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optimally u should aim for :

ammonia 0, nitrites 0
and low levels of nitrates

so youre good now, hopefully your fish lived through the worst

id still check the water once a day or every other day just to make sure ammonia an nitrites are stable at 0, and if that is so, your tank has "cycled"

what kinda fishies are u planning on putting in that tank?

Ok Gary. Here's what's going on now. Something was telling me that maybe there was something wrong with my test kit..so i went and got a new one (i'd had the other for a WHILE anywho...i just go done testing and here's what i got:

ammonia: .25ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 10ppm
PH: 7.0

Does this sound about right? The remaining fish seem to be fine..the water's clear..at 79-80deg. Should I still dose with ammonia? Should the readings be higher?

Do you think I should add more fish now, or monitor the water this week to see how it maintains? Mind you, all that's in there now are 2 jack dempsey's and 2 black convicts. Also, these are not fish that i want to keep..I only took them on while cycling.
I prefer the 'pretty' fish...angels, etc. Where can i go to read up on them before i buy so i know that they're compatible. I'm not big on the community type..I like the semi-aggressive..I think
What do you know about eels? It was so cool and I really want another..are they hard to keep?
Thanks again for your help. Please, if you don't mind, talk me through this for a little while. I can use the help.
fishfan

[span class="edited"][Edited by fishfan13 2004-08-01 16:57][/span]

The purpose of dosing "New Improved Cycle" is to allow fish to be introduced immediately at startup...

But...there has to be the proper amount of ammonia for nitrifying bacteria to feed on.

With only a few fish in that large of a tank the ammonia just isn't being produced to start the proper cycle so your fish are dropping from an excess of nitrites.

You can, carefully, mix a tablespoon of pure ammonia in a full glass of water and slowly dose the tank, a little at a time away from the fish.

The ammonia has to be pure, no perfumes or other additives. WalMart has ammonia that is pure.

Then you can do your testing until the nitrites stop to drop. Test for ammonia levels in about an hour and if no readings, you can dose more ammonia in the same manner.

Fish can withstand a certain level of ammonia so don't be alarmed if your readings are a little high at first.

There's practically no use for New Improved Cycle because the ammonia the bacteria depend on in the product just isn't present in the tank.

Once you achieve good water parameters you must add twice the amount (or more) of fish you now have to supply an ammonia food source.

--garyroland.







[span class="edited"][Edited by garyroland 2004-08-01 11:29][/span]

Yeah, the tank had been on and cycling for about 3 weeks before i took my neighbor's fish..I only took them cuz he was moving and had to get rid of them. I figured it'd be better to cycle with fish that I didn't pay for, or fish that I really wanted to keep than to go buy some. In addition, the reading i did do on these fish, they seemed pretty hearty so i was hoping they'd make it through the cylce process.
Anyhow...july 11th is when i added the fish. I didn't use the 'cycle' stuff that you're talking about either.
also, this isn't my first tank..i've progressed from a 10 gl to a 30 gl to a 55 gl and now the 150 gl. I've never had problems like this before..that's why i'm so baffled. i do know a little bit..just not as much as some of you on this website..or at least i thought i did.
Anyway, does this 'new and improved cycle' stuff really work. i had gotten some advice from several people to let the tank cycle naturally..and that's always how i've done it in the past. only this time it doesn't seem to be happening..my ammonia is still at 0 and my nitrites are still off the scale.
should i use the cycle stuff?
what other suggestions do you have?
I appreciate the help..truly.
fishfan

Go to the top of the page FAQ and do some reading on "your 1st fresh water aquarium.

thats one *BIG tank for a beginner..My advise is to do some reasearch first.
we will try to help you save the fish we need some more info first.
Note: If you didnt add any New and Improved cycle..get it now and add it..your gonna need alot too for that size tank..

sue

Sue has the right approach...

In today's world we have a product that will cycle your tank almost instantly, she named it.

Take a trip to the local fish store and seek it out. Follow bottle directions.

The usual criteria is not to introduce too many fish at once to a new tank but with this product you can place probably three or four mediun size tropicals in the tank.

In fact, you have to add fish immediately with "Cycle" to supply ammonia, a food source, and start the nitrogen cycle.

--garyroland.

I started my tank, with the fish, on about 11 July.

OK, what does that mean exactly..the way Im reading it is that you..bought a tank,fish on july 11 and put it all together that day?..right or wrong..
this is not good if you did..
I will only get into a few topics here for the moment(until I hear what your reply is first)
Did you use "New and Improved Cycle" to your tank at the startup? this helps the cycling of your tank.
Did you leave the tank running for a bit before" adding the fish?(I personally would not add fish to help cycle a tank)but thats just me..and certainlly not the ones you have.
Pls get back to me asap..

Sue