# Test Chart Maxed



## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

Well I thought I was making miraculous progress on my tank cycle but I was mistaken. Should've thought I've only been cycling for 11 days....actually now that I think about it only 9. Right now ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates are MAXED on the color chart (using API master kit). This is a little odd to me, to have them all maxed that is. Previous tanks I've cycled I would show somthing for all 3 but typically one would increase and another would decrease until the endstate of having nothing but nitrates showing-cycled. Is it odd that all 3 are maxing out the chart?

Need to knows:
_125 gal tank_
*For the cycle I got a couple of used filter pads from a friend, a raw fillet of whiting changed out every 3 days, and a couple tetras for asthetics. 
*Running 3 tetra 30-60gal HOB filters and an XP3 canister
*tank is planted 3wts per gal, Co2 injected


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

There really is not any set ammount of days to cycle a tank..The nitrogen cycle matures at different rates and this depends on many variables, such as overstocking to early,weak filtration,PH fluctuation,O2, not removing uneaten food ect..I would do a 10 percent daily water change for about a week or two and feed lightly.and test your water daily and do believe in ammonia removers that would be remove what your good bacterias food but thats on you.. just W/C daily until you get a balance.I think it would be best to prepare your water the day before each water change to age it a little. Test tap water..hope this helps peace


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

pygocentrus da 3rd said:


> There really is not any set ammount of days to cycle a tank..The nitrogen cycle matures at different rates and this depends on many variables, such as overstocking to early,weak filtration,PH fluctuation,O2, not removing uneaten food ect..I would do a 10 percent daily water change for about a week or two and feed lightly.and test your water daily and do believe in ammonia removers that would be remove what your good bacterias food but thats on you.. just W/C daily until you get a balance.I think it would be best to prepare your water the day before each water change to age it a little. Test tap water..hope this helps peace


I wasn't asking how long it takes to cycle, I know its variable, that had nothing to do with what I was talking about. Durring previous cycles I had never maxed out ammonia,nitrites, and nitrates on the test chart before at the same time, I thought it was/is odd so I was asking if anyone else has run into this as I have not with previous tanks I always had fluctuation until the cycle was complete. I'm not concerned about over stocking either with a couple tetras in a 125 nor the over feeding factor, and why would I want to use ammonia remover or change water daily when I'm in a middle of a cycle- it needs to and will balance on its own its only been 9 days...kind of working against myself if I were to do that (adding chems and daily water changes), or working against the bacteria birth rather. Did you read my post at all??







Again my post was simply about the maxing out of the test chart.


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

jestergraphics said:


> There really is not any set ammount of days to cycle a tank..The nitrogen cycle matures at different rates and this depends on many variables, such as overstocking to early,weak filtration,PH fluctuation,O2, not removing uneaten food ect..I would do a 10 percent daily water change for about a week or two and feed lightly.and test your water daily and do believe in ammonia removers that would be remove what your good bacterias food but thats on you.. just W/C daily until you get a balance.I think it would be best to prepare your water the day before each water change to age it a little. Test tap water..hope this helps peace


I wasn't asking how long it takes to cycle, I know its variable, that had nothing to do with what I was talking about. Durring previous cycles I had never maxed out ammonia,nitrites, and nitrates on the test chart before at the same time, I thought it was/is odd so I was asking if anyone else has run into this as I have not with previous tanks I always had fluctuation until the cycle was complete. I'm not concerned about over stocking either with a couple tetras in a 125 nor the over feeding factor, and why would I want to use ammonia remover or change water daily when I'm in a middle of a cycle- it needs to and will balance on its own its only been 9 days...kind of working against myself if I were to do that (adding chems and daily water changes), or working against the bacteria birth rather. Did you read my post at all??







Again my post was simply about the maxing out of the test chart.
[/quote]
Im shot i did misread your post. yeah that is odd have all ammonia,nitrites and nitrates spiked all at the same time.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

I thought so I am by no means a "verteran" fish keeper but I have cycled maybe 15 tanks or so over the years and I can't remember this ever happening before. Test chart wise theres no room for any of them to budge- unless they start turning black, as far as 1 decreasing and another increasing going through the cycle. I think I'm going to pull the whiting fillet out and leave it as is and see where the readings go in a couple days, I know that raw fillet has to be reeking havoc quicker than the BB can spawn.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

That is pretty strange, are you sure that the test kit is accurate?


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> That is pretty strange, are you sure that the test kit is accurate?


well I'm not a chemist so your guess is as good as mine. However it is the same kit I have been using for years, the API master test kit. We'll see what happens over the next couple days. I will say that it was showing nothing on day 1, obviously, and has gradually risen over the next 9 to the max. It wasn't an immediate reading it did progress to where its at.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Try testing your water right out of the tap, or better yet on some distilled water if you have some, that way you can be assured that your results are at least somewhat accurate.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> Try testing your water right out of the tap, or better yet on some distilled water if you have some, that way you can be assured that your results are at least somewhat accurate.


