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Guys I really need help! I dont know what to do! I've read about this nitrogen cycle and it dosent seem so bad because i have another fish tank and nothin bad happend with that tank, and i've had it for 3 months! i have 4 barbs in my new tank now...( 2 cherry barbs and two golden barbs. )

The tank has been running for two days now. Am i in any danger....any suggustions? ( this is a 10 gallon tank by the way. )

Appreciate it,
Peter.

20 GALLON LONG CURRENTLY EMPTY ~~~~ 10 GALLON W/ STRIPPED CONVICT

You'll want to monitor the tank for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate spikes.. the process will take approx 4-6 weeks. in that time, do not change any water or your filter cartridges either, or you'll prolong the cycle and make it worse on your fish.

You could take the fish back and go fishless without the danger of losing a fish, or keep the fish and pray.

Ok thank you.


Peter

20 GALLON LONG CURRENTLY EMPTY ~~~~ 10 GALLON W/ STRIPPED CONVICT

If the ammonia or nitrites get too high you need to change some water. Until the bacteria get established it's up to you to keep the water safe by doing water changes.

It won't prolong the cycle unless you do massive changes. The reason Ammonia and later nitrites spike is because the bacteria colony is not yet large enough to handle all the waste. If you keep the water changes to 20-30% you shouldn't slow the cycle and the fish will not suffer.

Your test kit will have a chart for ammonia and nitrite.

Good luck, Mike

If you have another cycled fishtank, try putting some gravel form the old tank in the new tank.

It might help your cycle, and not make it ias bad for your fish.

Gold barbs and cherry barbs are pretty hardy for the most part, so they might be able to survive cycling.
Do you have a test kit? If not, make sure you either buy one or find a close LFS that will test your water for you. (most do) Once the tank is cycled you can continue stocking.
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-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Before products like BioSpira]http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp[/link], [link=Cycle]http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076100020101" style="COLOR: #C000C0[/link], [link=Stress Zyme, among others, it took 4-6 weeks to fully cycle. This was using fish and just waiting it out and hoping they survived.

With products such as these, there is no reason to subject fish to the cycling process without some help. I suggested in one of your other posts to use gravel from the other tank, provided no one is sick. This, plus a dose of BioSpira, Cycle, Stress Zyme, or Fritz Zyme, should get the fish through it quickly.

Before adding new fish you want to see an ammonia and nitrite reading of zero for a good week or more and nitrites robust at about 10-15ppm. Then add another small handful of fish, or in the case of a 10 gallon, one or two more.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 01-Jan-2005 18:48

Last edited by Cory_Di at 01-Jan-2005 21:17