Fish-In Cycle Questions

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CTWebb

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
5
Location
Maine
I recently purchased a 45 gallon freshwater tank. It has been setup for about 2 weeks now with 6 guppies from an existing tank as well as various plants (Anubias Nana, Java Fern, Amazon Sword, to name a few). I have been testing the water using the API Freshwater Master kit, yet I am still not detecting any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. Shouldn't the guppies have produced a detectable level of ammonia by now? Is it possible the plants are absorbing it?
 
Fish In Tank Cycling

I recently purchased a 45 gallon freshwater tank. It has been setup for about 2 weeks now with 6 guppies from an existing tank as well as various plants (Anubias Nana, Java Fern, Amazon Sword, to name a few). I have been testing the water using the API Freshwater Master kit, yet I am still not detecting any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. Shouldn't the guppies have produced a detectable level of ammonia by now? Is it possible the plants are absorbing it?

Hello CT...

Six small fish won't produce enough waste to cycle 45 gallons of water. That much tank water is simply diluting the waste. To produce a steady source of ammonia, you need 3 to 4 small fish for every 10 gallons of tank volume. Guppies are hardy and a good choice, but you need quite a few more. You can also use Platys, Sword tails, Danios and any of the species of Minnows, like White Clouds and Rosy Reds. These are all hardy species that will tolerate less than perfect water conditions.

Once the fish have been properly acclimated, feed them a little every day or two and test the water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test for either, change out 25 percent of the water, but no more. There has to be ammonia present at a bit higher level to grow the bacteria colony.

Just test the water daily and change one quarter of it when needed. In roughly a month, you'll get several tests with no traces of ammonia or nitrite. The tank is cycled. Then, you simply remove and replace half the water weekly for the life of the tank.

B
 
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