Hello everyone,
Happy to join this community
I was hoping I could get some advice/input on where I currently stand in terms of the cycling process of my first fish tank (35 gallon long). I thought it would be helpful to give as much information as possible, as I have been spending time reading other people’s posts and replies.
- 15 days ago I cleaned all the substrate (a mix of 3 bags of Flourite and 1 bag of microbe lift “biologically alive substrate”).
- 2 days later (11 days ago) I planted the aquarium with a decent amount of plants (1 java fern tied to a rock, 2 Egeria, 2 crypto lutea, 2 red scarlet temple, 2 giant hygro, 1 rotala indica). I also added 4 philodendron vines that were previously growing in water and 4 bunches of a bushy variety of pothos (well developed root). These house plants are currently hanging out of the tank with the roots submerged.
- my lighting situation: 36” aquasun LED HO (16x white 6000k high output LEDs (1 watt each) and 8 blue 465nm leds (500mW each)
- my filter situation: aqueon quietflow 30 LED pro (came with ammonia reducer insert
- I also have a heater set to 76-77F
- current pH was tricky to read but I recorded it at 7.6 (we have hard water where I live)
- I added Seachem fertilizer tabs under most of the plants for slow release into my Flourite substrate
- the following day I went to Petsmart to pick up api water testing kit (liquid), as I was planning on using it to help me test during a fishless ammonia add cycle. The worker there convinced me that, with my water volume and amount of plants, that it would be perfectly safe to start my cycle with 3 pristella tetra (I was happy to hear this as I wanted to have a school of this type of fish eventually anyways). She also told me that if after testing the water throughout the week, if the ammonia stayed low, I could add three more (better to have 6+ for the school). So, 10 days ago I added 3 pristella tetra.
- for the following 4 days, I had been testing ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, all coming up 0. I was unsure of the ammonia reading, so compared it to deionized water every time I tested ammonia. Always yellow. I assumed that the plants were taking up the ammonia since I had been seeing TONS of plant growth (especially Egeria, whose roots are cascading down and now creeping up towards the top of the tank. The Java fern is also getting lots of new buds from the roots and the rotela indica is also showing lots of new growth reaching up towards the light). I also was thinking that the 3 tetra may be such a small bioload for the 35 gallons (+ plants).
- I knew I could be fairly early on my cycle still, but seeing 0 ammonia reading made me want to go to my local pet store (not Petsmart) to get their advice. That is where I had bought the majority of the plants and aquarium stuff. They told me that I was doing everything correct (slower start), but that I would be completely fine to add more fish at this time to increase the tetra school. He suggested that I add 6 more tetra. I took his assured advice, and brought the pristella school up to 9. This was 6 days ago.
- the next day (5 days ago) I did my first partial water change as the level was starting to become a bit low). I only changed about 6gallons of water. I also added Prime to the new buckets of water. The whole time I have been feeding my fish about once a day (sometimes 2 small amounts a day). They gobble everything up.
- for the past 4 days, I’ve been continuing to monitor all water parameters and still get 0, 0, 0. I *thought* I had a small amount of nitrates, but repeated the test the following day comparing against my distilled water and can say for sure that it is 0. The pH today is 7.8 as far as I can tell (maybe it started at 7.8 when I thought it was 7.6?)
- I’ve also been noticing a build up of brown algae on my plants and jasper rocks (from the fish store) that I have been rubbing off as much as I can. And the past two days I have been noticing a bit of white fungus (looks A LOT like hydra but I was able to confirm from some other posts online that it is definitely not hydra (they don’t react at all when prodded). They are on most of my plants, not too much but there). I imagine the tank is going through different algae, fungus... hopefully it doesn’t get too bad! No build up on the glass at all so far.
- last night I decided to remove the Ammonia Reducer Pad that came with the filter. I had read what little I could about it online and every reply suggested to remove it. I shook it around in the tank to hopefully release some bacteria before discarding it. I then added a full tank does of prime (about 3ml) and tested the tank this morning for ammonia (again, 0). Every morning when I turn on the tank lights, the larger of my school show signs of mating behaviour and lots of contact in the Egeria especially (signs of good water quality?)
Now that you have read my story, I am wondering if you have any suggestions? Where am I at? Can I continue to slowly add some more fish (1 bristlenose precocious for example? Or maybe some daisy fish? Or possibly a moonlight gourami? I also am quite fond of the peppermint tetra (HY511) and forked tail rainbow (really like these but not sure if available locally at the moment).
Or should I continue to wait it out for the next week? I was thinking of continuing the water testing until Friday and Saturday and if i’m Still at 0,0,0, making another addition. I thought I would bring some aquarium water to the shop to have that tested to verify my results before any purchase.
Of course, I may still be waaaay to early on in the process? Should I not have registered at least SOME ammonia by now (9 fish and a couple snails wondering around from the plants I bought, as well as some plant leaf matter degrading)?
I know that I introduced a new variable by removing the ammonia pad, so that is why I want to continue to watch until perhaps Saturday morning?
Thank you so much for your time to read this and the advice given. If you would like me to attach an image of the tank (if it’s helpful for giving advice) I can certainly do that.
