Tropical Fish Keeping banner

high nitrites - did I start a new cycle?

2K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Hallyx 
#1 ·
Hi,

I have 2 molly's in a 10 gallon tank and added 3 danio glofish to the tank (I was told that was fine - correct or not - and that is what I did).

The tank was cycled before the molly's and stayed that way with these numbers:
ammonia 0.25 (really never ever goes lower)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

Then come the glofish and currently I have
Ammonia 0.25 (was 0.5 - I added more safestart which seems to have lowered it)
Nitrite 8 (as high as the test will show)
Nitrate (did not get to check yet)

When I first cycled the tank when the ammonia was 0.25 the nitrite was immediately zero (such that I wasn't sure the reagent was even working).

So...I guess the glofish induced some cycle where the bacteria are converting ammonia to nitrites but there are not enough bacteria to process the extra nitrite load?? Does that sound right?

While I am waiting for this situation to fix itself, do I need to do daily water changes?

Anything else I can do to help the situation?

Thanks!
Juggernaut
 
See less See more
#2 ·
So...I guess the glofish induced some cycle where the bacteria are converting ammonia to nitrites but there are not enough bacteria to process the extra nitrite load?? Does that sound right?
Yes, it sounds right, alright I don't think you were cycled to begin with. 5 glofish is a lot for a 10 gallon. As said in your other thread you are overstocked.

While I am waiting for this situation to fix itself, do I need to do daily water changes?
Yes, you need to be doing water changes daily.

Anything else I can do to help the situation?
I'm almost sure this isn't what you want to hear since this was the advice on your last thread about much the same thing (cycling issues), but you could return the fish. I'm not trying to jump on your case, but you are overstocked. You're allowed to make mistakes, everyone does. It's what you do about those mistakes that matters more.
 
#3 ·
Yes, it sounds right, alright I don't think you were cycled to begin with. 5 glofish is a lot for a 10 gallon. As said in your other thread you are overstocked.



Yes, you need to be doing water changes daily.



I'm almost sure this isn't what you want to hear since this was the advice on your last thread about much the same thing (cycling issues), but you could return the fish. I'm not trying to jump on your case, but you are overstocked. You're allowed to make mistakes, everyone does. It's what you do about those mistakes that matters more.
Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Just to clarify, if I need to return the fish, then what is the goal of the daily water changes? Or is there a chance that daily water changes will allow the tank to finish cycling while keeping the fish safe?

Thanks,
Juggernaut
 
#6 ·
Unfortunately, your tank seems to have perhaps never cycled, as any ammonia in the tank means that it hasn't finished. I'm not sure why that is, but bacteria can be a fickle thing. I agree with the advice blackwaterguy has given you.

As the the ammonia never lowering, have you checked your tap water for ammonia?
I'm sorry you've had so much trouble in this venture.

If you return the fish, we can suggest more suitable species (such as male guppies, a betta, etc.)
 
#8 ·
Could be...the tank had an ammonia level of 8 at the start....which then went down to 0.25 (my tap water is 0.25) after I added the starter bacteria, and zero nitrites and 20 nitrates....

hehe, this is actually going alot better than when we started with guppies (but we were even more ignorant then and the petstore people said we can just get started without cycling the tank) - 3 weeks for a fish is a record for us :)
 
#12 ·
Live sponge is an elaborate way of transferring nitrifying bacteria into your tank to cycle it. If you're satisfied your tank is cycled, you don't need it.

However, your tank sounds maxed out. Using a regular sponge filter gives your bacteria more area to grow into a bigger colony.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top