10 Gal Cycling question

[Justin83]

Is it possible for the tank to cycle and completely miss it?? .. i mean i haven't been testing daily (hectic schedule and all) but its been 2 days since the last test and i never really had more than .25 ammonia and have not tested positive for Nitrites.. now i just tested and i have somewhere between 10 and 20 ppm (its so hard to tell the difference between the colors).. i have a API freshwater master kit .. and i even double checked every one to make sure i did it right.. and then i tested my tap water all the tests ended up wit the exact same results 0 ammo 0 nitrites 10-20 nitrates .. does it seem like it cycled .. what can i do to be sure.. add a few more fish??
I only have 2 fish in there at the moment one sword tail and a pineapple platy


Thanks in advance
~Justin~

 

[jonnythan]

So you now have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 10-20 ppm nitrates?

If so, I think you're good. You have fish in there, even though just two small ones, but they are producing ammonia. If there's no ammonia in the water, and no nitrites, your bacteria colonies are established. Don't toss a bunch more fish in there at once and overwhelm them though.

 

[Justin83]

whats odd is the tank has only been up for maybe 3 weeks

maybe like 2 fish this week end i seen some really cool florescent orange looking fish down at the LSF and I am gonna run down probably tomorrow to find out what they are and ill post back to see if they are compatible with my current fish /tank size

 

[eco23]

whats odd is the tank has only been up for maybe 3 weeks

maybe like 2 fish this week end i seen some really cool florescent orange looking fish down at the LSF and I am gonna run down probably tomorrow to find out what they are and ill post back to see if they are compatible with my current fish /tank size

Did you add any media from an established tank when you set it up? An old filter or gravel?

 

[Justin83]

no i couldn't get any from the LFS or the likewise..

 

[eco23]

no i couldn't get any from the LFS or the likewise..

Hmm...hard to believe it would actually cycle that fast without seeding material. Are you 100% sure you're testing the nitrAtes right? 99% of people mess up. Shake #2 for a full 30 seconds, shake entire tube for a solid minute?

 

[Justin83]

i did it twice just to make sure and then tested my tap water... i always have the instruction book sitting right there in front of me on the counter for quick reference... i to cannot believe its cycled yet ... mabey i should take a water sample to my pro fish shop and see what they say

 

[eco23]

i did it twice just to make sure and then tested my tap water... i always have the instruction book sitting right there in front of me on the counter for quick reference... i to cannot believe its cycled yet ... mabey i should take a water sample to my pro fish shop and see what they say

Better safe than sorry, sounds like a good idea. Is the tank heavily planted? That could have caused it, otherwise I'd just closely monitor it and consider yourself and your fish lucky

 

[Justin83]

no no plants at all been wanting to get some but its barren right now just some glass beads and a crab shell (shell has been in this tank from the previous owner for well over a year) but i know that this cannot seed because i scrubbed down everything because it was so green with alge


filled the water to the mark on the tube added 10 drops of the #1 solution agitate slightly while shaking the #2 bottle for 30 mix 10 drops of the #2 solution and vigorously shake for one minute. did exactly that twice with the same results .. i still don't think its cycled i will check again tomorrow and see if i come up with the same results

 

[jonnythan]

Fast but not unreasonably so.

Take a sample to the LFS just to be sure. I think you're OK though.

 

[Justin83]

ok and i just noticed some green haze starting on the sides of my tank and Ive been wanting to get an alge eater what would be a good one for my little 10 gal and would just one or maybe 2

 

[jonnythan]

I have a few Otos that seem to do the job pretty well in my tank. They never get more than an inch, inch and a half long.

 

[Justin83]

Otos .. i will look into those thanks for the advice

 

[Justin83]

ok so i just tested the water again today and got the same thing 0 ammo 0 nitrites and 10-20 Nitrates .. im gonna take a sample down this weekend to my LFS and check for sure .. but as for now i stand amazed that i may be fish-in cycled allready... allright so now if i am actualy cycled i want to add plants and some more fish ..and i know that plants compete for the same stuff the bacteria dose so how do i go about adding said fish and plants??

 

[Justin83]

oh and has any one ever heard of lowering the PH of your tanks water using lemon juice or white vinegar .. i am a little strapped this week and my ph is at 8.0 and i have vinegar in the house.. will it work?

 

[Fishkeeper26]

In theory yes because both are acidic, idk how it would effect your fish however

 

[jonnythan]

ok so i just tested the water again today and got the same thing 0 ammo 0 nitrites and 10-20 Nitrates .. im gonna take a sample down this weekend to my LFS and check for sure .. but as for now i stand amazed that i may be fish-in cycled allready... allright so now if i am actualy cycled i want to add plants and some more fish ..and i know that plants compete for the same stuff the bacteria dose so how do i go about adding said fish and plants??

If you leave the tank with zero ammonia for a period of time, the bacteria will start to die off. You are adding more ammonia, right..?

 

[eco23]

If you leave the tank with zero ammonia for a period of time, the bacteria will start to die off. You are adding more ammonia, right..?

True if it was fishless...but he's got two fish in there who wouldn't like the idea

 

[jonnythan]

True if it was fishless...but he's got two fish in there who wouldn't like the idea

I got confused with another thread and forgot he had some fish in there. Derp.

 

[Justin83]

yes i have 2 fish in atm so what im wondering is what is the best way to introduce new fish and plants to the tank??? add the fish first and wait for the tank to stabelize and the add the plants or add a few fish and plants to the tank at the same time??