New 240l Tank. Nitrite, Nitrate Etc Levels?

[st24rsap]

My new 240L tank has been set up since the weekend now. I transfered some water from my old tank, filled the rest up with tap water treated with water conditioner and bacterlife and transfered 2 of the filter pads from my old tank into the new filter system. The tank has about 5 fish in it at the moment.

I have been checking all the levels daily with a API master test kit and up untill last night the Ammonia and Nitrite levels were 0 and the Nitrate level was upto around 40ppm so i did a 25% water change as specified in the test kit.

I have come home tonight and tested the water again and got the following levels, my question is do they look ok and is the tank cycling properly

PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 0.25ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm

All the fish are happily swimming about and there doesnt seem to be any problems that i can see

 

[Ian H]

if you transfered mature filter media you shouldnt have to cycle.

i would do a water change to keep the ammonia and nitrite down since it looks like your doing a fish in cycle now!

 

[st24rsap]

im checking the levels at the same time every day when i get back from work and if the levels are slighlty raised them im doing a water change straight away.

is there anything i should expect with the levels having fish in there or should the ammonia and nitrite settle to 0 and the nitrate stay below 50ppm

 

[st24rsap]

 

[Spooky76]

Yes something like that. The Nitrate level will depends on how many plants you have in the tank too.
It all depends how many fish and filter size. THe more fish the quicker the ammonia will go up. Then the Nitrite levels will rise until they drop again.
I would keep testing daily until your ammonia and Nitrite are 0. Once they are your cycled. Then its just your weekly maintenance which will reduce your Nitrate levels.

 

[st24rsap]

At present there are 5 live plans in the tank.

The tank is 120x40x50cm (240l) and is running a EHEIM 2213 external filter and 200w EHIEM heater.

I was told by the lfs to wait a few days then start adding the last of my fish over a period of a few day, there are currently 18 small ish fish in there and all are happy and healthy.

I will carry on with the water checks and water changes as required and hopefully all will be ok

 

[st24rsap]

At present there are 5 live plans in the tank.

The tank is 120x40x50cm (240l) and is running a EHEIM 2213 external filter and 200w EHIEM heater.

I was told by the lfs to wait a few days then start adding the last of my fish over a period of a few day, there are currently 18 small ish fish in there and all are happy and healthy.

I will carry on with the water checks and water changes as required and hopefully all will be ok

Got home from work today and the first thing i did was check all the levels and im a bit worried about the results

Ammonia - 1
Nitrite - 1
Nitrate - 10

They have shot up since last night so straight away i did a 50% water change and will check the levels later tonight. Would these levels have done any damage to the fish, they all seem ok at the moment despite 1 of my plecs being on his side acting dead whilst changing the water, as soon as i finished he swam off and seems fine!

 

[rabbut]

At present there are 5 live plans in the tank.

The tank is 120x40x50cm (240l) and is running a EHEIM 2213 external filter and 200w EHIEM heater.

I was told by the lfs to wait a few days then start adding the last of my fish over a period of a few day, there are currently 18 small ish fish in there and all are happy and healthy.

I will carry on with the water checks and water changes as required and hopefully all will be ok

Got home from work today and the first thing i did was check all the levels and im a bit worried about the results

Ammonia - 1
Nitrite - 1
Nitrate - 10

They have shot up since last night so straight away i did a 50% water change and will check the levels later tonight. Would these levels have done any damage to the fish, they all seem ok at the moment despite 1 of my plecs being on his side acting dead whilst changing the water, as soon as i finished he swam off and seems fine!

You are right to worry about these levels. Above 0.25 for nitrIte and ammonia is dangerous. A 50% waterchange will have brought them down to 0.5 each, so another waterchange is needed tonight (50% of 1=0.5). You need to look to reduce the ammount of waste going into the tank also, to try and keep those levels "safe". I would surgest you cut back on feeding to every other day, and do a gravel vac to remove excess waste.
I presume you are formiliar with the fish-in cycling process? If not, have a read of [topic="224306"]this thread[/topic]

HTH
Rabbut

 

[st24rsap]

I will do another water change later tonight and vac the gravel and hopefully bring the levels down to an acceptable value.

ive been using that link for cycling the tank, the levels were good last night but have spiked whilst ive been at work today

 

[st24rsap]

I am still struggling, spent the last hour vacuming the gravel to remove as much waste as possible and done another 50% water change and the Ammonia and Nitrite levels are still high they are now reading the following

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.25 to 0.5
Nitrite - 0.25 to 0.5
Nitrate - 10

Ive used the last of my water conditioner now and wont be able to get any untill tomorrow afternoon, im worried that the levels will have spiked again before i get chance to check them and change the water

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions

Im now off to open a bottle of red wine and try to relax, who ever said keeping fish was stress releaving LIED

 

[st24rsap]

Anyone please

 

[rabbut]

I'm guessing theres nobody near you with some mature media going? you can't reli waterchange without conditioner.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Spooky76]

Dont panic. Your tank is cycling. Get some water conditioner and do a change asap.
Dont feed your fish until you get some and keep the temp lower than 80 which slows down the fishies metabolism.

 

[st24rsap]

I am already using mature media from my other tank, maybe using some more would help things along.

It seems the levels havent increased over night so i will get some conditioner and do another 50% change as soon as i finish work mid day. These water changes are nackering me out lol

 

[Spooky76]

lol - I bet. My 200ltr is in the loft (2 flight of stairs) when I was doing 2 changes a day 50ltrs a time, water up water down all day !!!

Yes more media will always help.