0 accross the board. Could it be feasible that I overloaded too quick? My ammonia source of choice was that fillet I mention a few times approximently 8" long 3" wide just "marinating" in the tank pretty much since the start, I did change it out every few days for a new one.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Try cutting back a bit by using smaller pieces of fillet -- that's gotta be producing an awful lot of ammonia, which might explain your readings.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> Try cutting back a bit by using smaller pieces of fillet -- that's gotta be producing an awful lot of ammonia, which might explain your readings.


thats the angle I was thinking as well, thanks for the confirmation, we'll see how it pans out here in a day or two.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Right on man, keep us posted... I usually just use a single raw shrimp or a similar sized piece of fillet when I cycle -- that creates plenty of ammonia for cycling purposes.


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

jestergraphics said:


> I thought so I am by no means a "verteran" fish keeper but I have cycled maybe 15 tanks or so over the years and I can't remember this ever happening before. Test chart wise theres no room for any of them to budge- unless they start turning black, as far as 1 decreasing and another increasing going through the cycle. I think I'm going to pull the whiting fillet out and leave it as is and see where the readings go in a couple days, I know that raw fillet has to be reeking havoc quicker than the BB can spawn.


This really is strange..maybe you have a "stuck cycle"..I also heard that PH fluctuation or too low of a PH can disrupt the good bacteria so the conversion of ammonia into nitrites then into nitrates is all wacked out..You obviously have nitrosomonas bacteria cause you have nitrites and you definetly have nitrobacter bacteria cause you have nitrates..this is crazy..i think your having some unseen fluctuation that is screwing up your nitrogen cycle. Thus the constant die off and regrowth of the bacteria cannot keep up with the bioload. not enough nitrosomonas to remove ammonia so your maxed..not enough nitrobacter remove nitrites so your maxed and of coarse your nitrates are maxed too..yeah man i think you have a stuck cycle or some unseen fluctuation


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> Right on man, keep us posted... I usually just use a single raw shrimp or a similar sized piece of fillet when I cycle -- that creates plenty of ammonia for cycling purposes.


typically in the passed I've done the same thing, I just had these fillets in the freezer and said, "why not, this has to get the ammonia rolling like frieght train." well.......it sure did now didn't it







I've taken the majority of it out I'll test again tonight, maybe tomorrow see if there's any change, might be too soon yet. At this point there's enough uneaten food scattered about on the substrate from the tetras that I should be able to ride this out for the remainder of the cycle. I may still toss a shrimp in here in a few days just too keep the load up a little bit I certainly don't want it to yo-yo back and not have enough BB.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

I went ahead and tested it again now that its been 36hrs since I pulled the fillet out, the ammonia droped in half, nitrites still seem to be around the max level along with nitrates, but they are back in the color zone where as the latter part of last week they were exceeding. I did a 25% water change, which typically is a "no no" durring cycle but I'm going on the theory of "making" room for nitrite to nitrate conversion. My plants are living the dream, they've only been planted since thursday and my Ludwigia Peruenis is sending runners out like it's it's job!


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

jestergraphics said:


> I went ahead and tested it again now that its been 36hrs since I pulled the fillet out, the ammonia droped in half, nitrites still seem to be around the max level along with nitrates, but they are back in the color zone where as the latter part of last week they were exceeding. I did a 25% water change, which typically is a "no no" durring cycle but I'm going on the theory of "making" room for nitrite to nitrate conversion. My plants are living the dream, they've only been planted since thursday and my Ludwigia Peruenis is sending runners out like it's it's job!


yeah man its good you did a W/C and diluted your tank..you ever think about using a moving bed filter? im sure that would drop your ammonia pretty fast that will get your conversion back on track.peace


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

allright things panned out, got rid of the big fillet and subed in a shrimp and the few tetras. Everything came down to reasonable limits and the past 4 day been sitting good at 0,0, 10-20ish. Caribe arrived today and are in the tank and I must say this was the only pygo I haven't owned and I'm really wondering why. They're just 2" little shits but I heard them flopping in the box even before I opened it, acclimated them and they've been swimming laps ever since. At about 9min and 10 laps in their new home they also decided they didn't like tetras and had their first meal and all 5 are keeping together. Luck of the draw on an active 5 I must say. Allready making me wonder why I even pissed around with tank bred RBPs years back.


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

jestergraphics said:


> allright things panned out, got rid of the big fillet and subed in a shrimp and the few tetras. Everything came down to reasonable limits and the past 4 day been sitting good at 0,0, 10-20ish. Caribe arrived today and are in the tank and I must say this was the only pygo I haven't owned and I'm really wondering why. They're just 2" little shits but I heard them flopping in the box even before I opened it, acclimated them and they've been swimming laps ever since. At about 9min and 10 laps in their new home they also decided they didn't like tetras and had their first meal and all 5 are keeping together. Luck of the draw on an active 5 I must say. Allready making me wonder why I even pissed around with tank bred RBPs years back.


Glad to hear its panning out man..That was pretty stange having all maxed readings..saw the caribes they are awesome BTW peace


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