# didn't cycle!!!!!!!



## Bevard1254 (Mar 28, 2005)

When i went to my lps i was told that all i needed to do was to wait 3 days for water to be cycled they didn't say 2 weeks. I have 5 rbp's in the tank they haven't been to active. i have had them for about a week and ahalf. now that i know that the cycle is 2 weeks is there anything i can do to fix any problems? the water was cloudy the last two days but i put clear water(jungle) in it and it cleared up yesterday i have also had a problem with ammonia but it isn't bad anymore. please tell me what i need to do to make my rbp's survive . they don't look like they are dying but i don't want any surprises because i didn't know that the cycle was 2 weeks . like i said the lps told me it was 3 days before i could put my pirahnas in the tank. they told me all i had to put in the tank was the conditioner so they don't get stressed my tank is 55 gal and my water temp is 75 degrees. my pirahnas are about 2 -3 inches. please help in any way u can


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

I suggest you throw 1 tablespoon of pre-dissolved salt to aid in the prevention of nitrite poisoning. The reason your water was cloudy was because your tank is going through a bacteria bloom. You need to get the following test kits and post results if you want accurate information. Without bio-spira you most likely have 2 more weeks to your cycle. You may want to throw in some ammo-lock to detoxify the ammonia.
Ammonia Test Kit
Nitrite Test Kit
Nitrate Test kit
PH test kit
Edit -- Also raise temp to 80 degrees.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

81 to 82 degrees is more like it. At least that's what the mojority of us run it at.


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## weidjd (Feb 13, 2005)

That sucks they said 3 days. Maybe if you use BS. Get the TEST KITS if you do not have them. THey are a MUST. I keep all my high temp trops at 80 nothing less. If you can get some BS.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Just so ya know I think by BS he means Bio-Spira lol not the other. Bio-spira is an active bacteria culture that boosts your cycling to about 2-3 days and your tank is cycled. It is expensive I may add!!!!
~Taylor~


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## weidjd (Feb 13, 2005)

Ya, sorry lol. Bio-spira. 30gal treatmeant is 9.99 and 90g is 19.99 around me. So I would call some lfs and ask if they have it. It will not hurt the situation only help. How much are you feeding the Ps?


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Hey Bevard1254, after you get your test kits suggest by jerry_plakyda post your nitrItes results. I hope the piranahas are the only fish you have in that 55 gal. Just three fish in that much water will help. You can start doing 20% water changes every other day. This will help reduce the ammoina and nitrItes that might build up to toxic levels.


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

thanks for the info. I will get the bio spira on friday due to lack of funds at the moment. I am trying to feed them once a day but they aren't really eating . I came home today and i had beef heart shredded up and an algae eater was nothing but the skull and eyes. I have 1 more algae eater. I am trying to feed them shrimp but they don't seem to like it. I wanted to give them meal worms but lps told me its useless. I do 25% water changes every 2 to 3 days. right now it looks as if they are trying to chase each other. I will also ge the test kits on friday. what exactly comes in the kit. Is it test strips or meters? and if so how often do i check water and how do i bring certain levels down. Also what size p's do u have and what are you feeding them. And how often do i need to get a new test kit? thanx for info.


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

just so u know i am john1634 and bevard1254 had to create new name cuz i forgot my sn at work so i had to create bevard1254


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## rainydaze (Feb 10, 2005)

I have a "master test kit" that is a little pricey but will prob. last me forever. Try different foods, I guess maybe you should stop listening to your lfs. I bet that blood worms would work well for your fish. Good luck and welcome.


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## rainydaze (Feb 10, 2005)

I have a "master test kit" that is a little pricey but will prob. last me forever. Try different foods, I guess maybe you should stop listening to your lfs. I bet that blood worms would work well for your fish. Good luck and welcome.


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

i know that my lps has a big test kit for about $29.00 . the blood worms those are frozen right? what do u feed uu p's?


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

i swear web cams suck


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Sometimes Piranha's will survive the cycle.

When i got mine about a year ago..i ran my tank for about a week with nothing..no goldfish or anything.

My tank wasn't cycled and my P's survived through it very easily.
But you should still always cycle your tank, i just got lucky


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## weidjd (Feb 13, 2005)

Sheppard said:


> Sometimes Piranha's will survive the cycle.
> 
> When i got mine about a year ago..i ran my tank for about a week with nothing..no goldfish or anything.
> 
> ...


