Hello I am currently going through a mini cycle and nitrite has spiked. No ammonia and high nitrates. I am wondering if I use prime to detoxify the nitrite to help my fish, will I be removing it, making it so that my BB cannot eat it and grow stronger? I want to build my bio filter of course, but i also want to make it easier on my fish. Thanks for your responses.
Using Prime During Mini-Cycle
- Thread starter Bennlfer
- Start date
Hi there ,
What are the aquarium parameters ? Make sure that you stop all feedings. the reason to that is so your Ammonia converting bacteria will not add to the load that your Nitrite converting bacteria are dealing with. do a 50% water change and make sure that you do a good gravel vac to remove any waste .
My question is what caused your aquarium to go into a mini cycle . Was it even fully cycled to begin with ? how long was your aquarium setup and what was your stocking like , was it high or low ?
Also the prime only binds to the nitrites for up to 24 Hours at that point it will be released.
Prime will not make ammonia or nitrites unusable by your bacteria. It binds them, rendering them less toxic, at which point your bacteria can utilize them.
Thanks guys. The nitrite was around 5ppm or so and the nitrates were about 160. Ammonia was 0. I'm pretty sure I stocked the tank with too many fish too quickly. It's a 150 and in a matter of a few days I put 7 peacock bass, 4 geophagus, 1 silver arowana and an avocado pleco in. I was under the impression that with a strong enough cycle it wouldn't matter, but i guess I was wrong. I fishless cycled btw and the whole cycle happened perfectly. That's why I'm thinking I stocked it too quickly
Definitelt stocked it too quick. And fishless cycling imo doesnt build up a very large colony. Especially with all those fish going in at once. When you say theyre babies how big are you talking? 2" or like 5"?
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Hey Rachel . a Fish less cycle if done properly can produce the strongest and largest colonies. Especially since the nitrosamonas bacteria will continue to grow and populate until a sufficient colony is present to consume the ammonia. making sure enough media is available and an adequate gph turn over will ensure a healthy plentiful colony.
My Colony was so large that over the course of 1 week I added close to 40 fish into the aquarium I have. My colony could destroy 5-6 PPM of ammonia in 8 Hours tops. TWICE a day.
Jon
Ive never done a fishless cycle. My first tank was when i knew nothing about the nitrogen cycle so that got started from fish and ive been using used media on new tanks ever since. No problems what so ever. I just cant see a fishless cycle producing as much ammonia as fish could. But i guess i dont understand how to do a fishless cycle lol. Thanks for the info though!
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Ok guys I did a 25% water change last night around this time and tested again just now. The levels are now Ammonia:0 Nitrite:0 Nitrate: 2 - 5ppm. Super weird. I'm almost starting to think that my test kit is bad cause I tested 3 times last night and each time I had a high nitrite and nitrate reading. The kicker is that my fish NEVER showed ANY signs of stress. And at 5ppm of nitrite they definitely showed have showed something. I really don't know... Is it possible that my bio-filter caught up within 24 hours? I don't really see another possibility other than that my test kit is bad..
Something else that may be worth mentioning is that I put a large piece of driftwood into the tank last night during the water change which has lightly stained the water. That is the only variable.
Like I said before, the fish NEVER showed ANY signs of stress. They have been eating, breathing, pooping and sleeping normally as well as being very active, as if nothing ever happened..
Any thoughts guys?
Something else that may be worth mentioning is that I put a large piece of driftwood into the tank last night during the water change which has lightly stained the water. That is the only variable.
Like I said before, the fish NEVER showed ANY signs of stress. They have been eating, breathing, pooping and sleeping normally as well as being very active, as if nothing ever happened..
Any thoughts guys?