Question: I'm an idiot - Help cycle my tank!

[AmandaB]

Hey everyone I'm sure this is posted elsewhere, but like the title dictates, I am an idiot.

Here's my story:
While my Axie (RIP Pickles) was ill and had him in the fridge I decided this is would be a good time to do a thorough cleaning of his tank. Well apparently, I was a little too aggressive and cleaned his filter cartridge (both of them. *face palm*). When I put the second one back in, I realized it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. I tested the water the next day and everything seemed fine. I didn't feel comfortable putting him back in though just in case.

Fast forward 5 days:
After painfully following the fridging guide found on this site (excellent by the way if you're unsure of the process), my Pickles passed away (last night). I had a thread on here about trying to save the little guy and one of the posters said the tank had to restart the cycling process, again, cause I am an idiot.

I would like to do this the slow old fashioned way without adding pure ammonia.
I had added a bunch of trout pellets (Pickles' food) and some fish flakes I had laying around as I heard the decaying food was good for the cycling process. I tested my levels yesterday and today and the results are exactly the same:

Ammonia: 4
pH: 6
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0

So far is this good? Is the process beginning? Someone please help, I haven't been able to find any information online about doing this without chemicals. Please help! I'd like to get another baby when my tank is at 100% tip top shape (pretty sure he was sick when I bought him. I only had him for like three months).

Thanks in advance!

Amanda

 

[CatSpit]

Hi Amanda,

Don't feel like an idiot for doing what a lot of people have mistakenly done. I was wondering, do you clean the filter cartridges in tank water? That is the best way to clean them to ensure they maintain their healthy bacteria.

It sounds like you're on the right track to cycling your tank - 4ppm is a good level for ammonia to start off with. I googled "cycling aquarium with fish food" and found some good information, you might want to try doing that.

Sorry you lost "Pickles". Hope your tank cycles well and your new Axolotl is healthy and happy in it.

 

[Hellvetica]

Awh man, gonna start off by saying i'm sorry for your loss.

Cycling tanks is always a pain no matter how experienced a fish keeper is. It's time consuming, needs a lot of checking up on, and waiting to add animals makes most people eager to get it done with. Needless to say you're not an idiot, and cycling a tank has gotten the best of most every hobbyist.

While cycling with fishfood is certainly one way to try and cycle a tank, and I can't speak much on it since i've not tried it personally, it's definitely a solid option. I've found adding marimo/mossballs has helped me cycle tanks. Adding plants in general has always been a go-to for me, just nothing too sensitive. But again, those moss balls i mentioned are so nice! They're cute,cheap, and you can add one for every 5 gallons of water. You can find some on amazon Just make sure you buy one larger than the axie can eat. Assuming you can order the one i just linked, these are the ones i use

I would also recommend adding some beneficial bacteria to the tank as well. You can very easily also find these online and at your LFS/LPS. I feel like this would easily be a good combo with the fish food cycle as they would be able to break it down.

I will also link you to this video/playlist ! I found it super helpful and always refer to it when i need a refresher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqUH3BFp4ow&list=PLu7oScACwpvF7hbA8u-omCgVyuNeX2bBN&index=7

Wish you luck !

 

[Holly12]

You will know you are mid cycle when the ammonia drops and nitrites are present. Eventually they will go away and nitrates will be present. You know you are done when you can put an ammonia source in the tank and it as well as the nitrites are gone 24 hours later.

 

[AmandaB]

Hi Amanda,



Don't feel like an idiot for doing what a lot of people have mistakenly done. I was wondering, do you clean the filter cartridges in tank water? That is the best way to clean them to ensure they maintain their healthy bacteria.



It sounds like you're on the right track to cycling your tank - 4ppm is a good level for ammonia to start off with. I googled "cycling aquarium with fish food" and found some good information, you might want to try doing that.



Sorry you lost "Pickles". Hope your tank cycles well and your new Axolotl is healthy and happy in it.

Thanks for the reassurance that I'm heading in the right direction! I will certainly try googling more intensively on this!

Thank you for the condolences, it was rough coming home from work and seeing him.


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[AmandaB]

Hi Amanda,



Don't feel like an idiot for doing what a lot of people have mistakenly done. I was wondering, do you clean the filter cartridges in tank water? That is the best way to clean them to ensure they maintain their healthy bacteria.



It sounds like you're on the right track to cycling your tank - 4ppm is a good level for ammonia to start off with. I googled "cycling aquarium with fish food" and found some good information, you might want to try doing that.



Sorry you lost "Pickles". Hope your tank cycles well and your new Axolotl is healthy and happy in it.

And yes I did clean the filter in the tank so I didn't think it would be that harmful but like I said, I was a little aggressive with it apparently!


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[AmandaB]

Awh man, gonna start off by saying i'm sorry for your loss.

Cycling tanks is always a pain no matter how experienced a fish keeper is. It's time consuming, needs a lot of checking up on, and waiting to add animals makes most people eager to get it done with. Needless to say you're not an idiot, and cycling a tank has gotten the best of most every hobbyist.

