Possible cycling? Is this too dangerous?

[Rachel0825]

Hi there.   It’s me again.   Worried betta fish mama.   I need to just get my specs on my name signature like yall do but I can’t figure out how to.  😂

Fluval 5 gal Spec

betta and a snail and baby pleco

been running since Jan, fish added now 3 weeks

planted tank

Easy green fertilizer    Been using API stress coat +, this week I got Seachem Prime and I have API bacteria starter and I have added small tiny bits of baking soda this week as my alkalinity is low. 
 

ok.  My nitrites have me in panic mode.   This week I have been testing and my nitrites are in the mid to dark pink mode.  I’ve been doing daily water changes and adding the additives back in.  The nitrates seem to be coming up.  The alkaline is somewhat creeping up.  I test twice a day.  Or more.  Lol.  
 

Have I been doing too many water changes?   Do I need to continue them?   Is it cycling now?   My tank is at work.  Will it be ok over the weekend or do I need to come water change?  
 

I wanna make sure my little groupies are ok.  
 

😬😬😬🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[Tony s]

you need to be a bit careful here. Nitrites are more poisonous than ammonia. It means you're partially cycled. For you, no such thing as too many water changes. bacteria live on the tank surface. water changes won't do anything to them. but you got to get the nitrates way down. If your going to be gone all weekend do as many water changes as you can before you go. then dechlorinate with your prime

[JettsPapa]

On 6/7/2024 at 11:28 AM, Rachel0825 said:

Hi there.   It’s me again.   Worried betta fish mama.   I need to just get my specs on my name signature like yall do but I can’t figure out how to.  😂

Click on your icon to go to your home page.  Click on Account Settings near the top right corner.

Then click on Signature on the left side.

[Pepere]

The bacteria that convert nitrites to nitrate take much longer to grow and establish than the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite.,, my experience is that it took weeks longer…

 

As mentioned water changes will not cause loss of bacteria as they exist mostly on surfaces…  I would continue with them..

 

if you have no plants in your tank you can add aquarium salt at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons of water to reduce nitrite toxicity.

 

 

[Rachel0825]

@Tony s ok.  Thank you.   I have already prepared more water and was contemplating doing another water change this afternoon.  So. Ok.  Thank you for confirming.   My poor little guy.  Ok so it does seem like we are cycling?   So it’s not necessarily (hopefully) something I am doing.   😥

[Tony s]

On 6/7/2024 at 2:21 PM, Pepere said:

my experience is that it took weeks longer…

Yes it does it’s a different species than ammonia bacteria. Plus it’s starting behind 

[Rachel0825]

@Pepere I do have plants so I’ll stick with my water changes and power through this.  I hope.   🙏🏻  thank you 

[Tony s]

On 6/7/2024 at 2:43 PM, Rachel0825 said:

So it’s not necessarily (hopefully) something I am doing.   😥

If you’re ammonia is zero you’re exactly in the middle of cycling 

You’re doing fine. But now in the middle of a fish in cycle. Requires constant water changes to keep your levels safe 

[Rachel0825]

On 6/7/2024 at 2:44 PM, Tony s said:

If you’re ammonia is zero you’re exactly in the middle of cycling 

Ok 🙏🏻👍🏻 yes.  My ammonia is right where it should be.   Ok well I feel a little relieved.   I’ll do a water change in a bit and check again before I leave work.  

Aaaaaaah @JettsPapa I found it.  Thank you so much!!   🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 yay.  It’s the little things……… 😂

[Airborne 82nd]

@Rachel0825 and anyone who can help me understand this cycle. I know there is no set time for a cycle just to many variables for different tanks. But with that said this tank was setup in Jan. with fish in 3 weeks ago. So it looks like you started a fishless cycle with plants. Did your test tell you the cycle was complete 3 weeks ago? Or did you just decide to change over to a fishin cycle? I've never had live plants so that is why I'm asking do plants have something to do with it?  I like plant but my Oscar does not.

 I also set my tank up in Jan. Did a fishless cycle with ammonia. On April week two my ammonia=0 TrItes=0 and TrAtes=160 So I fed the tank 2ppm ammonia 24hrs. later no ammonia no Trites did a large water change to get TrAtes to 10ppm added fish. I'm just telling you this to show how I determined to add fish.

[Tony s]

On 6/7/2024 at 3:45 PM, Airborne 82nd said:

I've never had live plants so that is why I'm asking do plants have something to do with it

plants are supposed to have a supply of the bacteria with them. which can start a cycle. sometimes it doesn't, but then sometimes cycles fail just because they feel like it. 

 

On 6/7/2024 at 3:45 PM, Airborne 82nd said:

I like plant but my Oscar does not

you did not ask Oscar. I'm very sure he does like plant. they're either salad or play toys 🤣

[Airborne 82nd]

Both😀 So if you have plants is there no need to feed ammonia? What feeds the bb to get the cycle going decomp?

[Pepere]

Plants may help seed beneficial bacteria into the tank. You do need to add an ammonia source though for the beneficial bacteria to grow.  It can be ghostfeeding, ammonia drops, or a few live fish with ter chnges to ensure ammoni levls or nitrite levels dont get too high…

Edited June 7 by Pepere

[Rachel0825]

🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻  UPDATE

 

I think it’s cycled.   It sure appears that way.   Am I correct?  Lol.   I did go yesterday and changed water…….and this am I went and tested the water and my nitrites were perfect.  
 

I didn’t do a water change.  I didn’t add any chemicals so I will retest in the am.   
 

But I am so relieved.    Do we agree I should be good now?   Lol. 👍🏻🙏🏻☺️

[CoryWithAKatana]

0 nitrites and nitrates looks cycled to me 

[Tony s]

I like to see some level of nitrate before I’d call it cycled. That’s the end product of the cycle. If you don’t see any, it’s quite possibly not cycled 

[Rachel0825]

Ok.  Well I’m still working on it.   But those nitrite levels had me super worried.  But we are getting there.   I think this is a great step towards being a smooth future 👍🏻
 

I am so grateful and thankful for all of your opinions and suggestions.   
 

I will keep everyone posted and asking questions I am sure 😂😂🙏🏻

[Tony s]

On 6/9/2024 at 2:31 PM, Rachel0825 said:

  But those nitrite levels had me super worried

Yeah. That’s what you’re working towards 0 ammonia. 0 nitrites. And some nitrates 

[Airborne 82nd]

I agree with Tony s where are the nitrAtes? It may take longer for these guys to show up on your test. I think you are close. Wait a minute I see you did a water change maybe that is where your nitrAtes went. Did you test before or after the water change?

[sumplkrum]

It could be the plants eating them. If there's no ammonia in the tank, they'll switch to processing the nitrates.
Along with the water changes it could be that there's not much for them to eat yet.

[Rachel0825]

Well.  That test was taken with no water change.  Saturday my tests were better than the week.   Sunday I went to work and tested and that was the results and since they looked good I didn’t do a water change.  
 

I do have quite a bit of plants - Anubias and Java Fern.    I just ordered some potassium today and have been dosing with my Easy Green every water change and this am, without a water change.  
 

To increase the nitrates, I keep adding EG and is there anything else I can do or just wait in time?

[Tony s]

On 6/10/2024 at 8:55 PM, Rachel0825 said:

keep adding EG and is there anything else I can do or just wait in time?

Cycling is just a waiting game until the bacteria gets going. 

[Galabar]

Nitrites can last a while: