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Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 31/5/2018 9:40
Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #1
Hey all new member here needing help!

We recently moved and, finally, after years without a tank, the dream is real once again.

I'm in the process of cycling a Fluval Roma 125l using food. Using a Fluval U3 filter, 150w heater and Dorset pea gravel. No plants as yet.

It's been exactly one week since I started and the ammonia seems locked at 0.25ppm. It just will not go any higher. I've been adding food like a madman but it just will not increase the ammonia levels.

Now, I thought I should at least be seeing higher ammonia levels by now, given that it's been one week already. I should point out that something has been growing in the tank gravel; it looks a lot like water cress and was obviously already in the gravel when I bought it. I've been pulling it out as soon as I see it - could this explain why the ammonia hasn't raised higher or am I just about on track with the cycle?

Cheers.
Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 31/5/2018 9:55
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #2
Hi

Cycling with fish food really doesn't work. Food is formulated to resist breaking down in the water to prevent it polluting the tank once fish are in there so it's impossible to dose to the required level and keep it there with any speed or accuracy. Have a look at our article on fishless cycling: https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... hless-cycling-article.htm and get your self a bottle of household ammonia and you will succeed https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kleen-Off-500 ... T=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 31/5/2018 10:12
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #3
Hi Fishlady

What a waste of a week! If it speeds up the process then liquid ammonia is what I need.

Thanks for the links.
Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 19/6/2018 9:55
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #4
Thought i'd update this thread with my cycling progress, plus I have a further question about the cycling process.

I bought the Kleen Off ammonia (which is disgusting stuff btw, it smells like my nan's old perm packets just even stronger!). Anyway it's just under two weeks now since I added it, and I have nitrites, which is dead exciting, but my question is when exactly will the tank be cycled?

What I'm struggling with is at what point do I stop adding the ammonia? Do I stop immediately once nitrates spike? I can't quite fathom out what point I can actually say 'yes, that's it the tank is cycled, now I just wait for the ammonia and nitrite to completely disappear, then I can add fish'.

I hope that makes sense?
Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 19/6/2018 13:08
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #5
You keep dosing ammonia back up to your starting level whenever it falls (test every 24 hours at the same time). When you get to the point where both ammonia and nitrite read 0 within 24 hours of adding the ammonia, you are cycled. The do a big water change to reduce nitrate and you'll be ready for fish.
Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 20/6/2018 14:26
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #6
Brilliant thanks!
Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 28/6/2018 11:50
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #7
Yesterday I dosed the tank up to 3ppm of Ammonia, like I've been doing the past few days, but this morning I just tested the water and it registered both Ammonia and Nitrite as 0ppm.

I did a test for Nitrates, and compared it to the tap water, but it looked exactly the same to me, so it appears there is no extra Nitrates in the tank water.

Could the bacteria somehow have died during the last 24 hours? The tank has only been cycling for 3 weeks as of tomorrow, so it can't be cycled already. If it was Nitrates should be markedly higher surely?

Help!
fcmf fcmf
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  • Posted on: 28/6/2018 20:46
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #8
As I understand it, you need to dose with 3ppm again today, then re-test ammonia and nitrite 24 hours later; if, again, you get 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, then the cycle is complete.
Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 2/7/2018 13:02
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #9
URGENT ADVICE needed please...

I followed fmcf's advice and dosed the tank to 3ppm ammonia on Friday. Saturday morning both ammonia and nitrite read 0ppm. I did a ~25% water change in preparation for fish then went to my lfs and bought 5 platy's and a danio (which i didn't want but it ended up in the bag and they couldn't get it out so I paid a discount and bought it because the fish were getting stressed).

Yesterday morning one of the Platy's died, literally within half an hour of me first noticing it was swimming on its side. I took it out (there were no visible signs of trauma but I would say her stomach was a little larger than the others). Now the remaining platy's are spending a lot of time at the bottom of the tank but the danio is swimming along non-stop and looks to be ok.

I am hoping the death was isolated but am concerned about the platy's spending time at the bottom of the tank or hidden in the plants.

EDIT: I just checked water parameters and the nitrate test came out at 160ppm?! I am double checking it now but surely that can't be right? I last checked Saturday and it was 20-40ppm. I have fed them very little over the two days. I don't want to jump the gun and start changing water but I am worried now that something is wrong.

Any advice i'd be grateful for.
Fishyfishfish Fishyfishfish
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  • Posted on: 2/7/2018 13:24
Re: Tank cycling seems slow - help please. #10
Right tests for nitrate are 40ppm or 80ppm I honestly cannot tell the difference, it's definitely not 160ppm though I have tested twice more. I will do a partial water change just to be on the safe side in case that is the problem here but I'm hoping it's not new tank syndrome or something hideous.