While cycling with fishfood is certainly one way to try and cycle a tank, and I can't speak much on it since i've not tried it personally, it's definitely a solid option. I've found adding marimo/mossballs has helped me cycle tanks. Adding plants in general has always been a go-to for me, just nothing too sensitive. But again, those moss balls i mentioned are so nice! They're cute,cheap, and you can add one for every 5 gallons of water. You can find some on amazon Just make sure you buy one larger than the axie can eat. Assuming you can order the one i just linked, these are the ones i use

I would also recommend adding some beneficial bacteria to the tank as well. You can very easily also find these online and at your LFS/LPS. I feel like this would easily be a good combo with the fish food cycle as they would be able to break it down.

I will also link you to this video/playlist ! I found it super helpful and always refer to it when i need a refresher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqUH3BFp4ow&list=PLu7oScACwpvF7hbA8u-omCgVyuNeX2bBN&index=7

Wish you luck !

It was hard to try not giving him cpr!

I didn't know moss balls would actually help the process! I have one in there, it's older and from an older tank (a previously cycled tank I was thinking yay help speed it up!) but I will definitely get a couple more! We have them at our local pets store.

As for the adding beneficial bacteria, is there a particular brand or product you recommend? I'm 100% open to suggestions.

Thanks for the video link! Super helpful! I am guilty of #2 which is why I'm in my particular situation!




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[AmandaB]

You will know you are mid cycle when the ammonia drops and nitrites are present. Eventually they will go away and nitrates will be present. You know you are done when you can put an ammonia source in the tank and it as well as the nitrites are gone 24 hours later.

Oh perfect! Thank you for simplifying that for me! Should I be doing water changes right now or worry about that once everything is back to normal?


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[AmandaB]

You guys all rock by the way! Super helpful! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me ? I also turned my filter flow to the max to really agitate the water and I just bought an airstone. I think my next little one will have a super prepared and informed mommy thanks to all you nice people!


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[Holly12]

The more plants the better!! I have duck weed and horn wort, as they eat up toxins fast and they float, creating shade. Then I have moss balls and java moss. I anchored java ferns and anubias to rocks and wood so he doesn't dig them up. There are ways to keep live plants so the silly dudes don't dig it all up.

 

[AmandaB]

The more plants the better!! I have duck weed and horn wort, as they eat up toxins fast and they float, creating shade. Then I have moss balls and java moss. I anchored java ferns and anubias to rocks and wood so he doesn't dig them up. There are ways to keep live plants so the silly dudes don't dig it all up.

That was my problem before. I had a bunch of different live plants in there but he would constantly rip them up or even snap at the leaves. Plus my green thumb isn't the best lol. If I keep some floating, will they survive long enough for the cycle?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right this time! I can't go through yesterday again!


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[Donna001]

I have anibias tied to decor and I find that works well, even in low light levels.
We've all had problems cycling tanks, so don't worry, it will take time but it is very rewarding and exciting when you know it's done.
Don't do water changes during your cycle, and don't worry about keeping the temperature at optimum axolotl comfort range, higher temperature sometimes help during cycling.
When your tank has cycled do a very large water change (at least 50%) and test your water the following day to ensure nitrates are low enough, before adding a new axolotl.
Best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

 

[AmandaB]

I have anibias tied to decor and I find that works well, even in low light levels.

We've all had problems cycling tanks, so don't worry, it will take time but it is very rewarding and exciting when you know it's done.

Don't do water changes during your cycle, and don't worry about keeping the temperature at optimum axolotl comfort range, higher temperature sometimes help during cycling.

When your tank has cycled do a very large water change (at least 50%) and test your water the following day to ensure nitrates are low enough, before adding a new axolotl.

Best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks so much Donna and gang!


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[Holly12]

Hornworm just floats around and would totally be fine in low lights while cycling. I don't believe you need to do water changes while cycling if you don't have fish or axies in there.

 

[AmandaB]

Hornworm just floats around and would totally be fine in low lights while cycling. I don't believe you need to do water changes while cycling if you don't have fish or axies in there.

Thanks! I'm going to be rearranging the room in a few days because I bought a tank stand for it. The only way we'd be able to move it is when I do a water change (I'd have to do about 50% of it). This won't restart everything will it?



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[AmandaB]

Update: all the levels were the same last night when I tested. I didn't add any more food to it so hopefully what's in there will start breaking down and the cycling process can continue. Thanks for all the input everyone! I can't wait to adopt a new baby. Need help on the naming though. (pickles was a pretty perfect name).


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[Holly12]

There isn't a ton of bacteria in the water. It's mainly in the filter, substrate, decor, plants, etc... so a 50% wc shoukd be ok. Or just empty the water into a bucket, move the tank and then put the water back in.

 

[AmandaB]

There isn't a ton of bacteria in the water. It's mainly in the filter, substrate, decor, plants, etc... so a 50% wc shoukd be ok. Or just empty the water into a bucket, move the tank and then put the water back in.

Put the old water back in right?


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[Holly12]

Yep if you want o, you can

 

[AmandaB]

Thanks for the help everyone! My levels haven't changed much but yesterday my pH rose to 7.4 and everything else was the same! I'll keep posted of any further developments! Xo


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