Lord]

I used to do fish in cycles, but the thought you are putting the fish at risk and ending up with 'hardy' fish you don't actually want in the final set up changed my mind. Literally saw some ammonia on a market stall one day at around the same time of getting another tank and went for the fishless cycle, and haven't looked back. You can get a bottle of ammonia for fishless cycles for about £3 called Dr Tims.

EDIT: Even better...seed your filter. Once you have an established tank seeding from the cycled filter is a God send when setting up a new tank.

 

[Seed_Lord]

Oops, double post by mistake

 

[RowdyBub50]

Thank you for the post. You are correct, my kids have gotten attached to these guys so I'll have to work out something (maybe get a 20G for them , wife will love that). They were going to be a meal for my oscar. I did get an ammonia reading of .25, did a partial water change. This morning its closer to zero and getting very little nitrite, cloudiness is gone.

I'd say API Quick Start works well. Will be waiting at least another 2 weeks before adding anything (or when I get 0/0 ammonia and nitrite w/nitrate reading). The Danios started out swimming the length of their old tank at the shop. Now they are using all the space they've got, they are now much more colorful. Pretty fun to watch!!

 

[RowdyBub50]

Tanks been up for 2 weeks:
75g with 3 Giant Danios (~3 inches of fish).
First day I added API Quick start and fish a few hrs later.

Tested tank 6/25 @ 6am before work:
PH 7.4-7.8
ammonia .25 (sometimes hard to tell but color was spot on).
Trite and Trate 0
Running Penn Plax Cascade 1000-265GPM and an airstone.
No plants.

This morning no ammonia and no Trite and Trate.

Is the Quick start the cause? Maybe the test for the nite's just not as sensitive? Not sure what to do here.

Thanks for your replies!

 

[Salty&Onion]

You should have 6 or more danios. Do you have plants? They will take up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. @Colin_T

 

[RowdyBub50]

You should have 6 or more danios. Do you have plants? They will take up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. @Colin_T

Hi thanks for the reply, no plants. I don't want more Danios as I'm looking to get 1 Oscar (these guys were to be food for the oscar but now we are attached to them so was going to get a new 20g home in my sons room). Fish are happy and healthy swimming around a very small pond to them .

Sounds like I"m going to have to get the 20g sooner and move these guys and do a fishless with ammonia.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I'm afraid you will have to get more danios, they are schooling fish and will get stressed if not kept in large number. If you get the 20 gallon, go for long and you will be able to fit in 12 danios and believe me, these little guyswill be very grateful to you and very happy I'm unsure on missing ammonia and nitrites. If ammonia would be gone, nitrites would be showing up. Maybe @Colin_T will help out here.

 

[Essjay]

I'm afraid you need a bigger tank for giant danios. The smallest recommended is 4 ft.

Devario malabaricus – Giant ‘Danio’ (Danio malabaricus, Perilampus malabaricus) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

As has been said before, 3 fish in 75 gallons are not going to create much ammonia, nowhere near the amount of ammonia an oscar will create.


If you really want to keep these danios, the best way would to get them a 4 foot tank, cycle that then move them over together with more of them. I know you said you don't want more but these are shoaling fish which will be stressed if kept as three. If you don't want more, the best thing would be to rehome them.
Once the danios have been rehomed to a new, cycled tank or with someone else, then do a fishless cycle in the 75 gallon before getting the oscar.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I agree with @essjay ↑

 

[RowdyBub50]

So the recommendation is to re-home them. Probably right, I'll see if the shop I get my Oscar will take them, thanks guys.