With Fish Cycle

[Rach71]

We've got a Tetra 60 litre tank and a Fluval 200 litre tank. We started of with the 60 litre tank which had live plants in, we took a water sample into the LFS, he said " there's no point in testing the water as you don't have any fish in it." He advised us to get some hardy fish ie, 5 White Clouds and 2 Corydora's. As we're beginners we didn't know any different. We got a couple more Corydora's about a week later. After reading up abit more in books etc and after losing one of our White Clouds we had our water tested at the LFS. The Nitrite levels were really high. After buying a Master test kit and testing and doing water changes daily the Nitrite levels still wouldn't come down. I asked in the local Pets at Home Store if an external filter would be better to which he replied " yes, lots!" Rather than buying a new filter for our 60 litre tank, we ended up getting a 200 litre Fluval kit (cabinet, tank,filter and heater). No-one ever told us to do a fish-less cycle. We were told by the other guy from the other LFS that if we use Tetra Safe Start live bacteria, that we could put the fish straight into the new tank. We got more plants which we planted using Tetra Plant Crypto. The test levels have been perfect until now and it's been three weeks now. We bought another six White Clouds and one more Corydora as they all seemed to be getting on well. In the past two weeks we've lost all but three of our White Clouds and two of our Corydoras. We took the remaining White Clouds out of the main tank and put them in the 60 litre tank which we were going to use as a Hospital tank. They are still with us and seem brighter and happier but don't seem to eat that often. Only giving a few flakes twice a day. Their tank water test levels are Ammonia 0.25, PH 7.6, Nitrate 5.0, Nitrite is 0.0. The 200 litre tank has 11 live plants in it. It has a Hydor deco air pump, a Fluval 205 Filter with a spray bar. The only fish we have in there now are Four Corydoras which all seem to be doing well. The water levels are Amonnia 0.50, PH 7.6, Nitrate 5.0 and Nitrite 0.0. This tanks water is slightly cloudy in comparison to the small tank. What I need to know is what do I do now? I'm getiing conflicting advice from the LFS's and I really don't want to lose any more fish or put them through any stress. Would be grateful for any advice.

 

[tom_os]

well i did a fish in cycly in my tetra 60l and it took me about 45 days because i had lost of fish in there. i also added a bottle of safestart but i believe it did nothing. you need to keep the ammonia and nitrite at 0, you do this by doing water changes. once the tank is cycled (you have no readings of ammonia or nitrite or a week) then you can gradually add more fish. a fish in cycle will probably mean doing large water changes everyday.

there are other that will know more then me, an there are also some pinned topics on cycling which you may find useful

Good luck!

 

[Rach71]

well i did a fish in cycly in my tetra 60l and it took me about 45 days because i had lost of fish in there. i also added a bottle of safestart but i believe it did nothing. you need to keep the ammonia and nitrite at 0, you do this by doing water changes. once the tank is cycled (you have no readings of ammonia or nitrite or a week) then you can gradually add more fish. a fish in cycle will probably mean doing large water changes everyday.

there are other that will know more then me, an there are also some pinned topics on cycling which you may find useful

Good luck!

Ok, thanks alot

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Rach. If you are doing a fish-in cycle, as Tom_OS said, it takes a lot of water changes. Until you get the tank cycled there is a very simple rule that helps a lot. No more bringing home any fish, not even to replace losses. The less fish in the tank, the easier it will be to keep the ones that you do have healthy.

 

[Rach71]

Welcome to the forum Rach. If you are doing a fish-in cycle, as Tom_OS said, it takes a lot of water changes. Until you get the tank cycled there is a very simple rule that helps a lot. No more bringing home any fish, not even to replace losses. The less fish in the tank, the easier it will be to keep the ones that you do have healthy.

Oh O.k thanks alot, I really don't want to lose them, I love my Corydoras, they're great!!!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

your goal is to keep ammonia and nitrite as close to 0 as possible, never letting them get above 0.25ppm. This will mean daily water testing and most likely daily water changes for a couple of weeks. basically the lower the levels are the better the chances of survival for your fish, as oldman said do not buy anymore fish for now. wait until ammonia and nitrite hold steady at 0,0 without water changes before you even contemplate mroe fish, and then add them slowly over a period of several months.

