Still cycling?

[G_Sharky]

Hey everybody,
I just bought the Nutrafin master test kit this afternoon and did a water test and here are the results

Nitrite 1.6
Ammonia 0.6
PH low range 7.6
PH high range 7.4
GH 100 mg/L
KH 70 mg/L

I just have my 10 tank 2 weeks ago and i have about 12 fishes on it, with these results i just wanna know if the water isn't dangerous for my fish, and if my tank is actually cycling. Is there anything else i could do to get rid of the nitrite and ammonia?. BTW i'm also using ICH medication, is this a good idea to use now or should i do it when water conditions are better. Thanks

 

[Inchworm]

Hi G_Sharky

I think you have a bit of a problem here.

Yes, your tank is cycling, but it probably still has a ways to go. Can you give me a reading for the nitrAtes in the water? (Not nitrites--this is something else.)

You have two different situations going on that you have to deal with. First, you have to get your tank finished cycling. Second, you have to treat the ich.

You will have a cycled tank when your ammonia and nitrites read 0 and your nitrAte is at 40 or less. Your beneficial bacteria is now growing, but there is not enough of them to consume the ammonia, and nitrite, so your readings are still too high.

Until the bacteria multiplies to that point, you will have to reduce them by doing frequent water changes. Try removing 10% to 20% of the water daily, replacing it with fresh dechlorinated tap water.

Now, about the ich........ Your fish either had it when you bought them, or contracted it when they became stressed due to the cycling. It is necessary to treat it with medicine and to raise the temperature to about 82 degrees. Unless you have catfish or loaches, it will also help if you add 1 Tablespoon of salt for each 5 gallons of water in the tank.

Here's the hard part.........when you do water changes you will be removing the medicine and salt, so you must replace them. Try to keep the dosage even, as much as you can.

Unless your fish are very small, you probably have your tank overstocked. This is not a good situation. If you lose any fish due to the ich or the stress of cycling, DO NOT replace them.

This article about cycling might be helpful to you:

http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...showtopic=10099

So, please post back and give me a new set of readings including nitrAte. It would also help if you would include a list of the fish that are currently in your tank so I can estimate if, indeed, your tank is overstocked.

Good luck with the cycling

 

[G_Sharky]

Thanks for the reply Inchworm,
The test kit did not include any Nitrate test unless theres other ways for me to find out the Nitrate level? As for my Ich problems i'm using medication, and added salt to the water already and my temp are around 80-82 F, but i do have plecos and a couple of catfish sharks and i'm a little worried now that i found out that your not supposed to use salt on them. I have about 12 fish right now, 2 I.D sharks, small angel, 2 small bottom feeders(forgot what they are called), 1 small plec, chocolate zebra plec 3", 3 neon tetras, small rainbow shark, tiger barb. I don't want to lose any more fish cause i lose a bunch already, what should i do?

 

[G_Sharky]

yeah i will be upgrading to a much bigger tank maybe in a couple of months, but so far all my fish seems to be getting along, well except for the angel fish as it sometimes pics on the neons and anybody that's new to the tank, i guess it's part of their initiation...lol kinda like a fraternity

 

[Cheese Specialist]

yeah i will be upgrading to a much bigger tank maybe in a couple of months, but so far all my fish seems to be getting along, well except for the angel fish as it sometimes pics on the neons and anybody that's new to the tank, i guess it's part of their initiation...lol kinda like a fraternity

Or it's because angels eat neons in the wild.

I think you will be lucky to last all that time (couple of months) with those fish until you get another tank, to be honest.

My baby angel fish have more that doubled in size since I got them. What kind of your plec that isn't a chocoloate zebra? I looked up your zebra, they are nice fish incidently.

I don't know exactly what an I.D. shark is but I think al the shark type fish I know are aggressive with their own kind, like red tailed black shark, black shark and rainbow shark. I don't know whether this is the same for yours.

Also, tiger barbs are generally very aggressive fish and are recommended to be kept in groups of 6 or more to minimise them taking this aggression out on other fish, instead they just play fight each other. I recently had to take 7 tiger barbs out of my biggest tank as they were harassing my biggest angel fish and inflicting damage to his tail. And this was a 71UK/84US gallon tank and there were 7 barbs so I'd be watchful over that with your angel.

I am glad that everything is ok for now, other than your readings but you might want to think about getting that other tank sooner or getting something temporary to help. I don't think your levels are likley to get stable with all those fish in there. And messy fish at that, plecs are the messiest fish I know after goldfish in terms of them being poo machines!!

Good luck, hope you reply and don't take any offence as I don't mean to get at you or anything. We all make mistakes at some point.

 

[G_Sharky]

Okay my plec is a leopard plec and the other is a common, and no the leopard has no place to hide cause my orament is a little too small for him, however i'll be heading to my LFS today to buy some and you said i should soak it with warm water for 2 days right. thanks so much for your advice Cheese Specialist, And BTW i think your right when u say the angels might eat my neons cause theres none left and the angel seems to be not eating when i feed them with flake, Oh well another lesson for me .