Nitrogen cycle question, 55gal

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#1
When I setup my new 55, I harvested established bio media from the corner bubbler filter from my 29gal and installed it in the top tray of the canister filter for the 55. The bubbler filter media from the 29 was in use for about 10 weeks.

This media consisted of 4 triangular pieces of sponge, some gravel and some ceramic rings. I then re-packed the corner bubbler with a large amount of store bought ceramic rings and a large amount of polyester floss on top. I modified it from it's original (complicated) twin 4 stage design to a much simpler two stage and put it back into service in the 29.

Once the 55 was all settled in with some decor, 2 live plants, filtration and heating all happy, I put my 4 zebra danios in there.

I measured water params after a few days and I'm registering 0,0,0. Sorry about the rambling....

Question is, should I add another fish or three to the 55 while waiting to see some nitrates? My 7yr/old has been really wanting a mickey mouse platy or three. I'm just trying to decide if I want to get one or two for the 55, or put one in with the betta who's by himself in the planted 10. He does real well with tank mates. He's had hyper blood fin tetras and SUPER hyper zebra d's in with him so far.

Thanks.
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#2
As long as you monitor parameters, my opinion would be you could add several fish now. When you do water changes on the other tanks, just squeeze/swish the media into the 55 gallon.
 

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#3
^^ That.

I would suspect, that with just 4 small fish in a 55g, with plants as well, there is no nitrate production to speak of. So you are cycled at this point unless you throw in a whole bunch of big fish all at once...

What is the overall fish plan for the 55g?
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#4
I belive OC and caps have it pretty well covered. with the small amount of fish in the tank the cycle will take a long time and be almost unnoticed as there will probably be no ammonia or nitrite spike. as well as with the plants they may take up all the nitrates and register none or close to none.
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#6
I've got the 4 zebra danios in there now, I'm thinking a couple platys, maybe some serpae tetras, an otto or two and an angel or two. Not all at once of course. Oh.. and some inverts. Shrimp and snails. Gotta have those.
 

Thyra

Superstar Fish
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#7
I would wait with the otos until the tank has "aged" a bit so they have something to eat. They pretty much thrive on algae - OC grows algae logs to feed them.
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#8
Thanks Thyra. I remember that recommendation (about the otos) from other threads. I just picked up two mickey mouse platys, an orange lyretail molly and a female betta I couldn't resist. They're all females best I could tell. Fish store guy too.

So far in the 55

4 zebra danios
2 platys
1 molly
1 female betta
..and a ghost shrimp that got netted from the 10g with the danio netting nightmare.

I'm not going to put anything else in the 55 until I can confirm a stable cycle and start showing nitrates.