oOMPHOo

First of All here is my tank...



Now here is my cycle progress:

30 gallon tank
Aquaclear 50 filter

August 31st.
Added 10 Zebra Danio's
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0


September 5th (5 days)
Lost 3 fish....still have 7 Zebra Danio's
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - .125 (between 0 and .25)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0


September 8th (8 days)
Added 6 fish -3 long fin danio's, and 3 priscillas? (clear / yellow fish) Total of 13 fish.
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - .125
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0


September 11th. (11 days)
Lost 1 long fin Danio - 12 fish left
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - .25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0


September 12th. (12 days)
pH- 7.6
Ammonia - .5
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0



September 14th. (14 days)
Added 1oz of BioSpira
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - 1
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0



September 15th (15 days)
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - .5
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate -0


September 16th (16 days)



September 17th. (17 days)
Ammonia - 1.0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0





So I am coming up on 3 weeks into the cycle. I am feeding the fish 3 times a day, and more than they can eat each time. I still have 12 live fish, all of them seem healthy. Ammonia has jumped up and down, but I have never had a Nitrite or Nitrate reading. Everywhere I have read claims that Bio Spira is actually beneficial bacteria that will help speed up your cycle....but it has not changed my cycle at all. The Bio Spira has been in for 4 days and nothing has changed at all. I know how the cycle works, and what to look for.....but 18 days and next to no changes at all! What am I doing wrong???

mike

your ph levels are to high 7.0 is were you need to be try some stuff called proper ph 7.0 its made by aquarium pharmaceuticals i have used it for as long as i can remember and its awsome, also use stress coat hopfully this will help you also feeding three times a day is a bit much if you do that you will end up with alot of wasted food and poor water quality i feed only at night. good luck

Jay

Hi oOMPHOo Welcome to the forum.

IMHO you have set your self up for some problems trying to cycle the tank as described. Please read the sticky articles on tank cycling. It is the cycling process that is killing your fish. and doing real harm to the survivors.

What test kits are you using? I agree, even though I do not agree with your method of cycling, that you should be seeing nitrites very soon.

All of that over feeding is going to come back and cause you some serious future problems.

Bio Spyra does work, not miracles, but it works. It is also very perishable, was it under refrigeration when you bought it. How did you lfs receive it, and store it? Do you know the bacteria is alive and well?

FYI a pH of 7.4 is NOT too high, however, it needs to be evaluated in the company of the KH GH readings and then compared to the water source in order to be meaningful.

IMO I would avoid adding any pH adjusters or water conditioners at this point.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Jay

oOMPHOo

I was advised to feed 3 times a day to add to the ammonia levels. I can cut that back. I am using the aquarium pharmaceuticals freshwater master test kit, the drops not the strips. I probably will not try and adjust my pH, from everything I have read a very stable pH is more important than a lower one that goes up and down. I guess what I need to know is where to go from here? Should I cut back the feedings, and just wait? Is it normal to have such minor water changes in 3 weeks? Is there something I can add or do to speed up the process?

The Bio Spira was refridgerated when I got it at the LFS, as far as I know it was always kept cold. I poured 1oz over my filter media while the filter was running. That was 5 days ago and I still show little to no Nitrite or Nitrate.

Jay

I think you are going to see nitrites in the next day or so. Each tank is different and the process can extend out to 4 - 5 weeks.

Yes cut back on the feeding it will do nothing but cause you a future problem there is enough ammonia to get things going.

Good call on the pH adjusters!

I can't see that you have any problem just be patient. Give it another week.

Regards,
Jay

oOMPHOo

Okay I did another test last night (The 19th). I am 20 days into my cycle, and the latest readings are:

pH - 7.6
Ammonia - .75 ( between .5 and 1)
Nitrite - .25
Nitrate - 5

Jay

Well good news

Off to a slow start but now it is happening!!

Jay

oOMPHOo

21 days into cycle:

Ammonia - 1
Nitrite - .5
Nitrate - 5