heyandrea_

Test results are still the same today Ammo 8.0 Nitrite 0.25 Nitrate 5.0 Im not really sure if this method is working for me. My ammonia levels are too high, so im not sure whether i should do a water change to get them lower, or whether that will upset the bacteria growth, I'm kind of lost now!

I dont think you're suppose to do a water change until you add the fish. My tank is small so I think i've over done it on the ammonia.

On 15/6/07 Ammonia still 8.0 Nitrite 0.25 Nitrate 5.0 Today still the same, so have taken the prawn out because nothing is happening.

Ammonia 8.0 Nitrite 0.25 Nitrate 5.0

Ammonia risen to 8.0 Nitrite between 0 and 0.25 (hard to say because my test kit jumps from 0 to 0.25) Nitrate 5.0

My tank has an undergravel filter, with gravel and a couple of artificial plants, nothing flash!

Yeah my tank is quite small, 5gal, i should of started larger.. but i'll look into a larger one in the long term and try again with the fish maybe. Heaps to learn! Didnt really know what I was getting myself into, but have learnt so much in the last couple of months!

Hmm should be okay, I have a test kit that has everything in it. So if the others are working then the nitrite one should be working too. Maybe the levels arent high enough yet to read.

I know...??? I thought that too.. hmmm

Day 4 Ammonia 4.0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 5.0

Im only trying it this way because Im new to this and want to see how things work. Its a learning process for me. As to my understanding once the tank has cycled, even with the prawns, it will have enough established bacteria to cope with the load of new fish, if added slowly. I only ever had 2 baby goldfish in my tank and they both died of ammonia poisoning, and I tried my hardest to reduce the ammonia levels, and even though they weren't very high, the fish became aggitated. Maybe it's because my tank is small.. I dont know! I am going to continue with this method, and if it doesnt work, so be it, at least I have learnt from it. I am also going to continue recording my results daily so that I have a record, and anyone else who is interested in this method will be able to see the results. I think it's a good learning experience for anyone, even if you're strongly opposed to the idea. And also fish aren't that cheap to buy you know!.. well at my local shop they aint!

Today, ammonia risen to 2ppm Nitrite & Nitrate still at 0

You do learn something new everyday! I've tried with fish, and being a beginner, I was so overwhemled with trying to keep my fish alive. Im sure I did everything by the book, water changes etc.. but my fish both died of ammonia poisoning. So i'm hoping that by doing a fishless cycle I wont have to be too concered with the ammonia spiking. So I might have a better chance of getting the nitrate levels up.

No, you're suppose to leave them in until your tank is cycled. But if they turn mushy, you just pop another one in and take the old one out. Or you can add another one if your ammonia levels drop but the nitrate levels aren't high enough. It sounds really complicated when I try and explain it. That link I posted is really easy to understand!

This was an idea that I got from another thread. Have a look at: http://www.tropicaltankforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8326 You put them in a fish net and sit them in the tank. At the moment I've only added one prawn because my tank is small. But I suppose the bigger your tank is, the more you can add. The prawn is suppose to cycle the tank, and then when the tank is cycled, a water change is required and then fish can be added.

Thats fine, you're welcome to your own opinion. But can I ask, what do you use to get chlorine out of your tap water? I always thought that it was essential to use that product at least. And what are your strategies to cycle a tank without using anything? Cloudy water usually means a baterica bloom, which fixes itself anyway, so its not a major. I must add that I bought 4 prawns from the supermarket, and they cost me 68 cents and the aqua plus and cycle cost me about $30 all up, so I havent spent a fortune.

I do have cycle. But I have been told that it doesn't do anything unless you have fish in your tank. But I've added some anyway, and I've also added aqua plus tap water conditioner. I have also noticed this afternoon that my water has turned cloudy, so it looks like the bacteria bloom has already started. I am really interested to see how it goes as well, that's why I've decided to document it just to prove that it either does or doesn't work.

Ammonia risen to 1.0ppm mg/L Nitrite & Nitrate 0

Well Im trying the prawn method to fishless cycling. Lets see if it works. Did a 50% water change today due to my tank being dirty from the fish that have died. Then did water test: Ammonia 0.25 ppm mg/L Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 Added one prawn to my 5gal fish tank in a fish net.

That would be helpful dimebag! Im still trying to get my head around the benefits of plants? How do they effect the water in the tank etc, do you put them in for awhile before you add fish? Any information would be grateful!

Isn't it harder to keep the water quality good if you use live plants? Ive always been told to avoid plants and use artificial ones.

Ammonia poisoning. My first fish didn't show any signs, but a noticed a few days later that the second fish had redish purple gills. A day or so before my second fish died, I also noticed black markings on the edges of its fins and tail, and on its body. It looked pretty sick, and had lost alot of its gold colouring. I will do another water test in a few days. I've been dealing with animates and have found that even though they are trying to be helpful some of them have been giving me conflicting information. Eg. when I first got my tank, someone told me to give the tank 24 hours and then add fish, and when I went back after my first fish had died someone else told me that I should have left it for a week! Really confusing!

There is traces of ammonia in my tank. I did a water test 2 days ago, just after a water change and just before my 2nd fish died, and there was no nitrite and nitrate readings, and ammonia was 0.50ppm (mg/L). However I did a test about 2 weeks ago which showed nitrite at zero, nitrate at 5ppm(mg/L) and ammonia was 2.0ppm(mg/L). I'm not sure why the nitrate level dropped, isn't is suppose to rise? So from these latest readings, I don't think my tank has cycled, and i don't really want to add anymore fish yet. I wish I had found out that bigger tanks were easier to look after, but was told to start small by the staff at the pet shop. Never listen to them, they don't know what they're talking about!

Yes it has a filter, it's an undergravel one, 5 gal tank, and it has gravel. I live in Welcome Bay. I was led to believe that cycle helped establish bacteria, I did orignally have fish in my tank, but didnt see that the cycle product was working.

If I was to do this, should I empty my tank of it's existing water, clean it and start all over again. The water at the moment is from my existing fish which died