New Tank Syndrome is a term used to describe problems that occur due to the build-up of invisible, toxic compounds in an aquarium. It gets its name as the issue is most likely to occur when your
In a biologically already well established aquarium, even small changes can lead to rising nitrite levels (e.g. overfeeding). Symptoms of an acute nitrite intoxication of the fish are fish gasping for air, staying at the water surface for a longer time, breathing heavily and moving their gills vigorously.
New tank syndrome can last for anywhere between two and 12 weeks. You must test the water for ammonia and nitrite throughout that time so that you can see when the nitrogen cycle is complete, and it's safe to add a few fish.
Aquariums generally take four to eight weeks to cycle. Factors such as the size of the tank and the water's pH and temperature can affect how long cycling takes. To prevent the cycling process from taking longer than necessary, closely monitor the temperature and pH of your aquarium's water.
I sometimes get questions from readers who are panicked because their new fish isn't eating. Usually, I tell them to relax and give it time. Moving into a new tank is stressful for fish. Sometimes they take a little while to calm down and make themselves at home.
Carry out regular water changes – 25% once a week in new aquariums- this removes and dilutes toxic waste compounds (ammonia and nitrite) to help whilst the filter matures. Later you will be able reduce water change frequency to once a month.
In fact, many aquarists say that combining pre-cycled filter with bacteria in a bottle is the quickest way to cycle your aquarium. And, they might be right. Using this method, I have frequently seen tanks cycle in less than a week.
Once your nitrite levels have reached a certain point a bacteria called Nitrobacter will develop. They'll convert the nitrites into nitrates. When the levels of nitrite and ammonia reach 0ppm (parts per million), your tank has been cycled.
Too much oxygen in water can lead to the potentially lethal gas bubble disease, in which gas comes out of solution inside the fish, creating bubbles in its skin and around its eyes. (Excess nitrogen, however, is a far more common cause of this disease.)
New Tank Syndrome: Before a tank has developed the appropriate chemistry to support healthy fish, heavy concentrations of nitrates and ammonium in the water can be fatal. In time, natural bacteria in the water will balance out these contaminants, but until that balance is achieved, fish may die unexpected.
However, generally most tanks are cycled within 4-6 weeks. If I plan to do a fishless cycle and use Stability™, do I need to add an ammonia source to kick-start the nitrogen cycle? A: Yes, for expedited cycling times, you will want to add a pinch of food daily until you have an ammonia reading.
You can easily prevent nitrate buildup through regular water changes. If nitrate levels are high (above 60 ppm), perform a series of small water changes (no more than 25% per day) until it is lowered to acceptable levels (< 50 ppm).
Like increasing the existing population, introducing other species to a new tank requires a couple of weeks to let the initial fish populace settle into their new environment. Before mixing the fish species together, let one species explore their new home for an hour to help them calm down and to reduce shock.
Can You Cycle a Tank in 24 Hours? You can get the nitrogen cycle going within 24 hours with the right tools. Just because you can, however, doesn't mean you should. If possible, set up your tank 10-14 days before adding fish to protect your new additions better.
There are different philosophies on how much and how often to change water, but 10% to 25% every 1 to 2 weeks is a good rule of thumb. Small frequent water changes are best. Don't vacuum the gravel yet, as you may disrupt the good bacteria that are just starting to colonize your aquarium.
Ammonia peaks first, followed by Nitrite peaking in 6 to 8 weeks, if the process occurs naurally. To speed up this process nitrifying bacteria can be added and the ammonia and nitrite will cycle within two weeks at 70 degrees water temperature.
Strange Swimming: When fish are stressed, they often develop odd swimming patterns. If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.
Throughout the period of adaptation, the fish still prioritizes reacting to the new environment and remains stressed, so its immune system suffers and it is prone to disease. Adaptation normally lasts from four to six weeks.
Occasional glass surfing isn't anything to worry about. There are even some instances where pacing the glass is normal and expected, such as when a fish is new to its environment after you perform a water change or other major tank maintenance, or when people are standing near the tank and the fish may expect food.
Lethargy, poor color, poor immune system and weakened feeding response are all signs of nitrate poisoning. Most professional aquarists contend that nitrate concentrations should never exceed 20 ppm but are much more safely maintained below 10 ppm.
Adding too many fish to a new aquarium.
The microbes that filter water and create balance in the aquarium are not established and a sudden overload of fish waste can cause toxic ammonia and nitrite levels to rise to dangerous and even lethal levels. This can also result in a longer than normal cycling period.