Yes, they might survive but in the end the toxic amm and trites will shorten there life. Just seems cruel to me. I am glad you are going to start testing and are going to try to get the B/S. I will say I only have two places around me out of all the LFS that carry it. GL and hope the fish come out ok.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

weidjd said:


> Sheppard said:
> 
> 
> > Sometimes Piranha's will survive the cycle.
> ...


Could possibly stunt the growth as well.


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## Bevard1254 (Mar 28, 2005)

k I went out this morning and got an emperor 400 in the two additional media cartridges 1 has ammonia rocks and the other i put carbon rocks. I bought my master test kit and i bought a 10 gal tank for either breeding guppies or as a qurantine tank. I only had time do the nitrite reading becaue i had to leave to go to work which i am at now. The nitrite reading is .5 i didn't have time to find out if this was good or bad. I also add the bio spira to the tank. I will be home at 10:00 pm tonight i have my mom doing the tests and when i get home i will post the readings for those who are interested. thank you all for yoour help and have a great day.


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

ok here are my perameters

ph 7.0
ph high range 7.4
nitrite .25
ammonia 8.0
nitrate 5.0

i know that the ammonia and nitrate are high but i am sure that they will be down tomarrow i will post again tomarrow


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

the levels should be down tomarrow because i put the bio spira in after i had the perameters taken


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

if i did a water change would the bio spira stop working? I know thats what i need to do i did my water perameters and they are all the same. any suggestions? remember i have bio spira in the tank since 1200 pm yesterday it is 6:15 am now.


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## clintard_leonard (Mar 24, 2005)

If your amonia is at 8.0 i would get your ass to the fish store and buy something to calm it down, my amonia hasnt gone past 3 in my guppy tank and they started dying off, get that amonia down bro!


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

alright thanks. i just got my test kit a few days ago and told the people that were reading the topic that i would like to know how to lower certain perameters and nobody replied i alo was told to put bio spira in the tank because the lps gave me the incorrect information on how long to cycle 3 days instead of 2 - 6 weeks. I add the bio spira in the tank i think 2 days ago and nothing has changed i don't think is working and i do not have the money to go get more it cost me 25 dollars. Do you know if ACE is any good suppose to get rid off ammonia its made by jungle. is there any chemical that works really great? and when i use ammonia removers don't i have to take my bio wheels and filters off of my new emperor 400?


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

when i get home i will do another water change and add the ammonia remover but what i need to know now is do i take everything off and out of my emperor 400? and if i am suppose to keep the bio wheels on it wont it start to kill the bacteria media


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

alright when i got off work yesterday my lps were already closed so i had to go to walmart. And like always they only had the ammonia removing rocks that you put in ur filter. i put them in none of my fish have died besides the guppies that my p's eat. If you think that the ammonia rocks wont work than what do u prefer. Right now its real obvious that the bio spira didn't work. any suggestions? should i try again? and can somebody help me i need pics of rbp's or any p's with ick. I saw some fish at my lps a few days ago with ick and it looks nothing like the silver spots on the back of my p's. Are they normal? But i constantly see them rubbing against stuff. I did treat for ick for a week and some but the silver dots on their backs didn't seem to go away. I have also seen some pics of p's on this site with the same little dots. I have trouble loading my pics from my digital cam to my ps so it is rather difficult to show people what i am talking about. thanks . all suggestions are helpful so feel free to reply.


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## DominatorRhom (Jan 28, 2005)

relax man, juvi p's have spots on them. take a picture anyway so we can see what your ps look like. and check your water parameters again and post them. the bio-spira doesnt work instantly, but unless you warmed it up too much before you put it in it should work. and some ps "scratch" themselves against the bottom from time to time. it they do it constantly that might be something to worry about, but a little is normal.


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

Give the Bio-Spira some time, 8PPM is a huge amount of ammonia.


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

my perameters 2 days ago were
ph between 7.0 - 7.2
ph high range 7.4
ammonia 4.0 - 8.0
nitrite 2.0
nitrate 5.0

today they are
ph 6.6 
ph high range 7.4
ammonia 1.0 - 2.0
nitrite 2.0
nitrate 5.0

why is one rbp recently alot darker than the others?


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## r1dermon (Mar 9, 2005)

those last readings are weird. if nitrates are 5ppm, there should be no ammonia, and nitrite should be tailing off like it is. i'd retest that ammonia.


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## john1634 (Mar 22, 2005)

i have my readings have been the same for a while now i test every other day. I can do a test whn i get home in an hour. you know it has 6 days since that post right


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