When does my cycle finish?

[Bisonbauer]

I have had the tank a week tomorrow. I have let it cycle since last Wednesday and i can't see a reason why not to add fish. I know you can have fish in the cycle and should add them slowly but I was wondering whether a week is too short a period of time for the tank to be cycled. I have tester strips and they have come out all good. Just wondering what route should I take from now.

 

[Bettaorr]

I have had the tank a week tomorrow. I have let it cycle since last Wednesday and i can't see a reason why not to add fish. I know you can have fish in the cycle and should add them slowly but I was wondering whether a week is too short a period of time for the tank to be cycled. I have tester strips and they have come out all good. Just wondering what route should I take from now.

What is your ammonia nitrate nitrites are at 0 and when tour ph is round 7 then your cycled it can take a few months and lots of water changes for it to be completely cycled do u have a API mater test kit if not get one u will need it

 

[Bisonbauer]

What is your ammonia nitrate nitrites are at 0 and when tour ph is round 7 then your cycled it can take a few months and lots of water changes for it to be completely cycled do u have a API mater test kit if not get one u will need it

Well I am very new to aquariums and I was told that for now strips will do the job of testing when i went to get tester kits at the shop today. The tester strips told me everything was safe. I will probably get a better test kit eventually. So do you believe I can add a couple of fish now despite the short period of time? I was also going to buy some plants to help the cycle

 

[Bettaorr]

Well I am very new to aquariums and I was told that for now strips will do the job of testing when i went to get tester kits at the shop today. The tester strips told me everything was safe. I will probably get a better test kit eventually. So do you believe I can add a couple of fish now despite the short period of time? I was also going to buy some plants to help the cycle

Strips are garbage they don't work i know this from experience I don't know how I didn't loose my fish when using them and also u can get your plants to help speed it up but u have to make sure u got the right kind of lights and do a lot of research be4 buying a plant. I would still wait a few days to add fish as u could easily have an ammonia spike and u wouldn't want to kill your fish

 

[Bettaorr]

Strips are garbage they don't work i know this from experience I don't know how I didn't loose my fish when using them and also u can get your plants to help speed it up but u have to make sure u got the right kind of lights and do a lot of research be4 buying a plant. I would still wait a few days to add fish as u could easily have an ammonia spike and u wouldn't want to kill your fish

If you rlly wanna get fish go with platys or swords they are a hardy fish even maybe a few female betas

 

[Bisonbauer]

Ok thanks for the advice. I was going to get more hardy fish to start with like platys yes. I will do some research tonight on plants and see what's what. Thanks for your advice. Greatly appreciated

 

[Bettaorr]

Ok thanks for the advice. I was going to get more hardy fish to start with like platys yes. I will do some research tonight on plants and see what's what. Thanks for your advice. Greatly appreciated

Np I know how hard it is to sit an stair at a tank with nothing in it lol

 

[flitabout]

Cycling doesn't refer to a period of time but rather ammonia being turned into nitrite and nitrite being turned into nitrate. It takes time to build up the benifical bacteria to build up to a point of being able to do that. If you decide to to a fish in cycle be prepared for daily water changes. Also get an API test kit. The strips are crap and are highly inaccurate. If you add fish you need to do a water change anytime your ammo gets to .25ppm to keep your fish from being damaged or killed from high ammonia and nitrited levels while your tank is actually cycling.

 

[Bisonbauer]

Cycling doesn't refer to a period of time but rather ammonia being turned into nitrite and nitrite being turned into nitrate. It takes time to build up the benifical bacteria to build up to a point of being able to do that. If you decide to to a fish in cycle be prepared for daily water changes. Also get an API test kit. The strips are crap and are highly inaccurate. If you add fish you need to do a water change anytime your ammo gets to .25ppm to keep your fish from being damaged or killed from high ammonia and nitrited levels while your tank is actually cycling.

Thanks for the advice. There is a great deal on API test kits at my local shop atm. I will happily do daily water changes as I am still very eager to look after my fish tank anyway I can. like a 5 year old with a new toy