Set up tank questions?

[GrahamC]

Yes, both ammonia and nitrites need to be 0.

Yes, don't need to measure nitrates if you do the regular water changes.

[Caper]

Thanks GrahamC

I still didn't get the nitrite kit, hoping to get it tomorrow if they have any in.

Had to do another water change today since ammonia was .5 again :sick:

I hope it will soon start going down!

Take care,

Caper

[Caper]

Update!

Ammonia - slightly less than .5 = water change

Nitrites - 0

Mimum feeding today after not feeding since Sunday

4 platties were added March 16th

April 3rd first traces of ammonia started

I just got the nitrite kit today. Shouldn't I be seeing even a trace amount of nitrites by now???

First time any sign of stress: one fish was on the bottom of the tank when I left for work this morning, was still in same spot when I got home. When I was putting in the vacuum, sure he enough he was up and about

Thanks,

Caper

[Hamstar99]

yeah you should have nitrite readings by now unless you tank has cycled for the small bio load you have. It could be possible that you are cycled and the ammonia reading you are getting is false due to Prime or another additive?

[Caper]

Thanks Hamstar99!

The only additive I'm adding is "Tetra Aqua - Aqua Safe" because of the chlorine.

I use an aqua vac that connects directly to my tap. Once I remove the water, I add the Aqua Safe (add it in the flow from the filter to help it disperse). Then adjust water so not to hot/cold and add water!

I've checked everywhere on the ammonia test kit box and contents looking for an expiry date, but couldn't find one!

One fish is down on the bottom of tank again, I'm guessing from the stress of the ammonia???? Later this afternoon I will test again (approximately 24 hrs since last tested).

Because I wasn't able to get nitrite test kit until yesterday, it could be possible that the cycle has completed and that is why I'm not getting any readings for it? But I still don't understand the high ammonia????? :-?

Take care,

Caper

[Joe]

Put a whole lot of Indian fern in. This is probably the easiest plant in the hobby to care for! It grows like crazy and will feed on the ammonia in your tank And you don't have to plant it - it can grow submerged, but it can also grow emersed as well so you can just let it float.

[GrahamC]

I would also think you should have some nitrites by now.

What you can do is test your tap water against the ammonia kit. And then test your tank water again using the tube in the nitrite kit and compare them side by side.

If you're not too far from the LFS, you can also ask them to test your water.

If they have them, Seachem ammonia alert is a better purchase i think as it tells you free ammonia and not total ammonia.

[Hamstar99]

Thanks Hamstar99!

I've checked everywhere on the ammonia test kit box and contents looking for an expiry date, but couldn't find one!

Caper

You dont really have "high" ammonia, but it is a typical false reading.

once you have an nitrate test this will confirm you are cycled if you still have zero Nitrite but a Nitrate reading.

re the expiry date;

this is for API kits

Test Solutions Shelf Life from bottling date

Wide Range pH Test Solution 3 years

Ammonia Test Solution #1 3 years

Ammonia Test Solution #2 3 years

High Range pH Indicator Solution (m-Cresol Purple) 3 years

Nitrate Test Solution #1 3 years

Nitrate Test Solution #2 3 years

GH Test Solution 3 years

KH Test Solution 4 years

Nitrite Test Solution 4 years

Fresh Water Ammonia Test Solution (Nessler) 5 years

Fresh Water pH Indicator Solution 5 years

High Range pH Indicator Solution (Cresol Red) 5 years

Salt Level Test Solution #1 5 years

Salt Level Test Solution #2 5 years

To determine bottling date check the lot # on the reagent bottle. The last 4 digits are the month and year of bottling.

Example: 33A1201 would = a bottling date of December 2001.

If you have any more questions please contact me.

