I'm cycling my new 150 gallon tank. Its been up and running since last Friday night. I was wondering when i could add fish and how I can tell when its ok to add fish. I did a water test and ph- 7.2 ammonia- .25 nitrite-0 so I don't plan on adding fish for 2 weeks at least but is that long enough?? I added rocks and drift wood from my setup tank to help the bacteria start growing. And also I will be adding my filter to the new tank which already has a cycled Bio wheel for extra filtration.
Cycling My New Fish Tank
- Thread starter vanimal
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Cynic
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2011
- Messages
- 1,272
Once your nitrite and ammonia is 0 and your nitrate is >0 then it's safe to add fish.
If you're cycling with ammonia the best test is the ability to add a few drops of ammonia in at the point you're 0-0->0 and the figures be the same in 24 hours.
If you've been patient this long wait a little longer for your fishes sake
Cynic
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2011
- Messages
- 1,272
RussellC
Aquarium Advice Freak
Total cycling time can vary widely from tank to tank based on a number of factors -- but typically, for a fishless cycle, one should think on the order of one to two months to fully complete the cycle.
If your goal is to completely cycle the tank before adding fish, then I would be very surprised if your tank is fully cycled in another week.
If you want to complete the cycle fish-in, then you can add the stock at any time -- though one should do so slowly.
If you do go the fish-in route, I would strongly suggest using a water conditioner like Prime that detoxifies ammonia given the ammonia level in your tap water. You will want to dose every 48 hours while you are cycling, as Prime's ability to detoxify ammonia degrades over time.
Best!
If your goal is to completely cycle the tank before adding fish, then I would be very surprised if your tank is fully cycled in another week.
If you want to complete the cycle fish-in, then you can add the stock at any time -- though one should do so slowly.
If you do go the fish-in route, I would strongly suggest using a water conditioner like Prime that detoxifies ammonia given the ammonia level in your tap water. You will want to dose every 48 hours while you are cycling, as Prime's ability to detoxify ammonia degrades over time.
Best!
Update-
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-1
From what I read in an article earlier today my tank is half way cycled. I read that the bacteria that break down ammonia produce nitrites. This makes sense because when my ammonia went down the nitrites went up. So now I have to wait and get the bacteria that break down nitrites. (Please correct me if I'm wrong) I don't plan on adding fish until August 20th so by then the tank will have been cycling for about 2 months. Is that long enough?
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-1
From what I read in an article earlier today my tank is half way cycled. I read that the bacteria that break down ammonia produce nitrites. This makes sense because when my ammonia went down the nitrites went up. So now I have to wait and get the bacteria that break down nitrites. (Please correct me if I'm wrong) I don't plan on adding fish until August 20th so by then the tank will have been cycling for about 2 months. Is that long enough?
RussellC
Aquarium Advice Freak
Your understanding is correct.
One group of bacteria show up and begin to convert ammonia to nitrite. The second group shows up and then converts nitrite to nitrate.
Keep 'feeding' ammonia so that your first-stage bacteria don't starve.
Also, in a way, you're halfway through the cycle, and in another way, not really. The first group of bacteria typically form more quickly than the second -- so while you're through the first of two phases, the second phase takes longer.
All cycles are different, some longer, some shorter, but since you're through the first phase and not planning on adding fish until August 20th, I think there is a high probability your tank will be fully cycled by then. No guarantees, because there are a lot of variables, but again, I think that unless your cycle stalls for some reason, you should be 'good to go' by August 20th.
Best!
RussellC
Aquarium Advice Freak
That's one method. Hanging a shrimp in the tank and allowing it to decompose is another. Or, if your tap water is high in ammonia, you could just do a partial water change to get it back up.
Steelhawke
Aquarium Advice Activist
ok, I' in the process of a fishless cycle of a small tank myself. a couple of things you need to watch, keep the ammonia lvl up to about 4.0, it needs to be that high to feed the bacteria, the next thing that will happen is your nitrites will start going up, but still keep the ammonia up, once your nitrAtes start going up, do about a 50% water change to get the ammonia down. then keep a close watch on it, after that water change, it will come in fast and you will be able to add fish. If you don't have any plain ammonia to add, add the ground up fish food, but keep an eye on it, keep it around 4.0. Good Luck bud
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
The ammonia doesn't have to be 4.0 ppm to feed the bacteria. 4ppm is actually way more than a normal fish load would produce daily anyway, but that's another topic unto itself. As long as you have something producing ammonia in the tank the bacteria colony will survive. It's dynamic and it will grow or shrink based on how much food it has (i.e. ammonia) among other things.
The problem with using fish food for an ammonia source is that it's hard to monitor just how much ammonia it is producing.
It looks like it's been going for about 2 weeks, that's not really long enough to establish a bacteria colony unless you've used seeded media.
It doesn't mean you can't add fish now, but if you do please look over the fish-in cycling guides so you can get a good understanding of how to do it well.
The problem with using fish food for an ammonia source is that it's hard to monitor just how much ammonia it is producing.
It looks like it's been going for about 2 weeks, that's not really long enough to establish a bacteria colony unless you've used seeded media.
It doesn't mean you can't add fish now, but if you do please look over the fish-in cycling guides so you can get a good understanding of how to do it well.
Steelhawke
Aquarium Advice Activist
Go to Ace Hardware and get a bottle of pure ammonia, $2.50 for a quart, and use an eye dropper to add the ammonia, it doesn't take much. Keep track of what you add, after about 20 to 30 minutes take a reading, if it's not high enough, you can add more, the higher the ammonia lvl now now,the faster your nitrites will grow, and you need the nitrites to make nitrates which is the good bacteria.
Steelhawke
Aquarium Advice Activist
also, when buying the ammonia, make sure it does not contain surfactants or you will have to tear down and redo your tank. here is a link to how to do a fishless cycling, believe me, it works, but make sure you read it good a follow all the steps.
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice
