Where Am I In The Cycle?

[midwifevic]

hi all

Im currently cycling my 72l tropical tank with 4 zebra danios. Im a little confused as to where I am in the cycling process, my results arent exactly what i was expecting (not that i am 100% clued up). The tank was set up on sat 5th jan, fish added on sun 6th.

Results tonight are:

ph 8.0

alkalinity 100

hardness 125

Nitrate between 25-50

nitrite 0

ammonia 0.6

Any thoughts? (other than telling me i'll go to fish hell for cycling with fish) thanks

 

[LolaLouie]

Your ammonia should be 0.. the fact that it's not but Nitrite is suggests that you are very early in your cycle. the Ammonia should be high and then lower, then nitrites will get high and lower and then once ammonia and nitrites are at 0 your tank will be cycled.

Just don't add anymore fish. Keep testing daily and water changing around 20% daily.

It's not so bad that you cycled with fish as long as you do the right thing now and look after them by ensuring you are constantly testing and water changing until levels reach 0.

Good Luck!

Oh also if you're not using liquid tests then start! Those dip stick tests are inaccurate.

 

[st24rsap]

i have been cycling with fish for about 3 weeks now and have only just started to get a nitrite reading.

make sure you test at least once or twice a day and keep the nitrite and ammonia levels below 0.25, if they rise above this at any point do a larger change upto 50%.

i personally would do a 50% change asap to reduce the ammonia from 0.6 to around 0.3, make sure the tap water is conditioned to remove the chlorine first

 

[chicklette]

You are not cycled it. Your goal is to get ammonia and nitrites to 0ppm, your nitrates should be below 20ppm. You need to carry out some water changes. Now you need to feed very lightly.

Do you have another established tank? If so you can used some of the filter media from that.

Also you can get a chunk of gravel, stick it in a stocking, tie it up and put it in the bottom of your tank.

For now do not add any more fish until you tank is cycled.

 

[rdd1952]

make sure you test at least once or twice a day and keep the nitrite and ammonia levels below 0.25, if they rise above this at any point do a larger change upto 50%.

i personally would do a 50% change asap to reduce the ammonia from 0.6 to around 0.3, make sure the tap water is conditioned to remove the chlorine first

I agree 100%. The only thing I will add is that with your pH at 8.0, it is even more important to get the ammonia level as low as possible as ammonia becomes more toxic at higher ph levels. Here is a great thread that explains how toxicity and pH (temperature is a factor too) are related.

 

[Piscator]

Im currently cycling my 72l tropical tank with 4 zebra danios. Im a little confused as to where I am in the cycling process, my results arent exactly what i was expecting (not that i am 100% clued up). The tank was set up on sat 5th jan, fish added on sun 6th.

What's the temperature of your water? It ought to be around 78-82 degrees "F" in order to get the cycling process humming along nicely.