Karin Berke

Technical Services Representative

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals

800-847-0659

[Caper]

Thanks all

Joe:

The only plant identified at store was java fern (if right) and couldn't tell me the others. All plants are $10 (Canadian) and I'm not ready to dish out money on what ifs. Have been reading about plants. As usual varying things, example java fern cannot be planted in gravel/yes it can be planted in gravel/should never be planted in gravel :-? Anyway, we'll see I haven't given up on plants totally:wink:

GrahamC:

I did what you suggested. Tap water 0 ammonia; tank water between .25 and .5. I wish I had someone else to check with me just to get another opinion because I find it hard to tell when it's between numbers. :facepalm: I do believe it's down somewhat from the .5; nitrites still 0. I had to google to see what a Seachem Alert was :oops: I did see something like that when I was getting my nitrite kit but didn't really pay attention since I already have the test kit, thanks tho

Hamstar99:

I don't want to get a nitrate test kit unless absolutely necessary (tight budget). But, let's just say the tank is cycled, what else would be keeping the ammonia up? Down a bit today; anxious to see what tomorrow's reading will be!

to all!

Caper

My test kit for ammonia is the API. Thanks sooooooooo much for information on the expiry date. Both solutions were bottled 2011 to could until Sept. 2014.

[Joe]

Joe:

The only plant identified at store was java fern (if right) and couldn't tell me the others. All plants are $10 (Canadian) and I'm not ready to dish out money on what ifs. Have been reading about plants. As usual varying things, example java fern cannot be planted in gravel/yes it can be planted in gravel/should never be planted in gravel :-? Anyway, we'll see I haven't given up on plants totally

Wow that's expensive They're much cheaper in the shops here, which is a bit of a suprise.

Join a forum in America and post an ad that you're looking for plants and you're in Canada etc. You will get them much cheaper through hobbyists, and usually they will be much nicer too

[GrahamC]

GrahamC:

I did what you suggested. Tap water 0 ammonia; tank water between .25 and .5. I wish I had someone else to check with me just to get another opinion because I find it hard to tell when it's between numbers. :facepalm: I do believe it's down somewhat from the .5; nitrites still 0. I had to google to see what a Seachem Alert was :oops: I did see something like that when I was getting my nitrite kit but didn't really pay attention since I already have the test kit, thanks tho

So, this would confirm that you do have ammonia in your tank which is therefore not cycled yet So, better keep up with the daily PWCs to protect your fish. It doesn't really matter what the numbers are as you want 0 ammonia.

[Caper]

Thanks

$10 is too much when you don't know what you are getting and how to probably take care! I did see 2 in tanks that I liked but the guy couldn't tell me anything about them

April 3rd was the first time ammonia registered. Two weeks ago, shouldn't I be seeing nitrites (even though I only got the kit the other day)???? I've read various sites about amount of water to change during tank cycling. Overall concensus would be to do a water change as long as ammonia is registering to reduce stress on fish (that makes sense to me). BUT, could I be removing too much??? Isn't the bottom line to get the ammonia out?

Thanks,

Caper

[GrahamC]

the only way you could be removing too much to cause stress is if the new water differs substantially from the old, but since you're nearly doing daily PWCs, it is likely the new and old water are much the same apart from the ammonia. Stress occurs when the new water differs too much in osmotic pressure and temperature. When I had this issue I was doing twice daily 50% water changes.

And the bugs that process the ammonia are not materially found in the water but on surfaces and in biofilms so you can't remove them with water changes.

[Hamstar99]

Because you have so little ammonia and no nitrites i would be tempted to just leave the water now and just monitor it every couple of days if you like and see if the ammonia rises, this will confirm being cycled or not. I think since you dont have nitrites that your tank is cycled because if you have ammonia you will have nitrites. Either way they are not worrying levels.

[blueether]

Ask three fishkeepers how to cycle a tank and by the time the third one has given you a different answer to the two others the first will have yet another answer

You could well already have bacteria that are converting the nitrite to nitrate, hard to tell if you dont have a nitrate test kit

I think I would recommend, only if you were going to spend the money anyway, getting ammonia and nitrate tests. The only time that you are likely to use the nitrite test is during a full cycle.

