Used (new to me) tank cycling

**Basic** · 08-04-2012, 11:29 PM

I have setup a used tank from a friend that has been in my garage for a year. It included the tank, gravel, rocks, and driftwood.

With the gravel, rocks, and driftwood in we turned on our filter. Initial readings were as follows

ammo: 2.0
nitrite: 0
PH: 7.8

As of 8/1
ammo: 1.5
nitrite: 1.0
nitrate: 80-160 range (inbetween those two on the chart)

8/2
ammo: 1.5
nitrite: 2

8/3
ammo: 1.5
nitrite: .25

8/4
ammo: 4.0
nitrite: 1.0

Besides this happening so fast, the things that strike me as strange is that I am yet to add any ammonia to the tank. Why would the ammonia values fluctuate? How could my nitrates be so high?

I have city water, I de-chlorinated it, I have had no fish in this tank. I still don't have my heater yet, so the water is ~68 degrees. The filter has been running.

Do I need to do a huge water change because of the nitrates? Should I be concerned about the huge swings in values each day?

Thanks!

**pjaldave** · 08-05-2012, 05:45 AM

What kind of test kit are you using? I strongly suggest you buy yourself a good liquid test kit if you're using strips as strips are known for their inaccuracy.

Oh, and did you clean anything before you set-up the tank? I know it's a dumb question, but just making sure.

**Basic** · 08-05-2012, 01:01 PM

I've got the API master test kit.

We rinsed the entire tank and gravel before setting up the tank. We did not use anything other than water out of the hose.

**Lady Hobbs** · 08-05-2012, 04:09 PM

Check your tap water. If you are getting ammonia levels in your tap water then your city most likely uses a lot of chloramines for sanitizing. If so you should have a good water conditioner like Prime and double dose with it each water change.

BUT.......I can not see your water being at 4 if nothing more has been added.
Now and then we might see city water with .50.....never 4.

**Basic** · 08-05-2012, 11:13 PM

Okay, updates with tap values + todays test results

from the tap:

ammo: .25
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10

from the tank today:
ammo: 4.0
nitrite: 2.0
nitrate: 160

I don't understand how nitrites continue to rise with ammo not dropping??? Is it possible something in the gravel or driftwood is giving off ammo? I have had 0 fish, and added no ammonia. Where did all the ammo and nitrate come from??? Should I do a 90% water change?

**pjaldave** · 08-06-2012, 05:39 AM

Now that is really weird. Try doing a 100% water change and see how your parameters are.

**Lady Hobbs** · 08-06-2012, 05:42 AM

What have you got in the filter? Was it put away with filter media in it or was it cleaned out before storing? This is way weird.

**Basic** · 08-06-2012, 11:28 AM

The filter was new from the store when I set the tank up.

**Basic** · 08-12-2012, 11:14 PM

I wanted to post an update. I did a 100% water change on 8/9 with values @

ammo: 4.0
nitirte: 3.0
nitrate: 160+

after water change:
ammo: .25
nitirte: 0
nitrate: 5

added ammonia:

ammo: 4.0

next day I have:

ammo: 3.0
nitirite: 5+ (maxed)
nitrate: 30

Is it normal for the ammo to drop so slowly when sending the nitrites off the chart? It looks like I'm getting some nitrite -> nitrate conversion happening. At this rate I'll be back to 160+ nitrates by this Friday. Should I continue to do 100% water changes each time I hit 160 nitrates?

Just to make sure I'm clear. I should continue cycling until the tank can take 4.0 ammo and by the next day be 0 ammo 0 nitirites.

Thanks!

**Nephalem** · 08-13-2012, 04:25 AM

I'm still just a beginner here so I don't know if its relevant, and take it all with a grain of salt, but I've had a "somewhat" similar experience in the past with ammonia dropping slow while trites raise FAST. See my last post in this thread here: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...t=95904&page=2