What is going on!!!

[emjay77]

I am currently TRYING to cycle a 60l tank with 2 goldfish. They have been in there for 2 1/2 weeks my ammonia iis at 0.25mg/l, Nitrite 0.25mg/l and Nitrate 20mg/l how is this? Please help!! I used gravel and filter media and fish! kindly donated/borrowed from a friend, from a well established tank.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

You seem to be doing fine, although you probably shouldn't be seeing any ammonia at this point. How much are you feeding those 2 fish?

[emjay77]

I am giving them a pinch of hikari pellets once a day and a bit of brine shrimp once or twice a week.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Are the fish eating everything? You should only be giving them what they will eat in 2-3 minutes.

[DragonGoby]

60L are about 15 gallon?
Perhaps your two goldfish are too much for your tank...

Plus, goldfish are cold water fish... And to cycle more quickly, you need warmer water... If you don't use a heater, that's certainly slowing the proces...
Do not add a heater though... Goldfish don't like that...

Do you have an aerator? sometimes more oxygen can help quicken the cycle, because those bacteria need oxygen.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

[donvichu]

yup since goldfishes are biggest waste producers the general rule for goldfish is 20G for the first fish and 10G thereafter for every goldie you add....that could be the reason ammonia is high :22:

[Lady Hobbs]

Just going thru another small cycle. Your goldfish are probably adding more bioload than was in your used gravel and filter media. It will come to an end.

[graceluvsplatys]

yeah, and as a slightly unrelated question, what are ya gonna do with the goldies after the cycle?

[emjay77]

I have returned one of the fish to my friend and kept things going with the other. The tank has a bubble disc and live plants. Will just feed pellets for now i think, and see how things go. oh and remaining fish will also return to his previous owner once tank has cycled.