Odd readings on Cichlid tank

[BMac91]

Hey guys, it has been a while since I have been in the game but got back into it in January. I used to have a 125 gallon with a handful of 8-14" SA/CA Cichlids. Had it for about 1.5 years and moved so I had to get rid of it. Finally had a chance to get back in and did so.


Bit of info:
Age of tank: 1.5 months
Tank: 55 Gallon
Stock: 2" Oscar, 2" JD, 2" Texas, (4) 2" Giant Danios, (2) 4" Altifrons (Just added yesterday evening)
Filtration: 500 GPH Canister, 3 Gallon capacity

So here's the deal. I ordered the API Freshwater Master Kit to test parameters, same thing I used in the past, but had to get one that wasn't expired. I have been testing water since the beginning and had some low level ammonia (as expected) for the first few weeks. The ammonia numbers dropped to 0ppm but never saw nitrites or nitrates show up on the tests. Nitrites being 0ppm is a good thing I know, but Nitrates have yet to appear on tests. I have been doing roughly 60-80% WC and using prime as conditioner.

My initial thoughts were maybe the Nitrates test were bad, but just to be safe I tested again before I returned it. This time I used extra force when shaking up the Nitrates #2 bottle, have read it can be a pain to get the crystals off the walls, so I shook it very hard, banged it on some chairs in multiple directions and the sides of it, etc. Still got 0ppm. So, I exchanged for a whole new kit and still getting odd readings.

Present day, been about 9 days since WC, planned to do one this evening. As I mentioned earlier, I added the Altifrons yesterday evening and I wanted them to settle in a bit before doing the change. So I tested water before the WC and got the following:

pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

I know you can typically get ammonia spikes after adding new fish and it has been right at 24hrs since they were introduced. They ate the first night and nobody really appears to be stressed out, all members fins are good, colors look really great on all the fish, except the Altifrons, they are colorful but still seeming to adjust. All fish eat great and act happy with no pointers to any issues, I am just concerned about not getting a single positive Nitrate reading, which I have always known to be a huge indicator of a finally successful cycled tank. Now I am about to do a 75% change and test again.

But any ideas on why I haven't gotten any Nitrates even with ammonia readings and nitrites being 0ppm (other than after adding these new guys that are quite a bit larger than the others).

 

[BMac91]

Also, I meant to add, I am currently on the hunt for a 180/210 tank that these guys will move to in the next 2 or 3 months.

 

[Meekrakkin]

Not sure... I'd try a different test kit... at 6 weeks your tank should be good

 

[BMac91]

So, I have tried 2 brand new sets of the freshwater master kit, both of which have expiration dates that are over 6 months apart, so I assume they are not the same batch.

I changed about 75-80% of the water last night, will check it when I get in from work today, wanted to give it time to settle back in before I started checking things. All fish seemed healthy, swimming around great and begging for food as usual.

 

[cichlidfish]

Sounds like your tank never actual cycled. Did you use anything to jump start the cycling? If not then I would.
Also how much are you feeding? Is there any food left over? Over feeding can lead to high ammonia levels.
Doing the water changes are what is keeping the fish alive. They will out grow that tank soon, and you'll have to cycle a bigger tank.
Just some things that might help.

 

[flukekiller]

I agree.. I do not think your tank ever went through a cycle.. plus with water changes that large the cycle will be a long slow process

 

[convict360]

IMO as above posters stated, the tank hasn't cycled; ammonia has been controlled by WC.

You have some different options, one of which is converting the ammonia into ammonium with a suitable brand such as seachem; so that the BB builds up while fish are unaffected.

The reason you haven't seen stress, is that fish tend to display distress when ammonia levels get above 1ppm. Coincidentally, instant cycling products operate by keeping ammonia at this level, thus allowing the BB to build up, while keeping the fish alive. Depending on the sensitivity of the species of course.

 

[convict360]

Also, it will cycle eventually, just a lot slower than it would with smaller WC's.

 

[BMac91]

Thanks for all the replies, I had a feeling that maybe it never did fully cycle after I was getting the same readings over and over, especially with the new readings. I checked again this evening and Ammonia is 0ppm after being 24hrs since last water change.

My initial start process was a 37 gallon bow front that I tossed 4 large danios in and used some of the "BIo start" from Petco thinking maybe it would assist in the process. I had an aqua clear 70 running out on it, with 2 bags of bio rings in it. After about 3 weeks in the 37 gallon, I moved to the 55gallon and moved those bio rings over from the aqua clear to the canister filter along with 2 additional bags of bio rings. I also moved gravel from 37 gallon ove as well. After about another week from moving to the 55 is when I got the Oscar and the jack Dempsey, it was just those guys for another 2 weeks and then added the Texas cichlid last Wednesday and then added the Altifrons on Saturday.

Also, I counted back to the last water change, it was about 12-13 days actually between water changes. Since these guys are smaller, I have been actually feeding sometimes 2 times a day, frozen bloodworms, freeze dried bloodworms, Hikari Cichlid Gold medium pellets, and some marine land cichlid flakes for the smaller guys. They don't frequently leave any of the food laying around and if they do it doesn't last very long, these fish are the hungriest fish I have ever had, especially at this age. I guess where I am getting at with all of this, I figured if it wasn't cycled that the ammonia levels would have been higher after almost 2 weeks with no water changes and adding 3 additional fish is what it finally took to send the ammonia levels to a level that actually shows up. Is it possible that these guys are not making enough waste to raise the ammonia levels?

 

[THQ]

Yes I agree - your tank is not cycled. This is why I recommend fishless cycling with pure ammonia. You have a lot of control over the process and know exactly what's going on and what to expect. Added bonus is that it works out cheaper, no cruelty to cycling fish as there is none, and no water changes during the process. And you end up with a bulletproof biological filter with no uncertainty that can take your full stocking from day one, and survive a zombie apocalypse.