Cycling a tank- without test strips?

[Tomato Sandwich]

I've read the stickies and a bunch of other places about cycling with and without fish. I know this is a stupid question because I'm 99.9 percent sure that I know the answer, but I can't cycle a tank without test strips or a way to check nitrate, nitrite and ammonia right?

 

[Newman]

that is correct. you won't know if the tank ever cycled or is currently safe if you don't test the water...liquid tests are more useful for cycling..

 

[OrangeCones]

Unless you live close to a LFS and want to get the water tested daily.....but I would recommend a test kit (liquid) also.

 

[Tomato Sandwich]

Okay, then is there anything I can do to start the process until I can get a kit? Or should I not even fill the tank with water until I get the kit? I should be able to get one in about a week.

 

[phin]

You can start cycling today. You don't need the tests to cycle the tank, only to indicate to you how the process is coming and when it is fully cycled. Go ahead and add a fish to begin the cycle or the correct dosage of pure ammonia (fishless cycle) today and begin your tests next week. By then you should still have very high readings of ammonia and high readings for nitrite. It will generally take at least 3 weeks to complete the process so waiting until next week to actually begin the tests won't hurt anything.

 

[phin]

I just saw that you have some tanks already. Add some gravel or some extra filter material from one of your already cycled tanks and you will speed up the process a lot.

This isn't really useful for you now because of such small tanks, but when you get the 29 & 10 gallons going keep an extra h.o.b. filter or an extra cartridge running on those tanks so you'll already have established material for any future tanks