Nitrite and nitrate through the roof during cycle

Request information on fish, plants or other aquarium issues.
Louis287
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:06 am
Been liked: 7 times

@plankton i gave my sand a good vacuuming the other day during the 4 water changes but not sure if it’s done enough I’m 36 hours in after dosing to 1ppm after water changes and the nitrites seem to be lowering slowly on there own this is this mornings test. I won’t be dosing to 1ppm again untill this reaches 0


Image
Louis287
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:06 am
Been liked: 7 times

So went to my local LFS store this morning and took some test water with me for me to double check my water and get advice and also share my experience during this cycle and the lady in the shop was shocked by my results and for how long it had taken and she said my ph should be nowhere near where it was and asked about my tank/substrate etc and she told me to start again to buy new sand and she also let me have a filter sponge some water and some ceramics out of one of the shops filter systems to place in my tank so I’ve restarted my tank with new media new water and new sand so hopefully will be able to get up and running soon!
User avatar
VikingMummy2015
TOTM Winner
TOTM Winner
Posts: 2663
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:40 am
Has liked: 845 times
Been liked: 1818 times

Remember to add ammonia to feed the filter. Helpful lfs and 🤞🏻. I don’t remember seeing your pH or other parameters
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.

Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
User avatar
black ghost
Posting Legend
Posts: 3528
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 23:57 pm
Has liked: 308 times
Been liked: 1387 times

Hmmm. Is the shop disease-free?
User avatar
VikingMummy2015
TOTM Winner
TOTM Winner
Posts: 2663
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:40 am
Has liked: 845 times
Been liked: 1818 times

Curious (and wondering why we - the forum - haven’t asked as much as we usually do). Possibly we assumed a lot, plus busy over Christmas etc. I think the fact you mentioned ammonia rather than specifically Dr Tim’s (just mentioned here and there) has added to the confusion as the dosing is different I think.

So: what is the actual tank. Model and size? I remember it’s a small Ciano filter for up to 80L?
Sand: what did you have and what have you replaced it with?
Other decor: any rocks or plants, real or fake?
Water parameters: readings out the tap and what’s your hardness/kH (either test kit if you have or from water supplier)?

Plankton did ask about pH at one point but got no response.
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.

Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
Louis287
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:06 am
Been liked: 7 times

Okay so here’s all the information I have got.

- tank is a Ciano aqua 60+ Which is 65L and the dimensions are 600x300x350

-I bought pettex aqua sand in white off Amazon (which admittedly was a rush Job else I would of bought from my LFS) I now have changed it to aquasubtrate white sand from my Maidenhead aquatics shop!

I had some slate pieces that I made into like a cave which I’ve not replaced back in the tank yet and I also had some decorations which were like Roman ruins as was planning to make like an Atlantis themed aquarium as my nephew who is around a lot loves that kind of thing! Was perhaps looking at a more planted tank with driftwood and more natural tank for my next project!

-live plants have been on order but delayed because they didn’t actually have the stock and instead of going elsewhere I chose to support local snd wait for them to have stock!

Readings out of the tap are all 0ppm which is good as I’m using tap water! Water hardness is one I can only go on from Severn Trents quite which I’ll attach at the bottom in picture but the lady at Maidenhead today said it was moderately hard this area!

Ph on the normal ph test is 7.6
But on the high range it’s around 7.4

Originally used fish flake method which I really think I got wrong and over did it which was probably my downfall and then I added dr Tim’s one and only and then used dr Tim’s ammonia from there but think I just lost track of what was going on!

After my trip to the LFS today I replaced all the water and added new sand substrate and the ceramic pieces they provided me with which I’ll show you a picture of and also some filter sponge that I placed in my tank aswel as probably no more than a litre of water in the bag! They also told me to use these balls in the tank when I did the water change which I put 2 of in! I’ve redosed to 1/2ppm of ammonia and that’s it!





Image



Image



Image


Any other questions I’m more than happy to answer! Thanks
User avatar
Gingerlove05
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 6854
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 20:21 pm
Has liked: 5424 times
Been liked: 2667 times

I use the pure aquarium balls, they dont do much with regards to cycling, but they do seem to help keep the water clear :)
Your ph (which is 7.4 btw ;)) and water hardness are similar to mine (14.3dgh) :)
To the tune of “the saints go marching in”:
Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful, they’re white Welsh and fluffy! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful!
Image
Louis287
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:06 am
Been liked: 7 times

@Gingerlove05 what did you stock your tank with?
User avatar
VikingMummy2015
TOTM Winner
TOTM Winner
Posts: 2663
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:40 am
Has liked: 845 times
Been liked: 1818 times

If you can, put the sponge inside your filter for maximum benefit. If it doesn’t have a good flow of oxygen through it, the bacteria will just go dormant.

I suspect it’s been a combination of things. The Dr Tim’s one and only and their ammonia need dosing in particular ways. The sand and slate may not have been inert but I don’t think that would have stalled a cycle (I have no idea about higher pH/gH levels as my water is about as soft as it gets).
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.

Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
Louis287
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:06 am
Been liked: 7 times

@VikingMummy2015 i filled my filter with it they gave me a huge peice and the left over I just placed in the tank as I thought what harm could it do! Hopefully now I should be on the right track.
Post Reply