Help with cycle

[duanes]

Since your tap has plenty of buffering capacity, it looks to me like the metabolism of the ammonia in the new cycle is eating it up. Once the cycle hits equilibrium, it should level off.
And yes, your cycle is still not complete, the nitrite reading tell the tale.
As an aside.
To maintain my buffering capacity goal (when I lived in the U.S.) I had to do 30%-40% water changes ever other day.
In summer when my garden needed more water, I wouldn't hesitate to do 30%-40% daily.

 

[Dwl0222]

Since your tap has plenty of buffering capacity, it looks to me like the metabolism of the ammonia in the new cycle is eating it up. Once the cycle hits equilibrium, it should level off.
And yes, your cycle is still not complete, the nitrite reading tell the tale.
As an aside.
To maintain my buffering capacity goal (when I lived in the U.S.) I had to do 30%-40% water changes ever other day.

Ok so if I’m following correctly....this is partly because of the Ammonium I’m dosing for the cycle? So once the cycle is done this might stop? I’ll do water changes more frequently during the cycle if need be...but strange that just a year or two ago I was able to get away with a water change every 7-10 days with no problems. I’m going to do a large water change again now....then dose ammonium to keep the cycle going...

 

[Dwl0222]

I did another large water change and dosed ammonium.
90 minutes later results as follows-
Ammonia 2.0
Nitrite 2-5
Ph 7.2-7.4
GH 11 drops
KH 7 drops

 

[Dwl0222]

duanes S skjl47 i think I’m ready....do a large water change to reduce nitrates, then add fish ASAP?

 

[tlindsey]

duanes S skjl47 i think I’m ready....do a large water change to reduce nitrates, then add fish ASAP? View attachment 1353809View attachment 1353807 View attachment 1353808

Yes just don't add too many fish at one time.

 

[Dwl0222]

Yes just don't add too many fish at one time.

Thanks, yup planning on adding 4-5 green swordtails. That’s not too much is it?

 

[tlindsey]

Thanks, yup planning on adding 4-5 green swordtails. That’s not too much is it?

No not at all.

 

[skjl47]

Yes just don't add too many fish at one time.

Hello; Yes this. Good luck.

One more thing to keep in mind four to six weeks down the road. The swordtails or whatever you add to the new setup will not have been in quarantine so in effect the display tank is doing double duty as a QT (quarantine tank).
Depending on your level of patience, you can of course slowly add some new fish a few at a time over the next several weeks or you can keep the 4-5 green swordtails for 4 to 6 weeks without adding any new fish.

One procedure gets you to the display tank with your desired fish sooner but with some risk. That risk being the chance some disease or parasite introduced to the main tank. As careful as you have so far been I bring this up for consideration. A disease in a main tank is more of a hassle to treat compared to having a QT.

You are now in a position to start a QT. That way you can home any new fish in the QT for a few weeks and keep the main tank healthy. One thing you can do is to get a couple of sponge filters and either run them in the main tank or as I do, keep the sponge base in my filter body. Either way it will take a few weeks for the sponge to house some of the bb.
I keep a couple of smaller tanks around to use as a QT or a hospital tank. When I get some new fish they stay in the QT for at least four weeks. Some go longer than that in a QT. Six months is also reported when big tanks and very expensive fish are involved.

In summary I am suggesting you get a QT. Lots of ways to do this.

 

[Dwl0222]

Hello; Yes this. Good luck.

One more thing to keep in mind four to six weeks down the road. The swordtails or whatever you add to the new setup will not have been in quarantine so in effect the display tank is doing double duty as a QT (quarantine tank).
Depending on your level of patience, you can of course slowly add some new fish a few at a time over the next several weeks or you can keep the 4-5 green swordtails for 4 to 6 weeks without adding any new fish.

One procedure gets you to the display tank with your desired fish sooner but with some risk. That risk being the chance some disease or parasite introduced to the main tank. As careful as you have so far been I bring this up for consideration. A disease in a main tank is more of a hassle to treat compared to having a QT.

You are now in a position to start a QT. That way you can home any new fish in the QT for a few weeks and keep the main tank healthy. One thing you can do is to get a couple of sponge filters and either run them in the main tank or as I do, keep the sponge base in my filter body. Either way it will take a few weeks for the sponge to house some of the bb.
I keep a couple of smaller tanks around to use as a QT or a hospital tank. When I get some new fish they stay in the QT for at least four weeks. Some go longer than that in a QT. Six months is also reported when big tanks and very expensive fish are involved.

In summary I am suggesting you get a QT. Lots of ways to do this.

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have some tanks laying around....a 40 Breeder, 29, 20 long and a 10 gallon. I will do as you said and keep a sponge or something in my AC110 and have it ready for a QT tank.

 

[Dwl0222]

Actually what I may do is just buy a small filter like an AC20 etc...use the bio media that comes with it in the show tank filter, then if and when I need the QT tank I can just throw that in the AC20 and I’m ready to go