Hello people,
A quick bit of advice from the many wise and experienced fishkeepers on here would be much appreciated. I'm very much a newbie at this game. I have a 90 litre Fluval Roma. 3 weeks ago I set it up, including with plants (2 anubias nana, 2 java ferns, three hygro, java moss) and let them settle in for a week. Then I added two of a friends green tiger barbs, still youngish, not full size. I also added filter squeezings, plus rubbed his filter pads all over mine, and added a fair amount of his gravel. I've been learning quick, but not quick enough. Having now read about fishless cycle I would do that if I had another chance.
But, the two little guys seem to be doing well, feeding hungrily and buzzing around the place. As I read more I realised I needed a testing kit, and the API Master arrived yesterday. Today, 13 days since the barbs wre added I tested for the first time and got Ammo 0ppm, Nitrites 00pm, and Nitrate 10ppm. The 10ppm on Nitrate could be 20 the colours are very similar on the chart.
Surely this doesn't mean the tank is already cycled? I know seeding is suppossed to speed things up, but can't imagine it does it that quickly. Could it be that the Nitrite hasn't even started to go up yet? But Nitrate already has?
Any inputs would be much appreciated. I guess I need to keep testing, but what should I be looking out for?
A quick bit of advice from the many wise and experienced fishkeepers on here would be much appreciated. I'm very much a newbie at this game. I have a 90 litre Fluval Roma. 3 weeks ago I set it up, including with plants (2 anubias nana, 2 java ferns, three hygro, java moss) and let them settle in for a week. Then I added two of a friends green tiger barbs, still youngish, not full size. I also added filter squeezings, plus rubbed his filter pads all over mine, and added a fair amount of his gravel. I've been learning quick, but not quick enough. Having now read about fishless cycle I would do that if I had another chance.
But, the two little guys seem to be doing well, feeding hungrily and buzzing around the place. As I read more I realised I needed a testing kit, and the API Master arrived yesterday. Today, 13 days since the barbs wre added I tested for the first time and got Ammo 0ppm, Nitrites 00pm, and Nitrate 10ppm. The 10ppm on Nitrate could be 20 the colours are very similar on the chart.
Surely this doesn't mean the tank is already cycled? I know seeding is suppossed to speed things up, but can't imagine it does it that quickly. Could it be that the Nitrite hasn't even started to go up yet? But Nitrate already has?
Any inputs would be much appreciated. I guess I need to keep testing, but what should I be looking out for?