fish in cycling new 55 gallon tank

[baseballtim5217]

I just started cycling a new 55 gallon tank with 6 black fin tetras. Is that enough fish to start the cycle or should i add more?

 

[anibis]

That should be good. They say 1 fish per 10g, so you're slightly above that. It'll probably take a few days until you start to seeing ammonia, so be patient.

I cycled my 29g with 1 platy and 1 molly. Now those fish do have a much larger bio load than tetras, but I was still having to change water every other day to keep the ammonia in check.

 

[josh7]

That should be good. They say 1 fish per 10g, so you're slightly above that. It'll probably take a few days until you start to seeing ammonia, so be patient.

I cycled my 29g with 1 platy and 1 molly. Now those fish do have a much larger bio load than tetras, but I was still having to change water every other day to keep the ammonia in check.

What do you mean 1 fish for 10 gallons? Like for the cycle?

But yes 6 tetras should be fine just keep testing water as soon as it hits .5ppm ammonia do a 50 percent water change.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello base...

The standard for fish in tank cycling is 3 to 4 small fish for every 10 gallons of tank volume. A 55 G would need a minimum of a dozen. 15 would ensure enough waste to begin the nitrogen cycle.

Don't forget to include a lot of floating plants like Common water weed and Hornwort. These will help you maintain a relatively stable water chemistry for the fish.

B

 

[baseballtim5217]

Ok I will pick up 5 zebra danio. Also 1 or two bottom feeders. Any suggestions of what kind of bottom feeders would be appreciated! !!

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

Ok I will pick up 5 zebra danio. Also 1 or two bottom feeders. Any suggestions of what kind of bottom feeders would be appreciated! !!

Hello again base...

I would stick with the Zebra Danios to cycle the tank or another very hardy fish like Rasboras, White Clouds or Platys. Other species are less tolerant of less than good water conditions which is what you have during the nitrogen cycle.

Once the tank has been established, then is the time to introduce other species.

Just make sure you test the tank water daily for traces of ammonia or nitrite. If you get a positive test, then remove and replace 25 percent of the old water with pure, treated tap water. When you have several daily tests with no traces of the above forms of nitrogen, the tank is cycled.

The process takes roughly a month.

B

 

[Mebbid]

Ok I will pick up 5 zebra danio. Also 1 or two bottom feeders. Any suggestions of what kind of bottom feeders would be appreciated! !!

Stop, there's absolutely no reason to add any more fish. Doing so will just put more work on you and more stress on the fish in a cycling tank. The ammonia will be produced all the same and be consumed in the EXACT same fashion. Your bacteria will grow to handle the bio load of whatever fish you put in there. Adding more will just force you to do more water changes.

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

I've used the 3 to 4 small fish per every 10 gallons to cycle my tank and the fish were fine. The poster is very welcomed to cycle the tank another way. This is the method that worked for me.

B

 

[Fishperson]

To be completely honest 3-4 fish per 10 gallons sounds like it's way too much. That's almost half of the tank's stock!

 

[herdo]

I just started cycling a new 55 gallon tank with 6 black fin tetras. Is that enough fish to start the cycle or should i add more?

I used 3 small sword tails to cycle a 23 gallon tank, I ran it fishless for a week before hand and it cycled in 3 weeks and have had no major dramas since. I didn't treat the water during the fishless cycle.

TBH mate, the more you read on forums the more conflicting you will find the information you receive. My advice is find a LFS that looks like it gives a [moderator edit] and ask them. Ive been lucky that way, my LFS has told me exactly how to treat my water (due to them knowing the starting parameters of my tap water) and asked about my water chem when I went back.

 

[baseballtim5217]

7 days into cycle. No much of a ammonia spike yet. Tested in between 0 and .25 on my test. Is this normal??

 

[melosu58]

All off topic posts were removed. Please help the OP out with his question by staying on topic.

 

[baseballtim5217]

Now 8 days into cycle. Not much of a ammonia spike yet. Tested closer to .25 on my test today,Is this normal to take so long for a big ammonia spike or I may not get a big spike?? Ph 8.1 nitrites 0 nitrates 0

 

[threnjen]

Everything is fine. You don't WANT any ammonia "spike" with fish-in. Ammonia levels should remain low. When they go up you do a water change in order to keep them deliberately low. You're not looking for the high ammonia levels that fishless cycling uses.

It's going to take you several weeks cycling fish-in, so patience here is key.

Here is the forum sticky about cycling fish-in: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Just follow the advisories and you will be fine