Tank is not cycled yet and fish are coming in on tuesday. What do i do?

[Mattgrizzlybear]

Ok I'm slightly panicked because after about a month, my tank is not cycled and I thought that the tank would have been cycled by now so i put in an order for the discus and they are coming in on Tuesday. Ammonia is at around 1.0 ppm, Nitrite >.50 ppm, and Nitrate is around 5.0 ppm. I am using API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Keith Perkins]

Ask your discus source if they can sell you a cycled sponge along with your fish.

[Markv]

Grab some Tetra SafeStart AND Seachem Stability(get enough to dose daily), and Seachem Ammonia Alert badge. Dose the SafeStart once, do daily water changes and add Seachem's stability daily for a week. Use the badge to monitor Ammonia. Seachem Prime can help with the ammonia, but water changes are better. Good luck! Perhaps your LFS will give you some old media. Even a month old bag of carbon will be biologically active..

[DonMD]

I have just brought in 10 new fish to my 150 gallon that is not finished cycling. The ammonia reads zero, but I get high nitrites. I double dose with Safe, and change 80% water daily, and the fish have no problem at all. I'll have to do this for about 3 more weeks, I've done it before.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

I have just brought in 10 new fish to my 150 gallon that is not finished cycling. The ammonia reads zero, but I get high nitrites. I double dose with Safe, and change 80% water daily, and the fish have no problem at all. I'll have to do this for about 3 more weeks, I've done it before.

Do you mean the SafeStart or something else?

[Bill63SG]

Don't get any media from your lfs those places are a cesspool of disease.Thats why Keith suggested a sponge from the source.

[LizStreithorst]

Or do as I'm doing right now. I got 4 fish in a couple of weeks ago. I set them up a QT tank in the kitchen with a sterile sponge and all their own WC equipment. I'm changing 90% of the water daily. By the time the fish are out of QT and I move them to the fish room the sponge should be cycled.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

Or do as I'm doing right now. I got 4 fish in a couple of weeks ago. I set them up a QT tank in the kitchen with a sterile sponge and all their own WC equipment. I'm changing 90% of the water daily. By the time the fish are out of QT and I move them to the fish room the sponge should be cycled.

I have an extra 20 high, could that work for the 8 of them? They are 2.5" each

[Mattgrizzlybear]

Ask your discus source if they can sell you a cycled sponge along with your fish.


Don't get any media from your lfs those places are a cesspool of disease.Thats why Keith suggested a sponge from the source.
Im checking my local fish club and source

[LizStreithorst]

I think so. The fish I got are close to 6" and I have the 4 of them in a 30 long. Keep an eye on the fish. They will tell you if they are happy or not. Many of the big farm in Asia don't use any filtration. They just change a ton of water, sometimes more than once daily.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

I think so. The fish I got are close to 6" and I have the 4 of them in a 30 long. Keep an eye on the fish. They will tell you if they are happy or not. Many of the big farm in Asia don't use any filtration. They just change a ton of water, sometimes more than once daily.
Ok i found a cycled sponge from a member of my club so ill put that in the main tank once i get it. I have an extra 200w heater and small preset heate but besides that idk what id heat it with.

[DonMD]

Do you mean the SafeStart or something else?

I'm talking about Seachem Safe, the powdered form of Seachem Prime. On the bottle is says to double the dose to control nitrite poisoning.

I just started a new post about my 150 gallon tank, those are the fish going through the second half of the cycling process now.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

I'm talking about Seachem Safe, the powdered form of Seachem Prime. On the bottle is says to double the dose to control nitrite poisoning.

I just started a new post about my 150 gallon tank, those are the fish going through the second half of the cycling process now.
Ok your plan sounds good, 90% daily water changes, prime, and that cycled sponge should do the trick. Thanks!

[Bill63SG]

Matt,not to nit pick,but getting a cycled sponge from a friend still breaks quarantine,thats why keith saked if you could get one from the source,it has all the heebie jeebies they are used to.If you trust your friends fish,up to you,but if it were me,Id go with the sterile sponge and SAFE/Prime and keep up on the water changes.

[Phillydubs]

All these suggestions are great and could work... I don't know where you ordered from? Is it a sponsor?

Most sponsors or places will hold your fish as well... Have you asked them? I have done this in the past... I didn't want to go the lets hope route and do all this work once the fish came in so I asked the seller if they would not mind. All of our sponsors care about the health and well being of the fish and will be more than happy to hold fish for you until you are ready.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

All these suggestions are great and could work... I don't know where you ordered from? Is it a sponsor?

Most sponsors or places will hold your fish as well... Have you asked them? I have done this in the past... I didn't want to go the lets hope route and do all this work once the fish came in so I asked the seller if they would not mind. All of our sponsors care about the health and well being of the fish and will be more than happy to hold fish for you until you are ready.

My source is a guy who gets Stendkers in from Hans.

Matt,not to nit pick,but getting a cycled sponge from a friend still breaks quarantine,thats why keith saked if you could get one from the source,it has all the heebie jeebies they are used to.If you trust your friends fish,up to you,but if it were me,Id go with the sterile sponge and SAFE/Prime and keep up on the water changes.

Ok I just told him. Now i just have to get some Safe

[Phillydubs]

Did you contact him and ask to delay the delivery?

Might be your best option IMO

[Mattgrizzlybear]

Did you contact him and ask to delay the delivery?

Might be your best option IMO

The order was sent in sometime last week. They are coming tuesday, so i think it's too late to delay it

[Phillydubs]

If they are coming Tuesday they would not be shipped out till Monday...

[Mattgrizzlybear]

If they are coming Tuesday they would not be shipped out till Monday...

Ok i finally got in contact with him and he's apparently out of country with no cell phone service but he'll be back tonight. I think it'll be too late to delay shipment but maybe he can hold them for me.

[Dudley Eirich]

I have just brought in 10 new fish to my 150 gallon that is not finished cycling. The ammonia reads zero, but I get high nitrites. I double dose with Safe, and change 80% water daily, and the fish have no problem at all. I'll have to do this for about 3 more weeks, I've done it before.

I agree with Don. I have cycled a tank with discus in it. Dose with Safe and do heavy water changes. You should be alright, particularly since it is already partially cycled. Additional nutrients from the fish themselves may help speed up the process a bit.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

I agree with Don. I have cycled a tank with discus in it. Dose with Safe and do heavy water changes. You should be alright, particularly since it is already partially cycled. Additional nutrients from the fish themselves may help speed up the process a bit.

Hopefully all goes well, the safe should get here on the same day as I get the discus.

[John_Nicholson]

Just keep changing water and you will be fine.

-john

[Mattgrizzlybear]

Just keep changing water and you will be fine.

-john

Will do. Thanks for everyone's help.

[LizStreithorst]

lol See post number 7.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

lol See post number 7.

I would set up a smaller tank but i just dont have a proper heater or small enough sponge filter right now and don't really want to spend the money to purchase the proper equiptment.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

UPDATE

I explained my situation to my supplier and he agreed to hold the fish for a few days but if the tank was cycled before then i would get them. I just wanted to check because i added ammonia yesterday afternoon and here are the results. Is it cycled?96080

[Keith Perkins]

Looks like it's cycled and you're good to go.