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Ok, to start off this is a 29g tank with 3 Electric Yellow Cichlids. I'm not sure if I should be cycling a tank with Cichlids, but my LFS guy told me it would be ok. I've had several(10 or more) very excellent experiences from this one gentleman and his advice so I figured he knew what he was talking about. My test kit is the Aquarium Pharm. Master Test Kit and I'm also using strips, the brand escapes me off hand.

I let the tank run for 3 days before I added fish. Here's my test results the day I added the fish but before I put them into the water:
Kit - pH 8.0, Ammonia .5, Nitrite 0, gH 75
Strip - pH 8.4, Nitrite 0, gH 100, Nitrate 40, Alkalinity 180

Two days ago I tested my water before and after a water change. Here are those results:
Before Change -
Kit - pH 8.2, Ammonia 1, Nitrite 0, gH 75
Strip - pH 7.8-8.2, Nitrite 0, gH 100, Nitrate 40, Alkalinity 180
After Change -
Kit - pH 8.4, Ammonia 1, Nitrite 0, gH 75
Strip - pH 8.2, Nitrite 0, gH 100, Nitrate 40, Alkalinity 180

Yesterday I overfed my fish a little bit becaue my son was here and he wanted to feed the fish so they got a 3rd feeding where they usually only get 2 per day. I also forgot the light on the tank was on and it stayed on for almost 10 hours. When I went to feed my fish this morning, I noticed a little bit of cloudyness and tonight when I went to feed them, I can't see the back of my tank because it's so cloudy AND it's starting to get a bubble film on the top of the water. Here's my water parameters as of 5 minutes ago:
Kit - pH 7.8, Ammonia 8, Nitrite 0, gH (did not test)
Strip - pH 7.2, Nitrite 0, gH 75, Nitrate 60, Alkalinity 180

Is this just the "main course" for my cycling tank or did something go disastriously wrong? After I read the water parameters, I immediatly added 150% of the weekly dosage of Cycle, 100% of the monthly 8.2pH stabilizer, and 100% weekly dose of water conditioner.

Any and all comments/suggestions/answers are greatly appriciated.

You're cycling...and overfeeding while cycling is just asking for trouble. I've never kept cichlids, but I've also never seen Electric Yellows mentioned as being good cycling fish.

When you say you ran the tank for 3 days, was that with seeded material in the filter or did you use anything to jump start your cycle? You're showing both an ammonia and a nitrAte reading which either means the strips are wrong (personally I've never trusted them100%) or you're going thru a minicycle with the ammonia. At the very least I'd suggest increasing surface agitation ASAP.

^_^ [hr width='40%']"There’s an emptiness inside her. And she’d do anything to fill it in.
And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now. It's more like cold blue ice in her heart.
She feels like kicking out all the windows. And setting fire to this life."

As far as surface adgitation, I believe your talking about my bubbles/filtration moving the top of the water, right? Here's what I have: Whisper 40 filter set on full power, Whisper Air Pump for 20-60g tank on 2 bubble walls spanning the entire length of the back wall of the tank.

If that's not what you are refering to about "surface adgitation" then please elaborate. If I am correct about it, what else can I do to get more adgitation?

Edit - The three days were with fresh from the tap water, water conditioner, cycle, and pH stabilizer

Last edited by DMDyne at 07-Mar-2005 17:55

Yes your starting to see the bacterial bloom common for new tanks. New Tank Syndrome is setting in. Don't worry about the cloudiness it will go away in time, and it's harmless to your fish.

I'm also sure I've never heard of cichlids being a choice of fish for cycling a tank.

*shrugs* I guess it could work, most of them are pretty tough.

I would still amo lock that tank. Does accordingly from the instructions on the bottle.

Yes the bubbles is what babel meant by surface agitation. You are fine in that dept.

I wonder what your PH is after it has set overnight and not been tampered with.

I would dump the PH correcting stuff. All you need is some baking soda. It is a more permanent way to increase your PH without seeing the PH swings I've noticed your having.

As long as your water isn't acidic I would say the cichlids should do fine in whatever your water is un tampered with. It's a lot less trouble too.



Last edited by Shannen at 07-Mar-2005 18:53

Ok, Ammo-Lock has been done. How much baking soda do I put in the tank and how often would I do it? Baking soda completely replaces the pH 8.2 stabilizer? My water parameters straight from the spicket are as follows:
Kit - pH 8.4+(off the chart), Ammonia .5, Nitrite 0, gH 125
Strip - pH 8.4+(again off the chart), Nitrite 0, gH 125, Nitrate 0, Alkalinity 80

Oh that makes a little bit more sense. Your trying to lower your PH. That stuff is rubbish. It only last for a little wile then it is completely buffered out causing your PH to swing.

Your keeping African cichlids. Your tap PH is fine for them. No need to try to lower it.

Toss the PH stuff, and the baking soda idea. I thought you were trying to raise your PH. Baking soda does a very good job of it.

You just add a teaspoon at a time and test afterwords over a few days. If you wanted to raise it.

I'm confused on the pH now. Their supposed to be in 7.5-8.5 pH and the pH of my tap water is off the charts, being 8.4+ but they should be able to stand the higher pH?

You got it. They should be able to deal with the higher PH.

Is this test right from the tap, or are waiting 24 hrs before you test.

You need to allow the gas exchanges to take place in your tap water before you test it.

24 hrs after you have taken it from the tap should be long enough for the exchange to take place.

The reading you get will be your true PH.

Ok, I'll let a bucket of water set for 24 hours tonight and then get some tests done on it. Thanks, I'll post results tomorrow after I've tested it, will also test my water tomorrow. The cloudiness still seems to be getting worse, hopefully it will start clearing up tomorrow. Would adding a Penguin Biowheel in conjunction with my Whisper help the cycle or hurt it?

It won't hurt it, but I don't know that it will help much, if at all.

Bout the only way you can speed it up is with the use of NI cycle, or Bio-Spira.

Bio-Spira should cycle it almost instantly. NI Cycle will speed things along.

Another thing you can do is ask a friend who has an established filter to let you have his filter floss. Keep it wet, don't rinse it. Just let the water drain out of it and put it in a ziplock bag.

Put it (without the ziplock)inside your filter ASAP before the bacteria dies.

I'm afraid the cloudiness is going to get worse before it gets any better.

My first tank got so bad I couldn't even see my fish. Again don't worry, it's harmless to the fish.

It is to the point where I literally have about a half inch of visability. I added a 50% weekly dose of Cycle again today. Can the fish see their food when I feed them or should I slow down the feedings until I am sure that they can see it again?

Continue to feed every day. Feed small amounts once a day and you should be ok. Just remember to be checking your ammonia levels every day. I would even check them in the morning and at night and dose the ammolock accordingly.

Ok, my ammonia level is down to 4 now instead of 8 two days ago. Added another dosage of Ammo-Lock and added more Cycle as well. Should I do a 5g water change or just don't change water until the cycle is complete?

Continually adding cycle against the directions seems to cause trouble in getting the nitrItes down later. At least based on reports I've seen posted on the board. I'd advise following the directions as written on the box. One dose per seven days. Holding off on water changes unless the fish are showing obvious stress is generally reccomended as instead of a short time of stress you'll lengthen the cycle and subject them to a longer period of stress.

Adding ammo-lock may give you false ammonia readigs. It may still show up on the test even if it has been neutralized. Again, follow directions as given.

^_^
[hr width='40%']"I'm alright, I'm alright
It only hurts when I breathe"

Last edited by Babelfish at 09-Mar-2005 12:49