# Cycling



## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

Is it normal for the water to stink when the tank is cycling?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

azeral26 said:


> Is it normal for the water to stink when the tank is cycling?
> [snapback]823938[/snapback]​


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## Guest (Jan 1, 2005)

Yes, sometimes an aquarium can smell badly when it's cycling. 
In fact, that's one of the clues when someone's tank is re-cycling. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps the wrong bacteria releasing odorous waste products? I don't know.


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

Bullsnake said:


> Yes, sometimes an aquarium can smell badly when it's cycling.
> In fact, that's one of the clues when someone's tank is re-cycling. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps the wrong bacteria releasing odorous waste products? I don't know.
> [snapback]823985[/snapback]​


Would it be ok to add some Jungle "Clear Water" to remove the odor and clear it up a bit.?


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## Fresh2salt (Jul 16, 2004)

i never had any odor when cycling my tanks. but if i was you i'd just wait it out. dont use meds . IMO


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2005)

Fresh2salt said:


> i never had any odor when cycling my tanks. but if i was you i'd just wait it out. dont use meds . IMO
> [snapback]824154[/snapback]​


I'll second that. The only chemicals I ever add is from my water conditioner. Try not to add unnatural things.


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

My nitrate has been stable at 20ppm but my nitrite has been rising, its up to 4.0 now. Any thoughts?


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

Also the smell from the water is not as strong anymore.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2005)

azeral26 said:


> My nitrate has been stable at 20ppm but my nitrite has been rising, its up to 4.0 now. Any thoughts?
> [snapback]825557[/snapback]​


It's still cycling. The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate have yet to match their population to the food supply. As the cycle continues, you'll see your nitrite levels drop while your nitrate levels will increase.

Ideally, when it's all done, you won't have any measureable amounts of accumulated ammonia or nitrite.


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

Bullsnake said:


> It's still cycling. The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate have yet to match their population to the food supply. As the cycle continues, you'll see your nitrite levels drop while your nitrate levels will increase.
> 
> Ideally, when it's all done, you won't have any measureable amounts of accumulated ammonia or nitrite.
> [snapback]825745[/snapback]​


The nitrite lvls rose way to high, I had to do a small water change. Almost doubled from yesterday to 8.0.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

azeral26 said:


> The nitrite lvls rose way to high, I had to do a small water change. Almost doubled from yesterday to 8.0.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you have your prized fish in that tank? If so, I'd add one or two table spoons of table salt to your tank - it'll lessen the effects of high nitrItes on your fish.
As far as water changes go: it may bring down the nitrIte levels, but it will also increase the period your tank needs to get the cycle back to normal.

Also, how about the ammonia-levels?


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

Judazzz said:


> Do you have your prized fish in that tank? If so, I'd add one or two table spoons of table salt to your tank - it'll lessen the effects of high nitrItes on your fish.
> As far as water changes go: it may bring down the nitrIte levels, but it will also increase the period your tank needs to get the cycle back to normal.
> 
> Also, how about the ammonia-levels?
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My 5-1 test strip only tests for ph, nitrate, nitrite, hardness, and alkalinity. I Probably should go buy another test kit.

The nitrites dropped obviously when I changed it but maybe I should've have just let it run its course.


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

My prized fish are in there







. I was a fool and rushed into getting my tank ready with bio-spira and all of it. My impatience has caused a roller coaster in my tank. I have a 90 gallon en route and I will make damn sure that thing is properly cycled before I add these fish in there. This is a broken record post because if I would've heeded the 8,000,000 warnings on this site against rushing a tank through cycling then I would'nt be in this mess. So to all the other new people, use my stupidity as an example of what not to do. My fish haven't died and look fine but I see now the error of my ways.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

azeral26 said:


> My prized fish are in there
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, we all make mistakes - nothing wrong with that, as long as you learn from it.
You noticed something was wrong in time, and posted about it in time, so let's focus on how to get things back to normal again instead of pointing fingers or blaming yourself - what happened happened...

If possible, I'd indeed get an ammonia test kit, although a rising nitrIte levels suggests that the ammonia is already on the decrease (as during the cycle, the first peak - ammonia - is always followed by a second - nitrItes).
For now, I'd stick with the added salt, and keep an eye out on your fish: as long as they look and act normal, they'll probably be fine. Peaks aren't especially appreciated by fish, but a - as you put it - rollercoaster of constantly and rapidly changing readings ain't no picknick either. So just let the tank do its work, and try to keep human interference at a minimum (except when your fish go bad, of course).
Don't feed them, or only the slightest amounts (as it will only cause more pollution, with new high readings as a result), and try to keep stress at a minimum (no lights or dimmed lights), and perhaps blankets to shield off the sides, to minimize outside interference.

Good luck, and keep us posted


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

Nitrates are finally rising WOOOOOHOOOOOO! Finally. The nitrites should start dropping more soon.


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## Guest (Jan 5, 2005)

Looks like you are heading in the right direction then. I thought the bio-spira would have speeded the cycling process up more. Usually without bio-spira it will take about a month. So I guess it has speeded it up some.


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## PYROPYGO1 (Nov 23, 2004)

i'm cycling my 75g right now and i only have the 5 part test strips to test for nitrites and nitrates. will it be a month or so until i can place my 2 caribes and 2 pygo nats in there? i have already added some bacteria starter by proquatics and some stress coat to remove chlorine. i also rinsed my sand with hot water before adding to the tank to reduce disease. my current temp is 82 degrees, will the warmer water cause the bacteria to acclimate faster? the only things that are in the tank right now is some sword plants and sand, that's it.


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

PYROPYGO1 said:


> i'm cycling my 75g right now and i only have the 5 part test strips to test for nitrites and nitrates. will it be a month or so until i can place my 2 caribes and 2 pygo nats in there? i have already added some bacteria starter by proquatics and some stress coat to remove chlorine. i also rinsed my sand with hot water before adding to the tank to reduce disease. my current temp is 82 degrees, will the warmer water cause the bacteria to acclimate faster? the only things that are in the tank right now is some sword plants and sand, that's it.
> [snapback]830307[/snapback]​


I'm not a expert by any means but I believe warmer water helps speed it up. Also, you don't have anything producing amonia in the tank so I'm not sure how fast it will cycle if at all. If you're going to do a fishless cycle I have heard that you have to add amonia. How much and how often I do not know.


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## Guest (Jan 5, 2005)

azeral26 said:


> I'm not a expert by any means but I believe warmer water helps speed it up. Also, you don't have anything producing amonia in the tank so I'm not sure how fast it will cycle if at all. If you're going to do a fishless cycle I have heard that you have to add amonia. How much and how often I do not know.
> [snapback]830339[/snapback]​


Like azeral26 says without anything producing ammonia you are not achieving anything. There has to be ammonia present in the tank for the bacteria to colonize. The temp won't make a big differene but it should be kept at what your tank eventually will be.

And guys the 5-1 test kits are the most inaccurate. If you get funny results ever, don't take it as gospel. Get a second opinion from another test! Thats just in my experience and it was nearly a decade ago when I last used them. Maybe they are better now.


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## PYROPYGO1 (Nov 23, 2004)

thanks for the info, what if i added one of my nats, would that do for now?


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2005)

Your nats are a fair size so it wouldn't be ideal. They are messy and produce a reasonable amount of waste. If they were small it wouldn't be much of a problem because it would take ages for tiny fish to pollute a 75. Your best bet is the fishless cycle Azeral mentioned if you can find pure ammonia. Or if you use feeders, I don't, put a load of them in first. Like Azeral is doing at the moment.

If you want to move one in a hurry and get things going they probably will survive they are a hardy fish. You could fill the new filter on the uncycled tank with something that has bacteria already colonized. From one of your existing tanks. Like filter media ideally but other things like gravel will hold some too. If your 55 has been running for some time you could use some gravel from it and fill half your new filter with it. Then months down the line replace it with original/proper media, the bacteria will have spread to the other half that was in there by then.

You do realise how big Pacus get yeah!? Bloody huge them things. They will need an enormous tank.


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## PYROPYGO1 (Nov 23, 2004)

yeah, the pacus will be sold to a friend that's got a larger tank real soon. i need the 29 for a hospital tank.


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