 

[Rach71]

your goal is to keep ammonia and nitrite as close to 0 as possible, never letting them get above 0.25ppm. This will mean daily water testing and most likely daily water changes for a couple of weeks. basically the lower the levels are the better the chances of survival for your fish, as oldman said do not buy anymore fish for now. wait until ammonia and nitrite hold steady at 0,0 without water changes before you even contemplate mroe fish, and then add them slowly over a period of several months.

Thankyou, that's really helpful. So far, so good!!! Fingers crossed!!! I really wish I'd been told about both options (fishless and fish-in) I would have chosen fishless. I'd really hate to lose anymore fish.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

a lot of people feel the same, you're doing the best for your fish now and fingers crossed we'll get you through it, keep us posted how you're getting along.

 

[Fisses]

Your in the same boat as a lot of us have been is informed by fish stores...

i too wish id have done a fishless cycle, much easier and no messing around everyday for 2 weeks doing water changes and stuff..

looking at your results though it looks lik your close to being cycled but keep going till you get 0 for ammonia and nitrIte, nitrate can be in much higher so dont worry too much about that

best of luck

 

[Lazerus]

Hi all....

As you all know I'm new to this myself, but just a thought struck me when I was reading this.

I wonder would it be helpful to put the remaining fish back into the 60L tank along with the corresponding filter for the purpose of waterchanges?

Doing waterchanges daily on a 200L tank will be quite time consuming and stressful for you so while you are getting your filter media up to speed with the fish you have in the small tank, you can be doing a fishless cycle on the bigger tank using household ammonia.

Just a thought.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup you can do, but then bear in mind that the fish will produce the same amount of ammonia weather they're in a 60l tank or a 200l tank, but the ammonia will be dilluted by the larger water volume meaning the levels won't rise as high.

so it may be easier to do water changes, but you'd probably need to do more of them on the small tank.

probaly 6 of one half a dozen of the other.

 

[Lazerus]

Good point! ha,ha!

 

[Rach71]

Hi all....

As you all know I'm new to this myself, but just a thought struck me when I was reading this.

I wonder would it be helpful to put the remaining fish back into the 60L tank along with the corresponding filter for the purpose of waterchanges?

Doing waterchanges daily on a 200L tank will be quite time consuming and stressful for you so while you are getting your filter media up to speed with the fish you have in the small tank, you can be doing a fishless cycle on the bigger tank using household ammonia.

Just a thought.

I had the same idea myself but I think I'll just stick it out, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Rach71]

a lot of people feel the same, you're doing the best for your fish now and fingers crossed we'll get you through it, keep us posted how you're getting along.

I tested the water in both tanks last night and the results were for the 200L ;Ammonia 0.25, PH 7.6, Nitrate 10 and Nitrite 0.0 and in the 60L tank; Ammonia 0.25, PH7.6, Nitrate 5.0 and Nitrite 0.0. I checked it again this morning for Ammonia and Nitrites and the results were 0.0 all round!!!!!!!!!! We did a 20% water change on Sunday.

 

[Rach71]

a lot of people feel the same, you're doing the best for your fish now and fingers crossed we'll get you through it, keep us posted how you're getting along.

I tested the water in both tanks last night and the results were for the 200L ;Ammonia 0.25, PH 7.6, Nitrate 10 and Nitrite 0.0 and in the 60L tank; Ammonia 0.25, PH7.6, Nitrate 5.0 and Nitrite 0.0. I checked it again this morning for Ammonia and Nitrites and the results were 0.0 all round!!!!!!!!!! We did a 20% water change on Sunday.

Latest results for 11/2/09 200L tank Ammonia 0.0, PH 7.6, Nitrates 5.0 and Nitrites 0.0. We had to take the White Clouds out of the 60L tank last night as we have suddenly developed a leak, so they're back in the 200L tank. I don't think they're quite so happy in there so as soon as we get sorted they'll be going back.