# Uncycled 55 Gal tank



## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Of course I learned about this cycling thing after purchasing fish. I have a 55 gallon with one 5" Xingu Rhom in it with feeders. Should I ride it out or treat it during ammonia and nitrite spike. Its only been 4 days and my current readings are

Temp - 80 degrees
PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 1 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
GH - 89.5 ppm


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## mpdt (Jul 16, 2003)

You can try adding bio-spira to help cycle the tank along.


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## vlahos (Sep 7, 2003)

since you've added the fish, get some bacteria solution (eg stress zyme) that may help out. also get a water buffer for the hardness and to take down the ph to 7.0
he should be fine though


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

mpdt said:


> You can try adding bio-spira to help cycle the tank along.


 yes you might want to do that ......Did you just add water and put the fish in or did you let it cycle first.......cycling is one of the most important things you can do to make your fish live happy lives.from the start ......I cant stress this enough ........
I hope everything goes well for you...


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Harley,

I put the fish in about 1 hour after filling tank with well water. I live in the Poconos so the water is soft where I am from It only took 4 drops to turn the color to green during testing hardness. 17.9 x 4 = 89.5 ppm. The one thing I am concerned about is when the ammonia and nitrite spike should I ride it out or treat it. That spira stuff -- can it be put in while the Rhom is in the tank. ???


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## Black-Phoenix (Oct 21, 2003)

yes add it directly to the tank......

any amonia lvl over .5ppm is far too high...do nessasary waterchanges to bring it down.

I wouldn't bother lowering your PH....7.4 isn't that bad at all and synthetic PH mods are a pain in the arse.....you may find that after your tank becomes established your PH will drop to about 7.2 any way... a good reliable way to lower the PH is too add some drift wood....this will stain your water a tea color for a wile (tint based on wood size) but will provide a constant medium for lowering the PH. peat could also be used but will wear out fairly fast some times leading to un nessasary PH spikes.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

So I should treat it and delay the cycle ??? I appreciate the input. This site rules...


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## Kolbenschlag (Feb 3, 2003)

Go get Bio-Spira. This is the right advice. Do not treat it with anything that will lower ammonia levels or nitrite levels or anything like that, as that will throw the whole cycle off, only causing it to take longer. Bio Spira provides all the nessescary becteria to cycle your tank, and it will work in like 24 hours.

While bio-spira is expensive, it is better than losing your fish. It is reccomended that you add it with fish in the tank, so that won't be a problem and it won't harm your fish. Good luck, let us know what happens.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

jerry_plakyda said:


> So I should treat it and delay the cycle ??? I appreciate the input. This site rules...


 Just let your tank cycle and take its course..... :smile:


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Thanks, I put in the bio-spira and put in some ammo lock to detoxify the ammonia..will let everyone know how things work out.


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## Kolbenschlag (Feb 3, 2003)

You should not use anything to detox when using bio spira. Bio spira contains the beneficial bacteria nessescary for cycling the tank. That bacteria needs to feed on the ammonia... so if you don't have an ammonia source in your tank, the other bacteria will just die, the cycle won't happen, and you'll most likely end up pissed off that the bio-spira didn't work as advertised.

I'd add some feeders or other fish right away to have an ammonia source, it might still work.

Hope it works out, wish you the best.

Andrew


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