Regards,
Sligui
Happy to join this community
I was hoping I could get some advice/input on where I currently stand in terms of the cycling process of my first fish tank (35 gallon long). I thought it would be helpful to give as much information as possible, as I have been spending time reading other people’s posts and replies.- 15 days ago I cleaned all the substrate (a mix of 3 bags of Flourite and 1 bag of microbe lift “biologically alive substrate”).
- 2 days later (11 days ago) I planted the aquarium with a decent amount of plants (1 java fern tied to a rock, 2 Egeria, 2 crypto lutea, 2 red scarlet temple, 2 giant hygro, 1 rotala indica). I also added 4 philodendron vines that were previously growing in water and 4 bunches of a bushy variety of pothos (well developed root). These house plants are currently hanging out of the tank with the roots submerged.
- my lighting situation: 36” aquasun LED HO (16x white 6000k high output LEDs (1 watt each) and 8 blue 465nm leds (500mW each)
- my filter situation: aqueon quietflow 30 LED pro (came with ammonia reducer insert
- I also have a heater set to 76-77F
- current pH was tricky to read but I recorded it at 7.6 (we have hard water where I live)
- I added Seachem fertilizer tabs under most of the plants for slow release into my Flourite substrate
- the following day I went to Petsmart to pick up api water testing kit (liquid), as I was planning on using it to help me test during a fishless ammonia add cycle. The worker there convinced me that, with my water volume and amount of plants, that it would be perfectly safe to start my cycle with 3 pristella tetra (I was happy to hear this as I wanted to have a school of this type of fish eventually anyways). She also told me that if after testing the water throughout the week, if the ammonia stayed low, I could add three more (better to have 6+ for the school). So, 10 days ago I added 3 pristella tetra.
- for the following 4 days, I had been testing ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, all coming up 0. I was unsure of the ammonia reading, so compared it to deionized water every time I tested ammonia. Always yellow. I assumed that the plants were taking up the ammonia since I had been seeing TONS of plant growth (especially Egeria, whose roots are cascading down and now creeping up towards the top of the tank. The Java fern is also getting lots of new buds from the roots and the rotela indica is also showing lots of new growth reaching up towards the light). I also was thinking that the 3 tetra may be such a small bioload for the 35 gallons (+ plants).
- I knew I could be fairly early on my cycle still, but seeing 0 ammonia reading made me want to go to my local pet store (not Petsmart) to get their advice. That is where I had bought the majority of the plants and aquarium stuff. They told me that I was doing everything correct (slower start), but that I would be completely fine to add more fish at this time to increase the tetra school. He suggested that I add 6 more tetra. I took his assured advice, and brought the pristella school up to 9. This was 6 days ago.
- the next day (5 days ago) I did my first partial water change as the level was starting to become a bit low). I only changed about 6gallons of water. I also added Prime to the new buckets of water. The whole time I have been feeding my fish about once a day (sometimes 2 small amounts a day). They gobble everything up.
- for the past 4 days, I’ve been continuing to monitor all water parameters and still get 0, 0, 0. I *thought* I had a small amount of nitrates, but repeated the test the following day comparing against my distilled water and can say for sure that it is 0. The pH today is 7.8 as far as I can tell (maybe it started at 7.8 when I thought it was 7.6?)
- I’ve also been noticing a build up of brown algae on my plants and jasper rocks (from the fish store) that I have been rubbing off as much as I can. And the past two days I have been noticing a bit of white fungus (looks A LOT like hydra but I was able to confirm from some other posts online that it is definitely not hydra (they don’t react at all when prodded). They are on most of my plants, not too much but there). I imagine the tank is going through different algae, fungus... hopefully it doesn’t get too bad! No build up on the glass at all so far.
- last night I decided to remove the Ammonia Reducer Pad that came with the filter. I had read what little I could about it online and every reply suggested to remove it. I shook it around in the tank to hopefully release some bacteria before discarding it. I then added a full tank does of prime (about 3ml) and tested the tank this morning for ammonia (again, 0). Every morning when I turn on the tank lights, the larger of my school show signs of mating behaviour and lots of contact in the Egeria especially (signs of good water quality?)
Now that you have read my story, I am wondering if you have any suggestions? Where am I at? Can I continue to slowly add some more fish (1 bristlenose precocious for example? Or maybe some daisy fish? Or possibly a moonlight gourami? I also am quite fond of the peppermint tetra (HY511) and forked tail rainbow (really like these but not sure if available locally at the moment).
Or should I continue to wait it out for the next week? I was thinking of continuing the water testing until Friday and Saturday and if i’m Still at 0,0,0, making another addition. I thought I would bring some aquarium water to the shop to have that tested to verify my results before any purchase.
Of course, I may still be waaaay to early on in the process? Should I not have registered at least SOME ammonia by now (9 fish and a couple snails wondering around from the plants I bought, as well as some plant leaf matter degrading)?
I know that I introduced a new variable by removing the ammonia pad, so that is why I want to continue to watch until perhaps Saturday morning?
Thank you so much for your time to read this and the advice given. If you would like me to attach an image of the tank (if it’s helpful for giving advice) I can certainly do that.
Regards,
Sligui
Last edited:
