Fish Cycling

[lostnconfused]

(this has been edited since i first wrote )

Ok, first of all, I'd like to thank everyone for their patients and help. Ok, so i did another ammonia test on my 10 gal tank today that has 5 guppies in it, and it came out at 1. The nitrites were at 0 so i didnt even bother testing nitrate yet. Do I need to change the water everyday as long as it stays at 1 (I changed it yesterday also) and when should i do a water change in my 30 gal tank with the redtail and bala shark. Right now the ammonia level is at .25 so I'm not real concerned, although I dont know how hardy these sharks are. Apparently the guppies are lil' soldiers because they've survived the whole ordeal whereas anything else i was putting in there died. Thanks again!

 

[Lotus]

This article should help you out: http://www.aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=14

Definitely don't add any more fish until the cycle is done.

 

[lostnconfused]

Ok, heres my problem: I bought the test kits today and ran a test on my 30 gal tank. nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia all came back 0. So this process is going to take a long time. Should I put my guppies in there raise the ammonia level to get this started, and do water changes every day? I have 5 guppies, 1 bala shark, and 1 red tail shark.

 

[echoofformless]

If there are fish in the tank, don't add any more. In fact, you should only have two or three fish maximum for starting a cycle. Those should also be really hardy fish like zebra danios or black tetras.

 

[Lotus]

Cycling with fish does take a long time. Adding more fish will just make it harder for all the fish.

 

[lostnconfused]

ok... thanks so much for the info. I did a water change in my 10 gal tank, and the ammonia levels are still at 2... when i do a water change do i need to vacuum the gravel also?

 

[Lotus]

While you're cycling you don't need to vacuum the gravel every time, once every 2 weeks should be enough unless you see a lot of crap on the substrate.

 

[Timbo]

If you leave your water standing for 24 hours (or so) in an empty tank . What you will get 24 hours (or so) later, is 24 hour (or so) old water...
You need to put something into the water which produces amonia, (A small fish, or even safer something organic which will decompose), this will attract "BUGS" which will turn it into Nitrite, and ultimately NitrAte which you then remove with water changes.
You can help speed this process up by emptying the contents of your other tanks filter / filter medium into the new tank (that is assuming that the other tank is fully cycled. If not, then it is one step at a time in both tanks together. But ONLY ONE step at a time), Just swill the foam in the new tanks water and the filter in the new tank will do the rest.
Test the water every day or two days and moniter the levels, They will peak and then drop to zero. It is this peak which damages and ultimately kills your fish (Sometimes it will kill them at the time and sometimes damages them so that thay die even months later). When you have zero amonia, zero nitrite, and assuming that the other conditions (Like pH etc) are favorable , then you can slowly add fish. Ideally ONE at a time. after a week when there are enough "Bugs" to handle the extra amonia, add another fish, give it a week for the "Bugs" to build up again then add another fish etc, etc,

Meantime test AT LEAST once a week, and do regular water changes. 20% twice a week is a good start. and more if the test comes out Dodgy.

yes, it's frustrating. Yes it takes time and you want to look at you fish. BUT it pays dividends.