New 45 Us Gallon Tank. Nitrate And Nitrite.

[ChelseaL1991]

Hello everyone,

I am upgrading to a larger 45 USg tank. I cleaned the tank (with no soaps) then added the new water (Nutrafin Cycle and Nutrafin Aqua Plus and freshwater aquarium salt was added to the water). All I had on hand at the moment was a Fluvel 2 20g water filter and a 20g heater. Just so I could get some heat and water circulation to the tank I put started those up. I let it cycle for 3 weeks (remember I have nothing but water in my tank.)There has been new water periodically added because I was using this water to replace my other tanks water when doing routine cleaning. So the other day I went out to get a 50g air pump for my tank and a bag of small natural rocks for substrate. So now there is about an inch of gravel in the tank and I have a decoration that hooks up to the air pump in the tank as well. The kind of fish I would like to add to this tank are 3 Tiger Barbs, 3 South American Puffers, 2 Emerald Corys, 1 Upside Down Catfish, 1 Red Freshwater Crab, lots of trumpet snails, and 1 live plant. When I set my new tank up I want the tank to be natural so I will be putting lots of live plants. So after about 24 hours of adding the gravel and more oxygen to the tank and tested to water. I have a Nutrafin Test Kit. So the Ammonia read "0.6" and the PH read "8.0" Which the two together were in the Yellow zone. Then my Nitrates read "110" (Dark Purples and the last color on the scale) and Nitrites read "1.6" (Vibrant Pink and the second last color on the scale). I don't understand why my tank conditions are so extreme like this considering I have not added any fish. I have tested my tap water for Nitrates and there is next to none in there. I have been adding Nutrafin Cycle regularly. I have also done a 25% water change also adding a large dose of Nutrafin Cycle. I don't know if there is anything I can do to get the water condition safe but please post any knowledge on the subject.

 

[KittyKat]

Did you add a source of ammonia to the water, while you were cycling it?

 

[Rogue4Fish]

Your tank hasn't cycled. Forget the Nutrafin stuff, it's pretty useless. You need to look into fishless cycling with ammonia. This will help with getting your filter ready for fish. Have a look in the resource centre, there's everything you need there.

Also, on a side note, I'd have a look at your stocking as personally I don't think it works. I don't know a lot about puffers but from what I have read they belong in a species only tank. As for Tiger Barbs, they can become aggressive unless you keep in a big group (Say of 10-12) then they share the aggression between themselves. I'm not sure about crabs with fish as well?

 

[ChelseaL1991]

No I haven't. I wasn't really aiming for a fishless cycle. I just wanted to water to be safe before adding some fish. Now that I have waited this long will I have to add Ammonia?

 

[ChelseaL1991]

Your tank hasn't cycled. Forget the Nutrafin stuff, it's pretty useless. You need to look into fishless cycling with ammonia. This will help with getting your filter ready for fish. Have a look in the resource centre, there's everything you need there.

Also, on a side note, I'd have a look at your stocking as personally I don't think it works. I don't know a lot about puffers but from what I have read they belong in a species only tank. As for Tiger Barbs, they can become aggressive unless you keep in a big group (Say of 10-12) then they share the aggression between themselves. I'm not sure about crabs with fish as well?

Well I have had these fish together for a long time. And South American Puffers are one of the only peaceful community fish. Although they do nips the fins of the slow fish (Corys). And the crab we just got her. She sticks to herself and comes out for food and air and sometimes to explore. And surprisingly my Tiger Barbs usually stick to picking on themselves unless during feeding time. The only thing that is an issue about these fish together is that these freshwater puffers are actually brackish water. So my salt content is a bit higher than regular freshwater. I think this kind of has an effect of the upside down catfish and possibly the Corys.

 

[Rogue4Fish]

So basically you've just said exactly what I said...your puffers are for a species only tank.

And yes, you need to add ammonia to get the cycle starting. You could fish in cycle, but generally it's more hard work and considered unkind to the fish.

 

[Randi]

Simply letting a tank sit is not cycling. You need to grow beneficial bacteria and they need a food source (ammonia). I know you've already waited 3 weeks, but you basically have a brand new tank. This will help you get started http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

 

[ChelseaL1991]

Simply letting a tank sit is not cycling. You need to grow beneficial bacteria and they need a food source (ammonia). I know you've already waited 3 weeks, but you basically have a brand new tank. This will help you get started http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

Thank you for your help. This gave me a lot of information that I didn't know about cycling my tank. Once I start adding the Ammonia how long do you think it will be before I can add fish?

So basically you've just said exactly what I said...your puffers are for a species only tank.

And yes, you need to add ammonia to get the cycle starting. You could fish in cycle, but generally it's more hard work and considered unkind to the fish.

Well with my nitrites and nitrates being so high would my fish die? Because I was thinking about using my Tiger Barbs to cycle my tank. But I don't want to risk the death of them. But I will still for sure pick up ammonia.

 

[fluttermoth]

If your putting the fish from your smaller tank to the new one you don't relly need to cycle it. Just move all the old filter media into the new filter when you move the fish. Obviously you'll have to do a few massive water changes first to get rid of those nasties!

 

[ChelseaL1991]

If your putting the fish from your smaller tank to the new one you don't relly need to cycle it. Just move all the old filter media into the new filter when you move the fish. Obviously you'll have to do a few massive water changes first to get rid of those nasties!

This is interesting. I never though of that. Of course I don't want to do the big move until I have my tank planted and until I have proper filtration and heat. I just wanted my Tiger Barbs to live in that tank to get it cycling until everything was ready.