Kyra Burnside
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Posts posted by Kyra Burnside
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On 12/3/2021 at 7:46 PM, darkG said:
If nothing is very wrong, the bacteria will soon be there in numbers to take away that ammonia, it seems your nitrites are rising now, as they should.
I too added ammonia. (I still do, since I have no fish or other major nitrogen source.)
For how long has your tank been running?
Tank has been up and running for just about 2 months. I originally started ghost feeding it. Then I got 5 fish and they were in there for 3 weeks. I took the fish out when the cycle wasn't doing anything. I didn't have any nitrite. This whole week, starting from this Sunday, I've had the exact same numbers for ammonia and nitrite. Shouldn't it have done something more? It's a 40gal if that helps
On 12/3/2021 at 8:20 PM, Ken said:The time required to cycle an aquarium is measured in weeks, sometimes lots of weeks. Try just leaving it alone for 2-3 weeks. I don't even test for the first 5-6 weeks, doing so just makes me want interfere.
I do throw in a little pinch of food when I'm feeding the other tanks. I use ammonia to clean the kitchen, I can't imagine putting it in water I want to keep something alive in.
I'm just not sure I know why it's not doing anything. It's been up and running for just about 2 months. I was recommended by an axolotl breeder to dose in ammonia actually. I've followed everything that was recommended and still haven't seen any changes
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Hello hello!
So it's been about a week or so since I've last posted. I feel as if I've made little progress but am not getting very far with it.
I believe last week I had no nitrites and 2ppm of ammonia. The beginning of this week, I decided to take a bio-media bag out of my cycled tanks filter and plopped it into this newer tank. Everyday for the past week, I've tested for ammonia and nitrite. I've had the same numbers all week. 2ppm ammonia and around 0.50ppm of nitrite. I thought that it would have cycled the ammonia but it did not. I don't know why but I thought if I dosed in some more ammonia is would cycle. Don't ask. Sometimes I just do things. It clearly did not work. So now I'm back to having this same issue.
Why won't my tank cycle?
I've taken out the hide I had in it because I thought maybe it was effecting the cycle. Again I don't know why I thought that. I have 3 Java ferns and 3 lucky bamboos. I think in my previous post I was told to get more plants but my biggest concern is that this tank is for an axolotl. I fear that he will dig up the bottom substrate (very fine sand) and eat the fluval stratum I have in one spot under the sand. I did this on purpose for the fact that I'm anticipating him to dig around in the area I plan to feed him. I'm sure many know they're very messy altogether so I'm also trying to keep it easy to clean.
Anyways, I guess I'm asking again as to what I should do. I want to use the "more plants" situation as a last resort. I hope this all makes sense. Thank you in advance for helping out.
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@Beardedbillygoat1975 yeah that's fair. Thanks for your help again. I will let you know what happens in a couple weeks lol
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On 11/23/2021 at 1:58 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:
I would use 1 of 2 strategies.
1- a fishless cycle - feeding some fish food or ammonia source until you get nitrite and then nitrate until the ammonia and nitrite is gone and only nitrate remains. Then I add in a small number of fish. If I had Fritzyme or Turbostart available I’d use either of those as well.
2nd strategy is fish in deciding on a hardy species, cycling with plants for a couple week’s until I get nitrite and nitrate and minimal if not zero ammonia, water change and add in Fritzyme 7 and then drop the fish in. I then pretty much follow George Farmer’s strategy of water changes daily for a week, every other day for a week and then 2 x a week or based on readings from my test kit. I usually keep adding the Fritzyme with most water changes in the first couple weeks.
I also try to buy some hard scape out of my local fish stores tank- like wood with anubias on it - and that will also speed things up. I’ve also bought sponge filters and scoops of substrate from their tanks.
Ah yeah that's fair. I guess I'm just a little frustrated because my other tank is only 1 week older than this one. And it's already cycled. I couldn't tell you what I did to get it like that because quite honestly it felt like I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Then I went and got my water tested at a local shop and they told me it was good for fish. I had no plants. And I was ghost feeding it. And obviously I also put the fritz zyme 7 into it. It's been a process. But thank you very much for this information. I think I know what I need to do. I appreciate your help.
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On 11/22/2021 at 9:12 PM, HH Morant said:
I would suggest you read the aquariumscience.org articles regarding cycling.
This is very helpful. Thank you
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On 11/22/2021 at 8:32 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:
I’d say when you pulled the barbs if you didn’t immediately dose an ammonia source - say if you went 3 to 7 days without an ammonia source - you could have broken the cycle.
Axolotl’s are heavy waste producers so I think getting a good colony of beneficial bacteria is important.
If you have another tank going you have a source of cycling on hand. I’d take some substrate and media from your other tank and put them in the new tank. I’d use Fritz Zyme when you add in the Axolotl. I’d have test strips or a test kit on hand and I’d check daily after you add you mr Axolotl.
Id add more plants Java Ferns are slow growers and not great at pulling waste from the water column. Faster growers like pogostemon, wisteria, guppy grass and hornwort are a better choice in the beginning and keep the Java ferns around for the long term.
George Farmer advocates for 50% daily for the first week, 50% 3 x a week for the second, and 50% 2 x a week for the 3rd and 25-50% the 4th week depending on stock.
I think something like this could along with some dosing of Fritz Zyme with those water changes could build up BB quicker than your 3 month time frame.I appreciate your help, truly. Okay let's pretend for a minute. Say I don't have any other tanks. No fish. I'm starting from square one. What would be your first thing to do to start cycling a tank? Given that I have a sponge filter and 6 plants. What would you do.
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Any information about this will be helpful
I've had this 40gal aquatlantis tank running for a month and a half. Originally I had 5 gold barbs in it. They were doing fine. They are currently in my other tank. I'm trying to cycle this tank as I'm hoping to get an axolotl fairly soon. I've asked breeders as to what they would do to cycle the tank. I was told to take the fish out and dose in ammonia and max dose seachem stability everyday. I've been doing this for the past week. Supposedly this process should be the quickest to cycling the tank for an axolotl. But before doing this I was treating it with stability as stated on the bottle. I've never seen this tank show any readings for nitrite or nitrate. Currently I have 2ppm of ammonia and have not seen anything else.
I guess I'm asking for help on cycling this tank. I know it can take up to 3+ months. I'm just wondering what would be the best solution? This tank is running a sponge filter. It has 3 lucky bamboos. 2 Java ferns. I've used Fritz Zyme 7 and seachem flourish for the plants. Plants are doing fine as well. I'm not sure what else to mention. Hopefully this helps diagnose the problem a little. Thank you
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But my concern is that I've had my other tank next to it only 1 week longer and it's already cycled. I did the exact same things I did to this one as well. So it's just odd to me. I appreciate your help though. Thank you for taking time out of your day to help