Question about Cycling

[Klane]

Okay, the SpongeBob tank is about 4 weeks old and the Danios are doing
fine. I feed the fish once a day and change the water about every 5
days (50%).

Testing the water the pH is fine, the amonia is very low (almost at 0)
but my Nitrites are very high, over 50, and the Nitrates are very low.
Do I do anything different or do I just wait because it's normal for a
new tank.

We are also going to break down and get a bigger tank, either 10 or 20
gallons, I have a corner that it will fit with a little moving around.
Do I transfer the gravel into that tank to help it cycle? If so do I do
that right away or wait until I add the fish. Will I have to cycle all
over again? Should I make up the tank and let it run for a few days
first before I transfer Boo and Yah?

Thanks a lot for your help,
Klane

[Billy]

"Klane" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Okay, the SpongeBob tank is about 4 weeks old and the Danios are
> doing
> fine. I feed the fish once a day and change the water about every 5
> days (50%).
>

Sounds like you're doing things right. 50% every 5 days seems a bit
extreme though.


> Testing the water the pH is fine, the amonia is very low (almost at
> 0)
> but my Nitrites are very high, over 50, and the Nitrates are very
> low.
> Do I do anything different or do I just wait because it's normal
> for a
> new tank.

A fully cycled tank shouldn't have more than a TRACE of ammonia and
nitrite, and that's only on a high quality test kit. What kind of
filter does the spongebob tank have? Are you doing anything to it? My
advice would be to leave all filter media alone, do small water
changes as needed every couple days to keep nitrite down. Until that
nitrite goes down, the tank isn't cycled. How much are you feeding?
Are there any other inhabitants other than a pair of danios? What
size is the spongebob tank? 50 nitrite seems darn high for a small
tank to build up with 50% water changes.

>
> We are also going to break down and get a bigger tank, either 10 or
> 20
> gallons, I have a corner that it will fit with a little moving
> around.
> Do I transfer the gravel into that tank to help it cycle? If so do
> I do
> that right away or wait until I add the fish. Will I have to cycle
> all
> over again? Should I make up the tank and let it run for a few days
> first before I transfer Boo and Yah?

Whatever filter you decide to put on the new tank, remove the media
from that filter and stuff it in the Spongebob filter(with the
spongebob media), or the tank itself, or as much of the media as you
can fit in there. Set up the new tank as you wish, then after the new
media has been 'aging' for a couple days, switch things over. Moving
as much of the old tank's contents ensures you're getting a good
amount of the bacteria you need to keep the tank cycled.
However, I wouldn't do any of this until you get that Spongebob
tank cycled.

billy

[papalulu]

"Klane" wrote in message
oups.com...
Okay, the SpongeBob tank is about 4 weeks old and the Danios are
doing
fine. I feed the fish once a day and change the water about every 5
days (50%).


Sounds like you're doing things right. 50% every 5 days seems a bit
extreme though.


Testing the water the pH is fine, the amonia is very low (almost at
0)
but my Nitrites are very high, over 50, and the Nitrates are very
low.
Do I do anything different or do I just wait because it's normal
for a
new tank.

A fully cycled tank shouldn't have more than a TRACE of ammonia and
nitrite, and that's only on a high quality test kit. What kind of
filter does the spongebob tank have? Are you doing anything to it? My
advice would be to leave all filter media alone, do small water
changes as needed every couple days to keep nitrite down. Until that
nitrite goes down, the tank isn't cycled. How much are you feeding?
Are there any other inhabitants other than a pair of danios? What
size is the spongebob tank? 50 nitrite seems darn high for a small
tank to build up with 50% water changes.


We are also going to break down and get a bigger tank, either 10 or
20
gallons, I have a corner that it will fit with a little moving
around.
Do I transfer the gravel into that tank to help it cycle? If so do
I do
that right away or wait until I add the fish. Will I have to cycle
all
over again? Should I make up the tank and let it run for a few days
first before I transfer Boo and Yah?

Whatever filter you decide to put on the new tank, remove the media
from that filter and stuff it in the Spongebob filter(with the
spongebob media), or the tank itself, or as much of the media as you
can fit in there. Set up the new tank as you wish, then after the new
media has been 'aging' for a couple days, switch things over. Moving
as much of the old tank's contents ensures you're getting a good
amount of the bacteria you need to keep the tank cycled.
However, I wouldn't do any of this until you get that Spongebob
tank cycled.

billy

The bacteria needed to convert Ammonia to nitrite will kick in first, (the reading for ammonia will deminish and nitrite will rise) next the bacteria (bacterium?) needed to convert the nitite to less harmfull nitrate will take over at this point (Ammonia levels zero and nitrite levels reduce, nitrate levels increase) this should be starting to happen by the third week. Keep nitrite levels below 10 during this period by changing 20/30% water. Nitrates are generally safe upto 40ppm so less frequent water changes are needed once the cycle has completed. Remember to clean filter media in the water you remove from the tank not under the tap.
Good luck
Steve

[papalulu]

"Klane" wrote in message
oups.com...
Okay, the SpongeBob tank is about 4 weeks old and the Danios are
doing
fine. I feed the fish once a day and change the water about every 5
days (50%).


