Cycling Issue

[fishywish]

Hi Evryone!

Is performing PWC twice a day ok for a tank that is not cycling? Everyday doesn't seem to be doing it :(
~Thanks!

[Cermet]

Water changes of 100% every day is fine so PWC twice a day couldn't hurt. However, rather than twice a day, why not increase the volume and just do one a day? For example, two 50% has the same'cleaning' value as a single 75% but more water is removed using the two 50% changes! More work, the same cleaning level.

Single larger are better than two smaller. I'd go with a single 50% over two 25% (which is really equal to only a 44% w/c! despite the fact that the same total amount of water is really removed for both examples. Using a single W/C is always more effiecent.)

[Brhino]

people raising fry often do one or two small water changes per day rather than weekly water changes because fry are so sensitive to changes in water parameters. I'm curious as to what you're keeping though... weekly water changes are enough in most cases.

[Goes to 11!]

Is performing PWC twice a day ok for a tank that is not cycling? Everyday doesn't seem to be doing it

I suspect that the previous two posters read your post as saying that your tank is already cycled but..

I read it as you are attempting to cycle and it isn't happening.. Especially considering the title of this thread.

Post the full run down of your tank, Stock[I am assuming this is cycling with fish], filtration & water parameters & the issue you are addressing and you will get more specific advice.

[fishywish]

I have a 44 gallon Pentagon...set it up in mid-October. Currently have corys (8), barbs (cherry-3, odessa-1 and rosy-2), zebra danios(2), serpae tetras(7) and killifish(2) ~ I am aware that I need to round some schools out once my tank issues have stopped:)
Had to replace the filter 2 months ago (it broke and I replaced it with an Aquaclear 70) and I think thats what threw things off. Ammonia skyrocketed. I placed my original bio fiber in the new filter, but it obviously didn't do much. :(

For the past 2 months I've tried:
*doing PWC (25%) every other day - for 1 month
*doing PWC (40%) every day - for the past month
*using Seachem Prime, Nutrafin Cycle, and Ammonia block with every PWC
*Replaced the Nutrafin Cycle with Seachem Stability

No fish loss and they look and act fine (thank goodness)
My API test kit shows Ammonia between 2 - 4 ppm, 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates

[Taurus]

Hi Evryone!

Is performing PWC twice a day ok for a tank that is not cycling? Everyday doesn't seem to be doing it :(
~Thanks!

Partial water changes do not slow down the growth of beneficial bacteria in your filter, but you don't want to change water if you're doing a fishless cycle with ammonia.

[Taurus]

No fish loss and they look and act fine (thank goodness)
My API test kit shows Ammonia between 2 - 4 ppm, 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates

I suspect a false positive for ammonia. Prime will turn live ammonia into ammonium which is less toxic to your fish. But you have to have a special test kit that detects just free ammonia.

The API test kits will test positive for free ammonia even though Prime has turned it into ammonium. That's why I suspect a false positive for free ammonia.

Plus if there really was that much free ammonia in your tank, your fish wouldn't be doing well at all, they'd be dead.

You tank and filter will cycle with ammonium, but I would get a test kit that detect only free ammonia. Or use one of Seachem's Free Ammonia Alert detectors in your tank.

http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod...oniaAlert.html

If the Alert shows positive for free ammonia, then you have to change water to remove the free ammonia.

Hope that makes sense to you. If it doesn't ask more questions. Oh, and I would stop all other additives except for Prime.

[fishywish]

So,....maybe stop using the ammoblock and Prime and see what I got?
(I have another water conditioner that does not remove ammonia that I could use for water changes.)

OR

Could the ammoblock be what's protecting my fish from the high ammonia levels?

[Goes to 11!]

Thank you.
No TrAtes tells me you are not cycled but you knew this :-P
[Oh - During preview I see I got ninja'd by Taurus lol.

Yeah I agree that the ammonia reading [4ppm!] is not the toxic form but I would also ask if you have tested your source water for ammonia? & Is your ph really low?]

No fish loss and they look and act fine (thank goodness)
My API test kit shows Ammonia between 2 - 4 ppm, 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates

Yes quite the hodge-podge of stock lol. BTW - Odessas are not the same mellow creatures at cherrys btw - Not at all [And yours won't be very happy solo]

[Taurus]

So,....maybe stop using the ammoblock and Prime and see what I got?
(I have another water conditioner that does not remove ammonia that I could use for water changes.)

OR

Could the ammoblock be what's protecting my fish from the high ammonia levels?

Use only Prime and nothing else.