Cycling a new tank

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GanaM

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jul 5, 2018
Messages
6
Hi
I've been setting up a bigger tank for the first time, conducting a fishless cycle without Ammonia as it's controlled in Australia, so I used good quality fish flakes. To start, I conditioned the water and added API quickstart bacteria to the mix. I also added my healthy tank substrate and some filter material.

I started adding fish food every 12 hours. I've had some odd readings could someone assist interpretation please?

I think the results may be due to adding API Quickstart which has resulted in 0 ammonia readings as it claims to negate affects of ammonia and prevent new tank syndrome? By day 4, I had Nitrite readings but no ammonia, which spiked for 2 days then dropped to 0.

Is it possible my filter media has almost instantly cycled the tank or am I doing something wrong? I haven't done any nitrate readings.

These are my readings:
Day -1-3 = Ammonia 0
Nitrite - 0
Day 4 = Ammonia 0
Nitrite - 0.25
Day 5 = Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.5
Day 6 = Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.5
Day 7 = Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Thanks so much!
 
Hello Gan...

Take a scoop of the bottom material from your established tank and mix it with the material in your new tank. Your new tank is instantly cycled. Just add fish to the new tank slowly and test the water in the new tank to make sure the bacteria you moved from the established tank is working.

B
 
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