# My tank cycling all went wrong. Fish died, nitrite out of nowhere, What the What!?



## ChocoboDragon (Nov 7, 2009)

So I tried to cycle my 45 gal tank with ammonia, a fishless cycle (like all the cool people are doing these days, lol). Each day I put in ammonia equal to 5ppm. About a week in, I took my water to the pet shop to get tested (since I only have an ammonia test kit at home) and I had some nitrite and nitrate. Not sure when the nitrite started showing but from that point I daily dosed the tank with half the amount of ammonia I was doing before.

On day 12 I tested my water again... 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate and I think 10 nitrate. I didn't dose the tank with ammonia that day (usually done in the evening) and bought 3 balloon mollies the next morning (did a 80-90% water change before they went in to get rid of nitrate and also put in neutraliser to get my pH to 7). 

The morning after that one was dead so I got my water tested... 0.25 ammonia, 0.25 nitrite and 0 nitrate. I put in some Seachem Stability that night. BUT before I did, I tested the ammonia.. it was 0! I retested it to make sure I did it right. So now we come to today, I got my water tested again... 0.25 ammonia, 0.25 nitrite, I don't think I have nitrate. 

WHAT IS GOING ON? D:
This is the first time I've cycled a tank, so I imagine there may be a million things I've done wrong here. :\ If you could tell me where the nitrite came from, what I did wrong and what I do now (just keep using Stability), I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks!
(The ammonia I used to cycle is AmmonChlor which is especially made for cycling fishtanks)

EDIT: Forgot to add I also threw in a cup of gravel from an established aquarium a day or two into the cycling process.


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## xdeputy101 (Nov 26, 2009)

Ummmm, I really dont trust that practice at all. Maybe you need to start from scratch. I (1) make sure to clean my tank really good with NO CHEMICALS AT ALL!. (2) Use Caribe LIVE SAND, (3) Use only reverse osmosis water, them mix with a premium salt mix. (4) Fill tank and check you parameters. You should have 0 on everything and may have to adjust your P.H. Sea Chem P.H. works well to raise and maintain without affecting your alkilinity. Do that wait a few days and do you parameter check again. AMMONIA should be at 0. I actually have 3 Fish in my tanks after 7 days of starting up my tank. they are doing fine. Eating, swimming and exploring. No signs or stress at all. One of my biggest problems was using tap water and all those chemicals to reduce and remove all these contaminants. Reverse Osmosis water just gives you pure water Molecules, so you have a great base to begin with. If anything starts to rise you can get a quick grip on things because of the beginning water base used. I hope this helps.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

ChocoboDragon said:


> So I tried to cycle my 45 gal tank with ammonia, a fishless cycle (like all the cool people are doing these days, lol). Each day I put in ammonia equal to 5ppm. About a week in, I took my water to the pet shop to get tested (since I only have an ammonia test kit at home) and I had some nitrite and nitrate. Not sure when the nitrite started showing but from that point I daily dosed the tank with half the amount of ammonia I was doing before.
> 
> On day 12 I tested my water again... 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate and I think 10 nitrate. I didn't dose the tank with ammonia that day (usually done in the evening) and bought 3 balloon mollies the next morning (did a 80-90% water change before they went in to get rid of nitrate and also put in neutraliser to get my pH to 7).
> 
> ...



Cant say i really endorse the fishless cycle but ill help ya anyways -_- 

what ever it was that you added to flux your ph is what most likely killed your fish. you could have also acclimated them too quickly and that combod with that im sure killed them. nitrate is the end result of a mature cycled tank. even though yours is new your ALWYAS going to have nitrate unless you spend lots of money on useless nitrate filters. nitrate in the 30-even 100 range wont harm fish. your nitrate will also spike after and during a gravel vac since you stir up all that gunk. from your water params shifting overnight ammonia ph nitrite etc is due to the chems you are adding.


now heres what i suggest, due to the issues you are having with your cycle i would take the fish you have now put them in a bucket of water from the tank, drain the tank completely. take out any ammo carb or any other ammonia removing media that you might have then fill the tank back up. add chlorine remover then stability then do weekly W/C's at about 30-35% and go buy a nitrIte, PH and ammonia test kit and test twice a week. because of the fish you have choose they will be fine through a fish in cycle they are forgiving to new aquarists and are pretty hard to kill. your cycle will last for about a month and then the tank will be mature. if you have any q's feel free to msg me.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

ChocoboDragon said:


> So I tried to cycle my 45 gal tank with ammonia, a fishless cycle (like all the cool people are doing these days, lol). Each day I put in ammonia equal to 5ppm. About a week in, I took my water to the pet shop to get tested (since I only have an ammonia test kit at home) and I had some nitrite and nitrate. Not sure when the nitrite started showing but from that point I daily dosed the tank with half the amount of ammonia I was doing before.
> 
> On day 12 I tested my water again... 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate and I think 10 nitrate. I didn't dose the tank with ammonia that day (usually done in the evening) and bought 3 balloon mollies the next morning (did a 80-90% water change before they went in to get rid of nitrate and also put in neutraliser to get my pH to 7).
> 
> ...


Just about to head out the door, but wanted to respond, so excuse the lack of details. I can add those tomorrow.

First comment, in general do not add chemicals to an aquarium (especially if it contains live fish). Ph adjusters are not necessary. For one thing, no fish can live in exactly pH 7 because it is too "pure", although it is unlikely you could keep an aquarium at this exact pH. Livebearers prefer basic water (above pH 7) with moderate hardness. Second, the KH of the water will determine how effective these might be anyway, and fluctuating pH is worse than a pH that is slightly outside the preference for the fish. What is your pH and hardness (tap water)? May have some suggestions there.

The second set of figures was due to the tank re-cycling. Stability is fine, it is 100% bacteria. But whichever method, you must maintain the level of ammonia to keep the bacteria alive; without "food" they will die off. Fish produce ammonia, lots of it, so once a fish is in the tank, the ammonia will be there.

When you've responded with the info above, more will follow.

Byron.


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## long time fish luver (Nov 28, 2009)

can someone tell me how to start a forum
sorry for butting in
im new to the forum


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

long time fish luver said:


> can someone tell me how to start a forum
> sorry for butting in
> im new to the forum


I've PM'd in response. Byron.


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