New tank not cycling? Please advise.

[blackmath]

Hi everyone! I am new to this site, and have been looking on the internet for an answer to my fish drama and have been unable to find answers to my specific questions, so I thought I would reach out here.

Here's the situation- I went out and bought a 20 gallon tank and some live plants. I mistakenly thought "cycle the aquarium" meant leave it up and running a couple days, then add fish. So that's what I did- had it up 2 days with the live plants (I did use some "Start Right" packet on the water), then I added a Dwarf Flame Gourami, a male fancy guppy, and 2 neon tetras. Then I started doing more research about when I could add more fish and realized I pretty much screwed up by not understanding the cycling process (and also neon tetras need a school and I only bought 2). Then I thought maybe I could speed up the process by adding a plant from my bettas bowl (hes been in there doing well about 6 months). Then I thought MAYBE I'LL ADD MY BETTA! So I did and he bullied everyone, but mostly the Gourami, so I took him out the next day. The day after that, one neon tetra died. I went out and bought a test kit, the API master one, and all the numbers were at 0, except the ammonia was .25 so I did a 25% water change. The PH was about 7.4. This was 2 days ago, I just checked everything again and the same except PH is 7.4 and ammonia is almost 0.

So what I'm is wondering if the tank is somehow already cycled? Perhaps because of adding media from the betta bowl and live plants? Or is it cycling really slowly? Should I add more fish? I was thinking of picking up 4 or 5 tetras for the single guy left, but I was worried about adding any more because of the death. Should I add more plants? I want one of those Marimo moss balls!

To recap/ give timeframe:
2/8- Set up tank with live plants, filter, water dechlorinater
2/10- added 4 fish
2/11- added plant from betta tank, also added betta himself
2/12- took betta out
2/13- 1 neon tetra dies, I do 1st water test
2/15- 2nd water test , results almost identical, no sign of cycling activity, 3 remaining fish doing fine except slight Gourami stress.
- I've fed them a tiny amount of flake food every day except 2/11.

Any input you all could give would be much appreciated! I'm not in any rush to cycle or add fish, I really just want to make sure I'm doing it the best way possible for the long run!
Thank you!

 

[Rpeinhardt]

To recap/ give timeframe:
2/8- Set up tank with live plants, filter, water dechlorinater
2/10- added 4 fish
2/11- added plant from betta tank, also added betta himself
2/12- took betta out

This is your "problem."

You accidentally did what is sometimes referred to as a "silent cycle."

Aquatic plants love ammonium and will gobble it up before nitrifying bacteria can convert it to nitrite. Your tank will take FOREVER to establish the necessary colonies. But, with plants, you don't care. Keep an eye on the NH4 levels but they should stay close to 0 if they aren't 0. Welcome to planted tanks!

You may have lost the neon tetra to any number of causes. Ammonia toxicity was not the culprit. Could be a pH swing, could be stress from bullying, could be a pre-existing health problem... the list goes on but losing 1 of 5 suggests it wasn't a water quality issue to me.

 

[blackmath]

Thanks for your reply! Interesting, my goal was to have a planted tank over time but right now there are just 3 small plants. I was waiting to see if they would grow before buying too many more. Do you think its safe to get a few more tetras? Or should I just wait it out until I have a spike in ammonia and nitrite and can tell it is cycling?

 

[Rpeinhardt]

Yeah, I think you're okay adding a few smaller fish as long as you keep an eye on the NH4.

You never mentioned what plants you have. Faster growing plants will be "hungrier" and eat up ammonium at a higher rate.

 

[blackmath]

Yeah, I think you're okay adding a few smaller fish as long as you keep an eye on the NH4.

You never mentioned what plants you have. Faster growing plants will be "hungrier" and eat up ammonium at a higher rate.

Cool, thanks. I think I'll pick up a few tetras on my day off Wednesday and continue checking the water every other day at least, then wait to see some cycling activity before adding more fish or plants.

I have a water wisteria and a couple moneywort plants. The water wisteria has a couple leaves turning yellow, but otherwise they seem healthy and the fish like them.

 

[Rpeinhardt]

Wysteria is pretty hungry.

Yellowing leaves suggests a nutrient deficiency of some sort. If it's new leaves turning yellow, that's usually a lack of micro elements. Old leaves turning yellow is a sign of a lack of macro elements.

You might consider picking up some fertilizer and seeing if it helps.