[GrahamC]

Your situation is a little different from most in that your tank has been running since Xmas with no biological filtration but just the filter, and the filter material has been in another tank? So, you started off with an unknown proportion of microbes when you returned the filter material and sock that create nitrites and nitrates. So, blueether might be right in that you might be forming nitrates so that's why you don't see the nitrites. You've seen your ammonia rise from 0 to .25 to .50, so I'm guessing that it will be another week before you start to see nitrites and the ammonia fall. Keep up with the PWCs

[Caper]

Thanks all

Ask three fishkeepers how to cycle a tank and by the time the third one has given you a different answer to the two others the first will have yet another answer

:sml2: Now that is something I do remember blueether, many people, many opinions...and I don't mean that in a bad way

Ammonia still slightly below .5 (although someone else might look and say...nope .5 :smln: ); 0 nitrites. Did a water change. The fish is not sitting on the bottom today; all are active and swimming; hope it stays that way

I will keep up the water changes till ammonia is 0. Blueether I do have the ammonia and nitrite test kits; and will consider the nitrate kit but still on the fence about that since when I started 7 years ago I didn't have one (couldn't buy locally).

I really appreciate all the help :thup:

Thanks,

Caper

[Caper]

Hi all!

- 17 days now since the first trace of ammonia occured in the tank

- 6 days and no trace of nitrites (testing started 6 days ago when bought test kit)

It would appear my tank is cycling from scratch.

I believe when I added the cartridges and the sock of gravel from other tanks I did NOT add dechlorinator. I don't think I would have because of no fish. :oops: Therefore, wouldn't putting those items in water that didn't get treated kill any beneficial bacteria????

Thanks,

Caper :facepalm:

[GrahamC]

Sounds correct.

[Caper]

Thanks for the confirmation GrahamC!

I was adding the dechlorinator the other day and started to wonder if I added it when adding the "stuff" from the other tanks.

Well, at least now it makes sense why things are just starting! :facepalm: :facepalm:

Caper

[Caper]

Hi all!

- 28 days since fish added

- third day of ammonia = 1

- nitrites = 0

Shouldn't I be getting traces of nitrites by now??? Don't you think??? :dunno:

Thanks,

Caper :-?

[GrahamC]

One would think so.

Just remind us, what temperature are you running this tank at? And what is in it, are they still okay?

[Caper]

Thanks GrahamC!

76F

4 platties

started to note when feeding - only fed little twice in the last week

They "appear" ok, swimming around, eating when fed...no "visible" signs of stress that I can see.

-water change

-add dechlorinator directly to tank because I use aqua vac to remove/add water

Way back when I was given the aqua vac, I emailed the company that makes the decholinator. Explained how I was adding water to the tank. Emailed back that the Aqua Safe when added to the water (in tank) should instantly make the tap water alright. BUT back then, the tanks were cycled. Do you think this could be an issue???

I thought for sure when I saw the ammonia go up that I'd start seeing nitrites...ohhhh!

To remove chlorine, chloramines, and heavy metals, add either Aquasafe or Aquasafe Plus to your new water prior to placing it in the tank. Your water will be safe to add after 2-3 minutes.

Just read this on the Tetra website. Sure wish I still had that email :evil:

Caper

[GrahamC]

I don't know what an aqua vac is but there's no way any dechlorinator can instantly remove chlorine. It has to be mixed into the tank so it has a chance to neutralize the chlorine. So, it is possible your method is stopping the biological filter from being established.

I add dechlorinator into the new bucket of water first, give it a mix, and then put into the tank by siphon. Mostly I use buckets of aged water that have been sitting outside for day, or week, which has most of the chlorine degassed naturally. If your water company uses chloramines, this won't help that much.

So, my suggestion is to use aged dechlorinated water for the PWCs, and see if your biological filter can get started.

[Caper]

Sorry, Aqua Vac is a vacuum that attaches directly to the tap (haven't been vacuuming just using to remove/add water at this point).

I have been using this for a few years now BUT the tanks were cycled. Add the dechlorinator, then turn on the tap. I even checked my other 29 gallon the other day for ammonia and it was 0. But do you think that's what could be making the difference, this tank IS NOT cycled???

Ok, so it's been a long time since I used buckets or jugs for water changes. Only 4 gallon jug with dechlorinator added for top ups.

I have 3 buckets that are only used for the fish tanks. They hold 9l/2 gallons. So, I will just use the small vac to take the water out (also to judge how much I need to take out this way :-?, any suggestions???????? ). Once I remove the water, I can refill the bucket (s) and add the dechlorinator. Leave it/them sit for about 5 minutes then add. Does this all make sense :dunno:

Thanks again!

Caper