[Azeral]

Is it normal for the water to stink when the tank is cycling?

 

[rchan11]

Is it normal for the water to stink when the tank is cycling?

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[Guest]

Yes, sometimes an aquarium can smell badly when it's cycling.
In fact, that's one of the clues when someone's tank is re-cycling. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps the wrong bacteria releasing odorous waste products? I don't know.

 

[Azeral]

Yes, sometimes an aquarium can smell badly when it's cycling.
In fact, that's one of the clues when someone's tank is re-cycling. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps the wrong bacteria releasing odorous waste products? I don't know.

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Would it be ok to add some Jungle "Clear Water" to remove the odor and clear it up a bit.?

 

[Fresh2salt]

i never had any odor when cycling my tanks. but if i was you i'd just wait it out. dont use meds . IMO

 

[Guest]

i never had any odor when cycling my tanks. but if i was you i'd just wait it out. dont use meds . IMO

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I'll second that. The only chemicals I ever add is from my water conditioner. Try not to add unnatural things.

 

[Azeral]

My nitrate has been stable at 20ppm but my nitrite has been rising, its up to 4.0 now. Any thoughts?

 

[Azeral]

Also the smell from the water is not as strong anymore.

 

[Guest]

My nitrate has been stable at 20ppm but my nitrite has been rising, its up to 4.0 now. Any thoughts?

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It's still cycling. The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate have yet to match their population to the food supply. As the cycle continues, you'll see your nitrite levels drop while your nitrate levels will increase.

Ideally, when it's all done, you won't have any measureable amounts of accumulated ammonia or nitrite.

 

[Azeral]

It's still cycling. The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate have yet to match their population to the food supply. As the cycle continues, you'll see your nitrite levels drop while your nitrate levels will increase.

Ideally, when it's all done, you won't have any measureable amounts of accumulated ammonia or nitrite.

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The nitrite lvls rose way to high, I had to do a small water change. Almost doubled from yesterday to 8.0.

 

[Judazzz]

The nitrite lvls rose way to high, I had to do a small water change. Almost doubled from yesterday to 8.0.

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Do you have your prized fish in that tank? If so, I'd add one or two table spoons of table salt to your tank - it'll lessen the effects of high nitrItes on your fish.
As far as water changes go: it may bring down the nitrIte levels, but it will also increase the period your tank needs to get the cycle back to normal.

Also, how about the ammonia-levels?

 

[Azeral]

Do you have your prized fish in that tank? If so, I'd add one or two table spoons of table salt to your tank - it'll lessen the effects of high nitrItes on your fish.
As far as water changes go: it may bring down the nitrIte levels, but it will also increase the period your tank needs to get the cycle back to normal.

Also, how about the ammonia-levels?

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My 5-1 test strip only tests for ph, nitrate, nitrite, hardness, and alkalinity. I Probably should go buy another test kit.

The nitrites dropped obviously when I changed it but maybe I should've have just let it run its course.

 

[Azeral]

My prized fish are in there

. I was a fool and rushed into getting my tank ready with bio-spira and all of it. My impatience has caused a roller coaster in my tank. I have a 90 gallon en route and I will make damn sure that thing is properly cycled before I add these fish in there. This is a broken record post because if I would've heeded the 8,000,000 warnings on this site against rushing a tank through cycling then I would'nt be in this mess. So to all the other new people, use my stupidity as an example of what not to do. My fish haven't died and look fine but I see now the error of my ways.

 

[Judazzz]

My prized fish are in there

. I was a fool and rushed into getting my tank ready with bio-spira and all of it. My impatience has caused a roller coaster in my tank. I have a 90 gallon en route and I will make damn sure that thing is properly cycled before I add these fish in there. This is a broken record post because if I would've heeded the 8,000,000 warnings on this site against rushing a tank through cycling then I would'nt be in this mess. So to all the other new people, use my stupidity as an example of what not to do. My fish haven't died and look fine but I see now the error of my ways.

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Well, we all make mistakes - nothing wrong with that, as long as you learn from it.
You noticed something was wrong in time, and posted about it in time, so let's focus on how to get things back to normal again instead of pointing fingers or blaming yourself - what happened happened...

If possible, I'd indeed get an ammonia test kit, although a rising nitrIte levels suggests that the ammonia is already on the decrease (as during the cycle, the first peak - ammonia - is always followed by a second - nitrItes).
For now, I'd stick with the added salt, and keep an eye out on your fish: as long as they look and act normal, they'll probably be fine. Peaks aren't especially appreciated by fish, but a - as you put it - rollercoaster of constantly and rapidly changing readings ain't no picknick either. So just let the tank do its work, and try to keep human interference at a minimum (except when your fish go bad, of course).
Don't feed them, or only the slightest amounts (as it will only cause more pollution, with new high readings as a result), and try to keep stress at a minimum (no lights or dimmed lights), and perhaps blankets to shield off the sides, to minimize outside interference.

Good luck, and keep us posted

 

[Azeral]

Nitrates are finally rising WOOOOOHOOOOOO! Finally. The nitrites should start dropping more soon.

 

[Guest]

Looks like you are heading in the right direction then. I thought the bio-spira would have speeded the cycling process up more. Usually without bio-spira it will take about a month. So I guess it has speeded it up some.

 

[PYROPYGO1]

i'm cycling my 75g right now and i only have the 5 part test strips to test for nitrites and nitrates. will it be a month or so until i can place my 2 caribes and 2 pygo nats in there? i have already added some bacteria starter by proquatics and some stress coat to remove chlorine. i also rinsed my sand with hot water before adding to the tank to reduce disease. my current temp is 82 degrees, will the warmer water cause the bacteria to acclimate faster? the only things that are in the tank right now is some sword plants and sand, that's it.

 

[Azeral]

i'm cycling my 75g right now and i only have the 5 part test strips to test for nitrites and nitrates. will it be a month or so until i can place my 2 caribes and 2 pygo nats in there? i have already added some bacteria starter by proquatics and some stress coat to remove chlorine. i also rinsed my sand with hot water before adding to the tank to reduce disease. my current temp is 82 degrees, will the warmer water cause the bacteria to acclimate faster? the only things that are in the tank right now is some sword plants and sand, that's it.

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I'm not a expert by any means but I believe warmer water helps speed it up. Also, you don't have anything producing amonia in the tank so I'm not sure how fast it will cycle if at all. If you're going to do a fishless cycle I have heard that you have to add amonia. How much and how often I do not know.

 

[Guest]

I'm not a expert by any means but I believe warmer water helps speed it up. Also, you don't have anything producing amonia in the tank so I'm not sure how fast it will cycle if at all. If you're going to do a fishless cycle I have heard that you have to add amonia. How much and how often I do not know.

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Like azeral26 says without anything producing ammonia you are not achieving anything. There has to be ammonia present in the tank for the bacteria to colonize. The temp won't make a big differene but it should be kept at what your tank eventually will be.

And guys the 5-1 test kits are the most inaccurate. If you get funny results ever, don't take it as gospel. Get a second opinion from another test! Thats just in my experience and it was nearly a decade ago when I last used them. Maybe they are better now.

 

[PYROPYGO1]

thanks for the info, what if i added one of my nats, would that do for now?