cycle question

[stephenie]

I changed my 29gal aquarium over to ls last week and I still have low ph (under 7.8) and high amonia's ( over 8) I have one damsel in it. How long should I expect the amonia's to stay high?

 

[buzz]

What other filtration do you have on the tank? Any Live Rock?
If your ammonia is over 8, it sounds like the tank is going through another cycle. Did you change out the old substrate? Or just increase sand bed depth?

 

[stephenie]

I have a wet dry wheel and no live rock yet. I completely removed the cc since I had just started the set up. I was told that I should start seeing a change in the amonia in about a week but it has been a little over a week and it seem to keep going up (off the scale).

 

[stumpdog]

steph-
I think Buzz is right, you may be experiencing a mini-cycle of some sort. The wet dry wheel should have some cultured bacteria on it. This should help speed things up. Hopefully it doesn't last that long. Sorry. How is the damsel doing?
Jeremy

 

[stephenie]

The damsel is doing quite well. I was really worried since the amonia is so high. But it swims around a lot and eats well when feed. I have been feeding it brine shrimp. I was just expecting to see the amonia droping by now and at least some indication of the nitrates or nitrites starting to go up but they are remaing at 0 and the ph is staying low.

 

[stumpdog]

Have you thought about doing a water change?

 

[stephenie]

That might be a good idea. I think that this time I will try at least the bottled water this time.

 

[stephenie]

should I add a dead shrimp or another damsel?

 

[nacl-man]

adding another damsel or a shrimp will create more the need for the tank to produce even more corrective bacteria.... i would try adding a shrimp (no more live fish) and see if that speeds things up.
That being said however, each tank will take its own amount of time to cycle. There is no definitive 'forumla' or way to predict how long it will last. IME it just kinda lasts how long it lasts....
But i don't think adding some raw shrimp (just one) will harm anything, it could only help in this case I think... especially with your ammonia already off the chart.
How long was your tank setup with CC? Was it long enough for bacteria to colonize on your bio-wheel? Hopefully it was because that would definately make a difference in how long this new cycle lasts.
I'll stop rambling now.
Cheers!

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by stephenie
I changed my 29gal aquarium over to ls last week and I still have low ph (under 7.8) and high amonia's ( over 8) I have one damsel in it. How long should I expect the amonia's to stay high?
If you don't feed the fish ammonia should come down in a day or two. If your ammonia is really that high the damsel should have died in the first day. Are you sure of you test kit? might test fresh mixed water to see if ammonia is low.
do not add anything until the levels are 0.0. For that matter do not do anything until ammonia and nitrItes become 0.0. just replace water that evaporates. the tank needs to build up bacteria to balance out and stabilize

 

[joker]

I would recomend taking a water sample to your LFS and letting them test it too, cant hurt. It took 4 weeks to cycle my 55 with LR and LS in it. I had 6 damsels and 3 died during cycle. I am in agreements with NaCL Man, it will do what it needs to do in its own time frame.
Remember, the WORST thing you can do is try to rush through it. It tends to be a costly mistake.
just my 2 cents worth