Fishy Posted December 16, 2004 Report Share Posted December 16, 2004 Im on Day 9 of my cycle. (55g tank) Yesterday I had finally got a reading of 0.5 ppm of amnonia. Today no amnonia reading but my nitrites are at 1.0 ppm. Should I do a 10% water change to bring it down a little? Or is 1.0 ppm for nitrites nothing to worry about for now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 well I did a 20% W/C just to be sure. I'll post my next water tests tommorow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 I don't think nitrites at 1.0 ppm would do any harm and during the cycling process and until your nitrites are converted to nitrates you are or should always show some nitrites when you test. Water changes will reduce the nitrite concentration however will also delay the final cycling process. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 (edited) well the nitrites spiked quite rapidly. Is was hard to read the level with the colour chart but my best guess was at 1.0. I had a zero reading the day before. So I didn't want to take any chances with the fish even though they were cheap This was also my first W/C on this tank from the beggining of the cycle and don't plan on doing at lot of W/C while cyclying it. Only if I have spikes will I do it again. I don't think a 20% W/C will effect the length of my cyclying and if it did it would be very minimal. But thx for your input. Edited December 19, 2004 by Fishy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 Fishy, any chance of getting some filter media from someone to help the cycle along, or are you wanting to do the cycle with the fish? Either way works, just a preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 (edited) Im using Biozyme, and Seachem Stability. I have a magnum with a carbon insert and sponge, an AC200 with just foam, and a bio-wheel going. I no longer get amnonia results, just slight nitrites, and slight nitrates. Everything is going along smooth, 15 fish not 1 has been sick or died. Edited December 17, 2004 by Fishy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 (edited) Day 11 Amnonia - 0 Nitrites - 4.0 Nitrates between 50-80 ppm Did another 20% W/C and gravel clean. Fish still look healthy and active. i NEED to get a more accurate Nitrate test kit. This one from Hagen sucks. Very hard to determine the colour on the chart given. Anyone know of any superior test kits? Edited December 19, 2004 by Fishy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I just got a Seachem nitrate/nitrite kit along with an iron and phosphate kit. My Hagen kit measured 0 for nitrate, my seachem kit measured 40ppm. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 yeah im using a Hagan kit myself for nitrates and a kit from aquaruim pharma. inc for my nitrite. I was just wondering if there were better kits out there. I don't like the Hagan kit as the colour chart is very hard to read and get an accurate result. But maybe its just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 (edited) Day 12 Amnonia - 0 Nitrites - 1.5 Nitrates - 50 ppm (around) I think the last W/C helped as well as the gravel clean. Will check the media on all filters on Day 14 and rinse them in tank water. All fish are atill eating and looking healthy. Feed twice a day, small pinches, no food left over. Hopefully I get get this fully cycled by the end of the week from using this Seachem stability and Biozyme. Edited December 20, 2004 by Fishy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I wouldn't clean the filters untill the cycle is finished. Doing water changes should be enough to keep the levels down. You dont' want to rish hurting the bacteria in the media Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I agree with that, but i want to take the carbon out of the magnum and put in the micron-filter. The carbon was only there for the beggining in case there was anything in my water when I started. I still have the bio-wheel and the AC200 with just a sponge which I will leave. Have a question with the AC200.....Im just running it with 1 sponge, no carbon or anything else. Should I run it with 2 sponges or is it fine the way it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 2 sponges is better but i run some of my AC filters with only 1 sponge and they do ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted December 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 ok thx Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I find 2 sponges easier for cleaning, especially on tanks with only one filter. You can clean one sponge one week and the other sponge the next. That way if soemthign happens and you accidentally kill the bacteria off when cleaning you still have one good sponge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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