High ammonia, nitrites AND nitrates during cycling

[frogbit]

It will be easier for you to plant without much water in the tank. You don't have fish to worry about so a big water change would be OK

 

[Lindy]

I wouldn't worry about ph crashes as ada amazonia will buffer your ph. You will still see ammonia as the amazonia will still be leeching it out in large quantities. Sounds like you are doing everything right. Amazonia is great for cycling your filter.

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[3rdTimeLucky]

I wouldn't worry about ph crashes as ada amazonia will buffer your ph. You will still see ammonia as the amazonia will still be leeching it out in large quantities. Sounds like you are doing everything right. Amazonia is great for cycling your filter.

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Hi Lindy

thanks for your comments. I did a 90% water change yesterday, and planted semi-heavily. I thought i had ordered more plants, so not as heavily planted as I would have liked. I checked the water parameters just now (24 hrs later), and ammonia is around 2ppm, and nitres were nil. Hadn't expected the nitres to be nil so quickly. At what stage would you say it is safe to introduce some ottos and SAE? I can already see diatoms (not bothered about them, as i understand they'll disappear soon enough. But there is little bit of brush algae on the wood.

All the plants are low-tech (anubias, ferns etc.). I've set my lighting for 5 hours. Temp is 23 degrees.

I'll try and post some tank pictures tomorrow.

Thanks!

 

[Lindy]

I'd wait 3-4 weeks before adding anything.

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[3rdTimeLucky]

I've uploaded a new thread in the journals forum in case anyone is interested in it. Thanks for your help on the water chemistry stuff. If anything specific about the water comes up, I'll post it here, but will probably just keep most questions to the journal thread. Thanks again

 

[frogbit]

When you have 3 consecutive days of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite you can add fish. It took me 6 weeks to cycle my tank, you'll probably be a bit quicker. A big water change the night before fish shopping will be needed to reduce nitrates.

You need to research which fish suit your water. Otos need soft slightly acidic water, SAE can tolerate soft to moderate hardness, but I think your tank is on the small side for them.

Plants are important but the welfare of fish is paramount.

 

[3rdTimeLucky]

When you have 3 consecutive days of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite you can add fish. It took me 6 weeks to cycle my tank, you'll probably be a bit quicker. A big water change the night before fish shopping will be needed to reduce nitrates.

You need to research which fish suit your water. Otos need soft slightly acidic water, SAE can tolerate soft to moderate hardness, but I think your tank is on the small side for them.

Plants are important but the welfare of fish is paramount.

Thanks frogbit. I had nitrites back up at 5ppm today, so my excitement was premature.

In time I will be using RO water (I just don't have enough of it to fill the whole tank in one go - hence using tap water so far). Using RO for my future water changes should help me get conditions that are better for ottos. I've had SAE before, but admittedly that was in a 90cm long tank. I might consider young ones and then move them to a larger home in a couple of years. Not sure. I'm a little hesitant with ottos and shrimp because I want to keep open the option of a pair of angelfish. I'm not totally sure about them, but I think a pair could look good in a 60cm high tank. Ottos and shrimp would eventually become food for the Angels...

 

[3rdTimeLucky]

Hmmm...i seem to have seen no change at all in my test results. Still 2.0ppm ammonia, 5ppm nitrite, and 40/80ppm nitrate. Taking longer than i was expecting. I wonder if the test kit is dodgy. I have had it for years (opened), but it says it is still within its expiry date of Jan 2017.

 

[3rdTimeLucky]

After doing a very large water change and seeing practically no change in test results, i've decided to get some new test-kits, as I realised mine were 4 years old. I've read that this is pretty much at the end of their shelf-life. Hopefully this will bring me some good news, as i just find it strange that my results have hardly changed at all...

 

[EdwinK]

Check your old tests with tap water.

 

[pastu]

hi, 3rdtimelucky
i am cycling an acuarium wit ada amazonia substrate.
two weeks now, sky high ammonium, nitritres and nitrates ,at the beginning, which could not come from bacteria work. did a few water changes and at two weeks now, barely measurable nitrites and nitrates, and ammonia still sky high, beyond the capacity of my jbl test kit to measure.

i assume the soil contained nitrites and nitrates besides ammonia. now nitrites and nitrates have been washed out by the water changes.

and i am left with the ammonia whict is obviously still leaching out of the substrato

i believe that there is still no appreciable nitrifying bacterial activity since nitrites or nitrates are not appearing.

I have just planted heavily and added co2.
260 l tank, temp 27, ph 6
plants are pearling heavily, hopefully removing ammonia

 

[pastu]

three weeks into fishles cycling amazonia substrate, ammonia has come down to 3, nitrites and nitrates appeared.. cycling is started... no bacteria added

 

[Pikeferret]

I would like to say your first enquiry is to wait and see and keep testing the water. Personally I think it is cycling perfectly as from what you say. I wouldn't do any water changes whilst cycling, it will set your cycle from the beginning. I can't believe people on this forum would give that advice. The best advice I can give you in this hobby is PATIENCE. I use Fritz 7 when cycling, this can reduce cycling from 6-8 weeks to 2-4 weeks, however keep testing.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS. Would you like to tell us a bit about your planted tanks?

I would like to say your first enquiry is to wait

The thread is from 2016, so I'm going to guess that the wait has been long enough.

I wouldn't do any water changes whilst cycling, it will set your cycle from the beginning.

That just isn't true.

I can't believe people on this forum would give that advice.

I think we are quite good with our advice about tank maturity.

In terms of scientific research on nitrification, 2016 is the past and <"the past is a different country">. Have a look at <"Correspondence with Dr Ryan Newton - School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee"> & <"Correspondence with the Neufeld lab. University of Waterloo">.

I use Fritz 7 when cycling,

We have a thread for you <"Transfer moss with BGA to a clean tank ?">.

this can reduce cycling from 6-8 weeks to 2-4 weeks, however keep testing.

Have a look at <"Dark start vs old filter media?">.

cheers Darrel

 

[LMuhlen]

Thread starter was doing a dark start back in 2016, maybe the name hadn't catched yet.