# Fish cycle with used filter media



## dock (Sep 6, 2011)

Hi,

I cycled my tank with used filter sponge from an established tank, of course, and some fish. The tank currently has plants, feeder fish, full media in the canister filter, driftwood, a heater and a sponge filter. I used Safe to treat the water. Ammonia has always been .25ppm, but I don't have the test kit to test whether it is total or free ammonia. The Nitrite is 0, but Nitrate is rising from 15ppm to like between 40-80. There is some brown algae too because of the high nitrate. I don't know what cycling stage I'm at right now, should I do a partial water change? My gut feeling tells me that the tank is almost ready, but thought I should ask you first. The tank is under stocking, why the nitrate is so high? How can I keep it low? Thanks.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

sounds like you are fully cycled now, main thing is the 0 nitrites and nitrates going up. sometimes you can get a hard to read reading of ammonia.

If your nitrates are 60 or higher, I recommend a 50 percent water change now and then doing another water change in 2 or 3 days of 40 to 50 percent again and then again in another 4 or 5 days until nitrates are 20 or under.

keep the feeder fish in until your get the nitrates down and once nitrates are under 20, you can change to your normal stocking safely.


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## dock (Sep 6, 2011)

Would it be too much to do a 50% WC and another 50% in 2-3 days? 
I seldom do 50% water change. I guess it's ok for new tank?
BTW, I get plants in the tank, maybe that's why I don't see nitrite


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

no nitrites means the tank is cycled, the end result of the whole process of removing ammonia and then nitrites is nitrates which are only removed with water changes or plants can help remove them.

Also, your tank is cycled for the load that is currently in the tank. This means you can put in your new fish up to a level that is about the same as the junk fish you have in there right now.

For example, if you just had 6 feeder guppies in, you would not be cycled for 6 fish that are 6 inches long. If you had 3 gold fish that were 4 inches each, then I would feel safe putting in 4 or 5 fish that are 6 inches.

Maybe if you could let us know what you have in there right now and what you plan to put in, we can give more detailed advice on what new fish to add as in how many and what kind and when you can add them.

I am concerned with the very high nitrates of 60 to 80, it is not good for new fish as high nitrates can hurt the growth of fish and new fish are usually young.

If using gravel, make sure you clean the gravel well with your gravel vacuum/siphon, if sand make sure you hover just over the sand to pick up any waste on top of the sand.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

If there is a need for major water changes, such as in the case of dangerously high levels of ammonia or nitrites, there is a less stressful way to do it. 

Instead of changing 50% or more of the water in one go, first, just change 25%. Then test. If it's still too high, do another 25% change, and so on, 'til the test shows the levels are back in the safe zone.

You can end up having done a 100% change, but because it's done more gradually, the stress and shock is considerably reduced for the livestock. 

I had a filter fail once when I was away. Soon as I found it, I tested the water and found nitrates way too high, and nitrites just barely registering. Later I found a deceased snail which probably accounted for the nitrite reading. 

It was only a 5G tank, so I did what I have just described, approx. 25% at a time, until it tested zero for nitrite, and nitrates around 20 ppm. I think I changed close to 100% of the water in total, but because it was done in increments, I didn't lose any stock other than the snail.

When it's done this way, each time you add the new water, you're diluting what's left in the old water in a more gradual way, so the shock is less. So far, I have not had adverse results from this method, when it has been needed.

Btw, your plants won't help get nitrites down. Nitrites are reduced by the bacterial colonies that are established primarily in the filter. These bacteria 'cycle' ammonia, by converting it to nitrite, which other bacteria then convert to nitrate, which is usable by plants.

Though both ammonia and nitrate can be used by plants, ammonia, like nitrite, is so toxic for livestock, you don't either of them around in any amount. And nitrate is also toxic but much less so than the other two, so modest levels of nitrate don't harm most livestock and are certainly used by plants for food. 

So you can't rely on plants to get rid of nitrite. The only ways to get rid of it are by changing water or conversion through an established filter.


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## dock (Sep 6, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> Instead of changing 50% or more of the water in one go, first, just change 25%. Then test. If it's still too high, do another 25% change, and so on, 'til the test shows the levels are back in the safe zone.


All WC happen in a day? How many hours apart of each WC for your case?


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

If doing 25 percent, I'd wait 10 min after the wc to test and if still off, you can do it again right away for another 25 percent. I wouldn't do more than 3 25 percent changes in a day. I would recommend 2 and if more is needed, wait 2 days.

Gotta find the balance you want between fast and safe. My advice of 50 percent was faster, the advice of 25 percent is safer.

Depends on how much of a hurry you are in. If you can wait, better to take it slower. I am personally a fairly impatient person.


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