Tank started to cycle!!

[Shadechic23]

I have a 55 gallon tank. I set it up on April 9th. I added 2 powerheads, 11+ pounds of dry fiji rock. Also, I added 10 gallons of saltwater that was already cycled to it. I notice some brown algae starting to come up at the bottom of the tank on the April 19. An my levels are as of today:
PH: 7.8
Ammonia: .25ppm
No2: 2.0ppm
No3: 80ppm

April the 17 i did a 10 gallon water change. cause they were still high. I do have fish in it cause i took 3 of the damels out of my 10 gallon so their will be more room in my 10 gallon.

So if the brown algae starts to show that is the cycle process right???

 

[little_fish]

no, the presence of ammonia means the tank is cycling. and if you have living things in the tank i would keep doing frequent water changes

 

[robbrouse]

+1 LF

I thought you were going to fully cycle this time before adding fish?

Thats 2 tanks in a very short time that you have cycled with FISH. Why do you do this? You are killing your fish and you don't even seem to care. In your other post you even gave a suggestion to start with table shrimp adn you have 3 fish in the tank and you have not even close to begin done with the cycle. One time we can say hay you didn't know any better two times and we say you don't give a damn.

I guess some people never learn.

 

[Shadechic23]

Well i was trying to keep my damsels alive because people were saying i had to many in my 10 gallon!!!
That is the only reason i moved them

If i didnt care i would have kept them in the small 10 gallon. Where i had 4 in there.

 

[robbrouse]

If the 10 gallon is cycled now it would be better to have them cramped than to take fish that already suffered the toxins of the first cycle and do it to them again.

You should of done what was advised in your 10 gallon post and give the fish away. I know here most pet stores will not take the fish back, but you should of tried to find them a new home.

The only change you have a giving them any kind of life is 1 give them away or 2 doing a daily 10% water change. That cost of that will add up fast.

I really don't mean to sound like an ASS, but this is not a good way to raise fish. People on here thats been doing this a hell of a lot longer than myself will tell you the same thing. I have been into fish keeping for about 25 years, just started in salt and added my clowns today. I was one of the first people in Utah (that I know of) that was doing a fishless cycle. It's boring and can take a long time, but when it's done you'll have a much higher rate of survival.

One of the nicest first store in Utah started sticking Mollies in there salt water section and when I asked about tit they said it was a cheap way to cycle your tank and you would just dump the mollies when you were done. Needless to say I can not live with that and told the owner I would not be back..

Anyhow I guess I'll shut up now, you really need to think about the way you are torturing your fish.

Robb

 

[Bifferwine]

I wouldn't be so harsh on her. She was trying to help her fish by giving them a bigger tank. Yes, it would have been better to let the new tank cycle first, before adding the fish, but her intentions were good and I give her major props for getting a bigger tank in the first place.

Since you do have fish in the tank, your cycle is going to take longer because you will have to do water changes to prevent the ammonia level from getting high enough to damage the fish. Your nitrates are already very high, so I would recommend doing a water change now, maybe 30% or so, to bring those down. Your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are high because you have fish producing waste (and the food you feed them producing waste) and you don't have bacteria established in the tank to process that waste, so it builds up. In a properly cycled tank, the bacteria levels are high enough so that when you do add a fish or two, there is enough bacteria to handle the increased waste produced.

 

[kevdogg]

+1 Biff


Kevin

 

[Shadechic23]

I wouldn't be so harsh on her. She was trying to help her fish by giving them a bigger tank. Yes, it would have been better to let the new tank cycle first, before adding the fish, but her intentions were good and I give her major props for getting a bigger tank in the first place.

Since you do have fish in the tank, your cycle is going to take longer because you will have to do water changes to prevent the ammonia level from getting high enough to damage the fish. Your nitrates are already very high, so I would recommend doing a water change now, maybe 30% or so, to bring those down. Your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are high because you have fish producing waste (and the food you feed them producing waste) and you don't have bacteria established in the tank to process that waste, so it builds up. In a properly cycled tank, the bacteria levels are high enough so that when you do add a fish or two, there is enough bacteria to handle the increased waste produced.

Thank you. lol thats what i was trying to do for my fish give them a bigger space for them. Cause i did have to many in my 10 gallon. I am doing water changes. So hopefully that will help them.
They seem to be doing pretty good so far.
But i am keeping a eye on everything and making sure i do better.

 

[jswinberlin]

We learn from our mistakes, and believe me I've learned a lot. I subscribe to the fact that you should let your tank(s) cycle longer before introducing fish. This will also let you pick more desirable fish that you will look forward to keeping longer.

You're actually in a great position and should use it to your benefit. I'd take it slow with the 55 and get a lot more live rock. I'd free up my 10 gallon to use for acclimation and quarantine. If you're not careful, you may end up with a 55 gallon that is overstocked like the 10 gallon (which may lead to another tank and more $$$ and work).

Here's an idea...pick out 5 or 6 fish you really want and develop a plan for introducing them. Plan on introducing them every other month, this will give you some time and spread out the fun. You don't want to put an aggressive one in first and limit your options. Are you going to have coral? Do you have sufficient lighting? Are you going to have fish that make keeping coral difficult or impossible?

It's a fun ride and it's easy to get carried away. The above things are things I would tell myself if I knew then what I know now (which ain't much). Forums are like a buffet, take what you want and leave what you don't. In the end, you have to make your own plate.

Good luck!

 

[Shadechic23]

We learn from our mistakes, and believe me I've learned a lot. I subscribe to the fact that you should let your tank(s) cycle longer before introducing fish. This will also let you pick more desirable fish that you will look forward to keeping longer.

You're actually in a great position and should use it to your benefit. I'd take it slow with the 55 and get a lot more live rock. I'd free up my 10 gallon to use for acclimation and quarantine. If you're not careful, you may end up with a 55 gallon that is overstocked like the 10 gallon (which may lead to another tank and more $$$ and work).

Here's an idea...pick out 5 or 6 fish you really want and develop a plan for introducing them. Plan on introducing them every other month, this will give you some time and spread out the fun. You don't want to put an aggressive one in first and limit your options. Are you going to have coral? Do you have sufficient lighting? Are you going to have fish that make keeping coral difficult or impossible?

It's a fun ride and it's easy to get carried away. The above things are things I would tell myself if I knew then what I know now (which ain't much). Forums are like a buffet, take what you want and leave what you don't. In the end, you have to make your own plate.

Good luck!

I am planning on putting more rock in when my funds allow me to. lol I purchased an T5 Odyssea lighting, but plan on getting better bulb for coral. Sooner or later i plan to get coral but i am waiting.