Sounds like you're doing things right. 50% every 5 days seems a bit
extreme though.


Testing the water the pH is fine, the amonia is very low (almost at
0)
but my Nitrites are very high, over 50, and the Nitrates are very
low.
Do I do anything different or do I just wait because it's normal
for a
new tank.

A fully cycled tank shouldn't have more than a TRACE of ammonia and
nitrite, and that's only on a high quality test kit. What kind of
filter does the spongebob tank have? Are you doing anything to it? My
advice would be to leave all filter media alone, do small water
changes as needed every couple days to keep nitrite down. Until that
nitrite goes down, the tank isn't cycled. How much are you feeding?
Are there any other inhabitants other than a pair of danios? What
size is the spongebob tank? 50 nitrite seems darn high for a small
tank to build up with 50% water changes.


We are also going to break down and get a bigger tank, either 10 or
20
gallons, I have a corner that it will fit with a little moving
around.
Do I transfer the gravel into that tank to help it cycle? If so do
I do
that right away or wait until I add the fish. Will I have to cycle
all
over again? Should I make up the tank and let it run for a few days
first before I transfer Boo and Yah?

Whatever filter you decide to put on the new tank, remove the media
from that filter and stuff it in the Spongebob filter(with the
spongebob media), or the tank itself, or as much of the media as you
can fit in there. Set up the new tank as you wish, then after the new
media has been 'aging' for a couple days, switch things over. Moving
as much of the old tank's contents ensures you're getting a good
amount of the bacteria you need to keep the tank cycled.
However, I wouldn't do any of this until you get that Spongebob
tank cycled.

billy

The bacteria needed to convert Ammonia to nitrite will kick in first, (the reading for ammonia will deminish and nitrite will rise) next the bacteria (bacterium?) needed to convert the nitrite to less harmfull nitrate will take over at this point (Ammonia levels zero and nitrite levels reduce, nitrate levels increase) this should be starting to happen by the third or fourth week. Keep nitrite levels below 10 during this period by changing 20/30% water. Nitrates are generally safe upto 40ppm so less frequent water changes are needed once the cycle has completed. Remember to clean filter media in the water you remove from the tank not under the tap.
Good luck
Steve

[Klane]

Tried answering this earlier but Google ate it.

The tank is 1.8 gallons and we've had it for about 4 weeks. There are
only two Zebra Danios and two silk plants in it. There is an under
gravel filter, bubble wall and a SpongeBob that came with it. The link
is

http://www.wonderfullywacky.com/spongebob-aquarium.htm

Someone on this list suggested that I add more gravel because it barely
covered the bottom. (They had one so they knew right away what I had.)
I did this when the tank was 2 weeks old.

I tested the water with a Master Test Kit

http://shop.petsmart.com/product/2534374302023693/282574488339117/845524441776772.htm

Thanks,
Kay

[Klane]

The bacteria needed to convert Ammonia to nitrite will kick in first,
(the reading for ammonia will deminish and nitrite will rise)


Maybe this is what is happening, the Ammonia level being low but
the Nitrite level being very high.

Thanks,
Kay

[Billy]

"Klane" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks,
> Kay
>

Okay, so you're still in mid-cycle. Keep to the water changes, and
don't fool with the filter for fear of disrupting the bacteria
colonies forming in there.

Good Luck!

b

[Elaine T]

Klane wrote:
> Okay, the SpongeBob tank is about 4 weeks old and the Danios are doing
> fine. I feed the fish once a day and change the water about every 5
> days (50%).
>
> Testing the water the pH is fine, the amonia is very low (almost at 0)
> but my Nitrites are very high, over 50, and the Nitrates are very low.
> Do I do anything different or do I just wait because it's normal for a
> new tank.
>
> We are also going to break down and get a bigger tank, either 10 or 20
> gallons, I have a corner that it will fit with a little moving around.
> Do I transfer the gravel into that tank to help it cycle? If so do I do
> that right away or wait until I add the fish. Will I have to cycle all
> over again? Should I make up the tank and let it run for a few days
> first before I transfer Boo and Yah?
>
> Thanks a lot for your help,
> Klane
>
Your cycle is going well. As Billy said, keep up with the water
changes. Also keep a teaspoon of pickling or aquarium salt per gallon
in the water while you have nitrites. It will make the fish more
comfortable by making the nitrite less toxic.

Go for 20 gallons rather than 10 if you have the space. The bigger a
tank is, the easier it is to keep healthy. Definately transfer your
gravel with the bacteria into the new tank. It may cycle a bit but not
as badly as your first tank.

Set the new tank up, fill it with dechlorinated/dechloraminated water
and run it empty overnight to be sure there are no leaks and the heater,
filter, and lighting all work. Check your temps and make any
adjustments. Look carefully for leaks at the seams and around the trim
at the top and bottom of the tank. Once everything is set, add the old
gravel from the Sponge Bob tank, Boo, and Yah at the same time.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com