# Awkward situation with THE CYCLE



## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

So I have an issue. My tank is (hopefully) gonna start cycling soon(I got carried away with the whole fish thing and didn't know about the nitrogen cycle until after they were in for like a week). I put in a bottle of the SafeStart over the weekend. The ammonia levels are at at least 1.0 ppm. But the problem is, one of the fish is pregnant. So, my question is if I buy a 5 gallon and try to put it through a fish-less cycle and let the cycle finish then, take the substrate from the 5 gallon and put it into the 10G (has fish and plants in it), would it be faster do you think. I would probably use SafeStart in the fish-less cycle tank to speed things up. I need help because my male is definitely stressing and with the fry coming soon I want to have it ready. PLease help. Thanks


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

If you think your bigger tank can continue to cycle without a small portion of the bacteria colonies, take some filter media and/ or gravel from it and seed the new tank with it. Also add some TSS to the new tank and put the fish in it. Daily test your tanks and react accordingly.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Okay so you're saying get the 5G and put some substrate from the 10G into the 5G and some TSS. Then, put in the fish in the 5G to let them cycle it. The 10G also has like 15 "stems" of anacharis. Is this holding back the cycle?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Using TSS incorporated with the fishless cycle probably won't work.To fishless cycle you need to bring the ammonia up to 4 ppm.I think that would devastate the TSS bacteria.
I also don't think (at this point) you're going to fishless cycle faster(starting now) than if you just pay attention to your tank with fiish and the TSS.
Livebearers get pregnant every month so don't worry about the fry you don't even have yet.Pay attention to the fish you do.
I started with a couple pair of swordtails,I have over 400 right now.Take care of the adults,they'll take care of making fry.


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

Yes. You just plan to put one or two fish in the five gallon? You don't need much bacteria if so. So don't take too much substrate or filter media from the 10 gallon.

Not familiar with that plant bur can't imagine it is harming your cycle. Others can chime in on that.


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

Bandit makes a good point.

Trying to cycle two tanks at once is a big undertaking. I did it but I'm not always sane. ;-)

You should get your ammonia down to less than 1 ppm even 24 hours after changing out water and add a dosage of TSS. You will be cycled in no time.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Ok so I will probably just focus on the 10G. Should I just do PWC every other day or so to keep the ammonia from getting so high it kills the fish? Is there something I should get to keep the fish from stressing to much? Oh yeah, for like the past 4 days the levels have been 1.0, 0, 0, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate respectively.


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

I would do a big water change. Get that ammonia really low so it will still be under 1 ppm a day later, then add TSS.

Lowering the Ammonia is the best thing you can do to lower stress.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

If you put TSS in your tank last weekend then you need to test daily and don't let the ammonia go over 1.5,preferably under 1.Daily test and changing water to get ammonia corrected.That's all you need.The % of water you change is how much you will reduce ammonia.So lets say you have 1.5 ammonia,if you change 50%(5 gallons for your 10G) then your ammonia would be .75.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Ah I think I see. So I should keep ammonia under 1.0 so I don't kill the bacteria/fish.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

So since i lasted posted I have been doing water changes and added another bottle of safe start. I have been doing water tests for the past week and tested ammonia and nitrites. I figured if there wasnt any nitirtes, no reason to test nitrates right? Well I figured I would test them today and got about 0.5ppm ammonia(lower than the ~1.0 for the past few days), 0ppm nitrites and looks like I have some nitrates. the test is between yellow and orange not just yellow. What might be going on?
Pic


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle


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## Ekiel (Apr 25, 2013)

Because you add cultures of both ammonia and nitrite fixing bacteria to the tank when you use TSS, cycling isn't a staggered process, like in a cycle without inoculation. The nitrite fixing bacteria tend to remove the nitrites from the water before they becomes noticeable on a test. This is a good thing, don't worry.

Source: personal experience from using TSS and deductive reasoning.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

What ever is going on you seem to very close to cycled.If the ammonia is under 1 just let it be.You do indeed show nitrAtes which would be a strong indicator of the right thing happening.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks. I'll keep a close eye on it. I hope it gets done soon because in a week or so I could have little fry. O.O


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Ok so an update and a question. My ammonia is still around 0.25-0.5ppm and I am doing daily water changes w/ vacuum(like 40-50%). Nitrates are less than 10ppm and nitrites haven't showed up at all. Every day when I come back it is back around the same level. It has been a while so what is going on? I am feeling bad that the fish and ~20fry have to deal with this. Could I just put in ammo-lock so its not as harmful. I feel like the tank is cycled but ammonia is coming from somewhere. Could maybe some of the plants be causing it? They are like 95% green so I don't think that is it. Also, my number one idea is the stuff in the filter is causing all the problems. Should I get a new one? I am afraid of losing my bacteria cause I have to move the fish ~10mins away on friday. Any opinions?

Here is the filter pic. It looks pretty cruddy.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Rinse filter in existing tank water during next waterchange.You won't kill or lose any bacteria that way.If you can fit(cram in) a second filter cartridge after the first then in a week or so(maybe 2) you can discard filter cartridge #1 and run with added cartridge and still have the beneficial bacteria you and your fish need.
Skip a day of waterchanges and run all test.You DON'T need to see any nitrItes if you have nitrAtes,so you may well be cyled(at least very,very close.
Don't change water for a day test and post results.
Often .25 reading on ammonia can be a false result and since you are getting nitrAtes I'm going to lean that way or at least say you should be fine waiting a day or two without waterchanges.
Post your results after skipping a day and don't change unless smeone says to.
Thanks,you're doing great!


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Ok so I got another filter and fit it in the box next to the other one. Also, I did not do a water change yesterday. And the results are the ammonia did not get any worse. Could I be getting a false test like you said? Could that nasty filter just be putting it into the water?


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

If you get more than one result of ammonia present in the tank, I doubt it's a false reading. More than likely, you just don't quite have enough of the bacteria which are converting the ammonia yet. 

So keep changing water to minimize the ammonia poisoning and keep testing. You'll get 0 ammonia readings very soon, I'd bet on it.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Yeah I also think its the old filter cause it reeks. It is the original one and I am pretty sure I over-fed in the beginning. I have a handle on it now though. Ill see what happens in like two weeks after I can take out the nasty filter.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

I did it! I tested the water this morning 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, ~20ppm nitrates. It is COMPLETE. *w3 Thanks everyone for the help. Now I can enjoy the tank and stop having to worry about the ammonia.


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## Arklatex (May 16, 2013)

coralbandit said:


> I started with a couple pair of swordtails,I have over 400 right now.Take care of the adults,they'll take care of making fry.


*r2

I wouldn't get rid of that filter media. That's where a lot of your BB is.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Yeah I kept the old filter in and just squeezed in the new one. I also cut off a piece and put into the AC


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