Hello! Would you mind helping a fellow newbie?

[Rud2131]

So I started a new 10 gallon tank this Saturday (6/1/13) and I decided to add some TSS add my dwarf gourami which was in my other 20 gal. tank because my 2 platies were nipping on his fins :/ How long would it take for my 10 gal to cycle? Would he be ok there?

 

[mollymom]

Hi Rud! Welcome to AA!
It really depends on how strong that certain fish is! I switched tanks and slowly administered all my fish (which were only about 8 into a 50 gal.) so that nothing would spike, and one of my mollies died, but the other mollies were fine, so were the danios and guppies! All of those fish are very hardy...I'm not sure about the gourami, I haven't had much experience with gouramis...Also, cycling a tank is anywhere from 6-8 weeks OR it can take even 3 months! It depends on your water.
Hope I helped!!!

 

[Rud2131]

Thanks! So even if I added SafeStart it would take 6-8 weeks?

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

I never trust safestart just saying. I think getting established water from someone else's fish tank may work better

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

Prime works very well btw, lowers nitrates and ammonia and stuff. So it may work better when you are cycling

 

[Coyne]

If you have some extra filter media from your other tank, then you could add it to the new tanks filter and cycle more quickly. This will seed your BB more reliably then the Tetra Safe Start.

If not, then you will essentially be doing a Fish-In cycle, so be prepared for the extra work thats involved with that.

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

If you have some extra filter media from your other tank, then you could add it to the new tanks filter and cycle more quickly. This will seed your BB more reliably then the Tetra Safe Start.

If not, then you will essentially be doing a Fish-In cycle, so be prepared for the extra work thats involved with that.

Agreed

 

[Rud2131]

Ok. I just came back from testing my water for the 20 at petsmart and the ammonia was .5,nitrite was .5, and nitrate was 20. What would that mean? I read on a site that once my ammonia and nitrites are at 0 and nitrates go up its cycled. Is THIS true? Sorry for all the qestions I'm just a little concerned.

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

Ammonia will spike when cycling so I'd use a buffer such as prime or stress coat to get your fish through it.

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

If you threw some fish such as platys or glofish in the aquarium it would cycle in a month or so maybe 3 weeks at the fastest but even that's pushing it. You can always use breeder cages to separate individual fish for the time being.

 

[Coyne]

You'd be better off doing water changes. Then you're actually removing the bad stuff. Try to keep ammonia an nitrites below .25ppm. Anything higher and you risk health issues.

 

[Rivercats]

You need to read this article and do not add any other fish. You have a 20g tank which means you have a filter on it. Remove the media and cut part of it off and put it in the 10g new filter. Then follow what the article says. I also suggest you get your own API master test kit as you need to monitor your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates every day. Any time your ammonia or nitrite gets above .25 you need to do a 50% WC. Even if it means a WC every day until the tank is cycled (which you won't have to do that but I'm trying to make a point). Adding water from another cycled tank doesn't help as there is almost no beneficial bacteria in water. The tank is cycled when ammonia and nitrites are both 0 and there is a readable amount of nitrates.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[Rud2131]

Thanks for the help guys. I guess I'll have to take him back :/ and I'll pick some zebra danios up in replacement to better cycle my tank. Thanks again.