Can I add fish now? Fishless cycle UPDATE

[55tanker]

My nitrite is not off the chart anymore! After 2 weeks of it being a horrible purple, and nitrate stuck at 5ppm, it is now reading 0.5ppm for nitrite! Hooray!

I tested it an hour or so after a huge water change so I'm weary about the result just cause there was no end in sight. Not that I don't think it's correct. I'm just in disbelief that I made it. The odd thing is that the ammonia went up to 0.25 from 0.

I will test it again when I wake up in the morning in hope that both ammo and nitrite to be 0.

It has been an arduous deal cycling the tank. It is such a relief now to finally get different reading results. I survived. Haha.

 

[Autumnsky]

Getting close
Tips and Tricks For Your Fastest Fishless Cycle! - Aquarium Advice

 

[BBradbury]

Adding Fish

My nitrite is not off the chart anymore! After 2 weeks of it being a horrible purple, and nitrate stuck at 5ppm, it is now reading 0.5ppm for nitrite! Hooray!

I tested it an hour or so after a huge water change so I'm weary about the result just cause there was no end in sight. Not that I don't think it's correct. I'm just in disbelief that I made it. The odd thing is that the ammonia went up to 0.25 from 0.

I will test it again when I wake up in the morning in hope that both ammo and nitrite to be 0.

It has been an arduous deal cycling the tank. It is such a relief now to finally get different reading results. I survived. Haha.

Hello 55...

You can add a hardy fish species at any time. I prefer Platys. They're easy to keep and will tolerate some changes in the water chemistry. As long as you're testing the tank water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite and change out one-quarter of the water when you have a positive test, the fish will be fine. When several daily tests show no traces of these forms of nitrogen, the tank is established. Then, you simply remove and replace half or more of the water weekly to maintain healthy water conditions.

B

 

[55tanker]

Hello 55...

You can add a hardy fish species at any time. I prefer Platys. They're easy to keep and will tolerate some changes in the water chemistry. As long as you're testing the tank water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite and change out one-quarter of the water when you have a positive test, the fish will be fine. When several daily tests show no traces of these forms of nitrogen, the tank is established. Then, you simply remove and replace half or more of the water weekly to maintain healthy water conditions.

B

I've had the two zebra danios back in there and they've been a trooper. It's not a fishless cycle but I just kept the same title for consistency of when I tried the fishless cycle which I'll never attempt again.

 

[55tanker]

Getting close
Tips and Tricks For Your Fastest Fishless Cycle! - Aquarium Advice

Thanks, I have read that. But I read it again just cause you gave me the link.

 

[dalto]

You need to test before your water change, testing after the change is going to give inconsistent results, especially if you have chloramines in your tap water.

If you can add ammonia and have ammonia and nitrite at 0 after 24 hours you are ready for fish.

 

[55tanker]

You need to test before your water change, testing after the change is going to give inconsistent results, especially if you have chloramines in your tap water.

If you can add ammonia and have ammonia and nitrite at 0 after 24 hours you are ready for fish.

I didn't know that but I didn't test it right after the change. But the next morning the result was the same so I'm glad it wasn't a fluke.