# Cycling question...



## CFL321 (Aug 12, 2010)

So about a week and a half ago I purchased a 29 gallon set up from PetCo. Its all Aqueon. I set the tank up ran it for 3 days before adding fish. I was adding the SeaChem Stability (recommended by the girlfriends dad, owns a fish store). I've heard great things about this stuff. Her dad also said add 5 mollies/plattys, so I did. A few days later my ammonia went from .25 (according to my API liquid test kit) to 1.0. Nitrites and Nitrates were at 0. I called and asked if this is normal since I'm adding the SeaChem. He said "sort of, maybe youre over feeding. Get yourself a catfish." So I purchased a Raphael cat (i know he will get bigger, going to upgrade when I move into my new place). 2 days ago (about a week after tank was set up), I purchased an aquaclear 30 filter and ammonia the ammonia remover packet. I also purchased one of those suction cup ammonia tester that sit in the tank. My ammonia is still reading between a 2.0 and .50, which according the API, is dangerous. However, the suction cup tester is saying I'm safe. I went to the LFS and they said to an 8 to 10 gallon water change and add this stuff called Instant Ocean. So for kicks and giggles I tested the ammonia which read .50 before I did the water change. My suction cup said SAFE. I performed the 10 gallon water change added the amount of Instant Ocean it said i needed (in the bucket of new water). After about an hour or 2, I tested the water again, it said 2.0 and my suction cup is now reading ALERT!!! The LFS, my gf's father and my friend who has been in the hobby for 10 years said this should help the ammonia go down. Well it went up. I don't know if this is a temporary thing or what. I tested the water about 6 hours later and it was still reading 2.0 and the suction cup hasnt changed a bit. I was hoping to get some opinions or help with this. 

My tank set up
29 gallons
Aqueon power 50 filter
AquaClear 30 filter w/ammonia remover packet
Aqueon Heater
3X Amazon Sword
A small piece of driftwood
3X fake decor
A rock...
2X Black Molly
3X Rainbow Platty
A Spotted Raphael Catfish

recent readings
PH-7.2
Ammonia-2.0
Nitrite-0.0
Nitrate-0.0

Any help would be great


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## petlovingfreak (May 8, 2009)

Instant ocean sea salt, or....? I'm confused...


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

salt makes nitrite less toxic to fish. It shouldn't affect the ammonia either way unless you added enough to kill the bacteria in your filter. Add stability again. Usually you use it after a week to re-establish the nitrite eaters (they starve until the ammonia eaters give them nitrite to eat). Ammonia can go up after a water change when you have either ammonia or chloramine in your tap water. Test the water out of the tap and again after adding dechlor. Ammonia from a water change should vanish quickly. If it doesn't, your tank is still not cycled. If your took off your existing filter when you added the aquaclear, you threw away your filter colony and have to start over

Be more specific about the "ammonia remover packet". What does it say? can you find a link to it? Ammonia-removers during cycling can protect the fish from ammonia, but if it doesn't say something like "ammonia is detoxified but available to biological filtration" it could starve your ammonia-eating bacteria by doing too good a job.

In any case, having any ammonia at all is not a good thing. If you have stability left use it. If not, read up on "cycling a tank". Once you prove you don't have toxic levels of ammonia in your tap water, change enough water to get ammonia down to about 0.5 and keep changing water to keep it there.


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## CFL321 (Aug 12, 2010)

petlovingfreak said:


> Instant ocean sea salt, or....? I'm confused...


The liquid in the purple bottle


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## CFL321 (Aug 12, 2010)

emc7 said:


> salt makes nitrite less toxic to fish. It shouldn't affect the ammonia either way unless you added enough to kill the bacteria in your filter. Add stability again. Usually you use it after a week to re-establish the nitrite eaters (they starve until the ammonia eaters give them nitrite to eat). Ammonia can go up after a water change when you have either ammonia or chloramine in your tap water. Test the water out of the tap and again after adding dechlor. Ammonia from a water change should vanish quickly. If it doesn't, your tank is still not cycled. If your took off your existing filter when you added the aquaclear, you threw away your filter colony and have to start over
> 
> Be more specific about the "ammonia remover packet". What does it say? can you find a link to it? Ammonia-removers during cycling can protect the fish from ammonia, but if it doesn't say something like "ammonia is detoxified but available to biological filtration" it could starve your ammonia-eating bacteria by doing too good a job.
> 
> In any case, having any ammonia at all is not a good thing. If you have stability left use it. If not, read up on "cycling a tank". Once you prove you don't have toxic levels of ammonia in your tap water, change enough water to get ammonia down to about 0.5 and keep changing water to keep it there.


This is the ammonia packet I was talking about
http://www.epinions.com/review/Hage..._Ammonia_Remover_12_2_oz/content_501324680836

I'm running both filters. I also have a friend who is going to give me some gravel from her tank this weekend when I see her. My liquid test this morning read 
Ammonia-1.0
Nitrite-0.0
Nitrate-a little over 0 (yellow is 0 orange is 5 and it had an orangish tint)
Tap Water Ammonia-0.5

After seeing my tap water is less than my tank water which is treated, I'm now confused...


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## pinetree (Nov 29, 2009)

I think the salt you added "recharged" the ammonia remover, similar to the way salt "recharges" water softener resin. In other words, the ammonia remover stuff by Hagen was absorbing ammonia, but the salt changed the ionic charge and caused the ammonia remover to release ammonia. It says it is not for saltwater. That is probably why your ammonia went up after the water change and addition of the instant ocean.

I would stop adding all the junk you are adding (except the stability) and control your ammonia with water changes. Also, do not add any more fish until you are fully cycled. 

I would remove the ammonia remover stuff, do a 50% water change and keep doing water changes daily to get the ammonia down. You can add in the stability per the instructions on the bottle.

Once you are seeing nitrites, add in aquarium salt at 1 teaspoon per gallon of tank water to prevent nitrite poisoning. When you do water changes, make sure you add back the salt you have removed. For example, if you remove 10 gallons, and add 10 gallons, also add 10 teaspoons of aquarium salt.

Cycling can take a long time. I have cycled two tanks recently, one took 73 days and one took 75 days. For most people it happens more quickly, but not always.

You should also test your tap water. I suggest filling a tub with water you intend to use in your water change. Add the appropriate amount of water conditioner (Prime or Amquel, etc), add an air stone and let it sit 24-48 hours. Sometimes water out of the tap can have a completely different pH than after it sits for a day or two due to add CO2 by the water company.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Arrgh! Pinetree beat me to it, but yep, that's my guess, too.


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## CFL321 (Aug 12, 2010)

The ammonia remover has been in the tank for less than 2 days and I have a freshwater. I don't think it could have absorbed ammonia yet, or could it? So to make sure I get this right...use only the stability. Make a 50 percent water change, then 10 percent after that every day?


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