about the cycle

[MrKichanPark]

hey guys is there anyway that i can tell if my tank is done cycling? iits 10 gallon. i have 1 betta fish and 3 baby mystery snails for the cycling. its be a week now. so is there a way to tell if the cycling is done without the kit and other things?

 

[The Iceman]

Im new to the hobby but i would say i highly doubt it without testing

 

[Fishie]

hey guys is there anyway that i can tell if my tank is done cycling? iits 10 gallon. i have 1 betta fish and 3 baby mystery snails for the cycling. its be a week now. so is there a way to tell if the cycling is done without the kit and other things?

I don't know any other ways just by testing water with kit/strips.

 

[tamtam]

Have you been testing the water at all? If you don't have one I suggest you get a test kit, liquid is better than strips. If it's only been a week though I highly doubt it's done. you should be doing regular testing while you cycle. If your ammonia or nitrites are above .25 you need a water change and once your nitrites and ammonia stay zero and you have about 20ppm nitrate consistently you're done

 

[MrKichanPark]

i have im just asking

 

[MrKichanPark]

oh also can i put sand for my freshwater aquarium?

 

[RussellC]

i have im just asking

The only way to tell is to test your water parameters -- there's just no way around this.

That said, if the tank has only been set-up a week, then the answer is very likely 'no', it is not done cycling. Unless one is somehow seeding the filter, it generally takes 4-8 weeks.

Please strongly consider getting a test kit -- in my view it is the singularly most powerful tool any fishkeeper has when it comes to keeping our fish healthy and happy.

You may also find this article helpful:

Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

Good luck!

 

[Fishie]

oh also can i put sand for my freshwater aquarium?

What kind of sand most sand should be good. I got 2 tanks that have sand.

 

[MrKichanPark]

some people say that they buy sand from home depot. 40lb is 4 dollars.

is play sand from home depot ok?

 

[The Iceman]

ive read on here people using play sand but i think you have to clean it really really good, that and people have used pool sand

 

[tamtam]

you can use pool filter sand. I think sandbox sand is hit or miss. I often here people recommend against it but I've also heard people say they use it.

 

[Fishie]

some people say that they buy sand from home depot. 40lb is 4 dollars.

is play sand from home depot ok?

Yes I have it it's all good just have to clean good.

 

[tamtam]

i have im just asking

If you mean you've been testing then you want to have consistent water tests giving you 0 ammonia and nitrites with nitrates staying around 20 or so. You would have had you ammonia spike, then a drop in those and a pick up of nitrite, this final conversion takes longer than the first but eventually you will see your nitrates start to pick up and your nitrites will drop and thins will likely drop off for the ammonia and nitrites as I've said.

I highly doubt you are cycled though, unless you have some good seeded material as mentioned.

Hope that helps

 

[MrKichanPark]

i have 4 mystry snails pooping crazy and healthy betta fish. and used fake plants from previous tank and gravel

 

[tamtam]

it all comes down to the water prams. Only way to really know where the cycle stands is to know what is going on in your tank/with your water. If you can give us some water parameters from a test it would probably help determine if it's cycled.

Plants/rocks probably will speed it up but I don't think it's going to really jump start it enough to make a huge difference(like make you cycle in a week).

 

[MrKichanPark]

i added like additive like safe start

 

[Fishie]

i added like additive like safe start

I don't recommend it since sometimes it expired.

 

[LyndaB]

i added like additive like safe start

You added "safestart" or you added "an additive like safestart"? Which is it?

 

[MrKichanPark]

like safe start

 

[LyndaB]

Many of the so-called bacteria starters "like safestart" do not work. What did you use?