Is my tank cycled?

[almac]

Hello,

I added fish slowly since I thought I was successful with a fishless cycle. I had a fishless cycling tank for four weeks and the below fish for 3 weeks. Can anyone check my current numbers to verify my tank is fully cycled?

17 gallon Aqueon Collumn Tank
Aqueon 10 QuietFlow Filter
7 Harlequin Rasbora
3 Show German Guppies (?)
1Trapdoor Snail

.25 ppm amonia
0 ppm nitrates
0 ppm nitrites
6.5 ph
30 GH
40 Kh

The water began getting cloudy last week, so I borrowed a well used filter media from a friend's well established tank. Everything seems fine now.

I'd like to add 5 Cherry Shrimp to finialise my stock, but want to make sure I actually have a fully cycled tank.

Thanks for any help!

 

[DjBootleg]

If your water was cloudy that's good that's the beginning of bacteria forming in your tank. Your numbers are good. Your is cycled. However that filter you have is only for a ten gallon tank if I'm not mistaken. I'd upgrade to a 20 gallon filter. So it can turn over your tank a few times an hour.

Good luck..

 

[almac]

Thanks for the reply!

I, too, thought after I purchased the Aqueon package that the QuietFlow 10 was for a 10 gallon tank. Turns out it is rated up to 20 gallons. Still will probably upgrade down the line . . .

 

[DjBootleg]

Thanks for the reply!

I, too, thought after I purchased the Aqueon package that the QuietFlow 10 was for a 10 gallon tank. Turns out it is rated up to 20 gallons. Still will probably upgrade down the line . . .

Coolio my dude

 

[librarygirl]

Actually you're not cycled yet. A cycled tank would show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and some nitrate. How did you "fishless cycle" the tank? Letting a tank run empty without adding an ammonia source doesn't cycle the tank, I'm afraid. What test kit are you using?

 

[DjBootleg]

Actually you're not cycled yet. A cycled tank would show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and some nitrate. How did you "fishless cycle" the tank? Letting a tank run empty without adding an ammonia source doesn't cycle the tank, I'm afraid. What test kit are you using?

It's EXTREMELY hard to have a tank at .0 ammonia. .25 is not a dangerous level.

 

[jlk]

Actually you're not cycled yet. A cycled tank would show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and some nitrate. How did you "fishless cycle" the tank? Letting a tank run empty without adding an ammonia source doesn't cycle the tank, I'm afraid. What test kit are you using?

I agree as well. A cycled tank will reflect zero ammonia and nitrite. Nitrate levels can vary depending upon if the tank is planted or not. Some more information will help!

 

[almac]

Thanks for all who have answered so far . . .

In answer to some questions, by "Fishless Cycle", I meant I (attempted) to cycle my tank without fish and using the prescribed pure ammonia method as advocated by many on this forum.

I recently received and use the API Master Kit to do my testing.

I have one small dwarf grass plant in my tank, but otherwise no other living plants.

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks for all who have answered so far . . .

In answer to some questions, by "Fishless Cycle", I meant I (attempted) to cycle my tank without fish and using the prescribed pure ammonia method as advocated by many on this forum.

I recently received and use the API Master Kit to do my testing.

I have one small dwarf grass plant in my tank, but otherwise no other living plants.

What do you mean "attempted?" Did you finish the fishless cycle?

Just to double-check results with the API kit, try this:
--for ammonia, test some distilled or spring water and compare it to an ammonia test for the tank. Sometimes it can be hard to gauge between 0 and .25 on the API kit. If the two tubes match then the tank has 0 ammonia. You can also try looking at the tube from underneath and use a good light source, sometimes that helps to tell whether it's gold or has some green in it
--For the nitrate test, shake and bang both bottles for 30 seconds (I bang them on my palm or a table a few times), add the drops from the first bottle to the tube, cap it then tip it a few times, then add the drops from the second nitrate bottle, then shake the tube vigorously for a full minute and wait 5 minutes for the result. The nitrate test can be finicky if not done right.

 

[almac]

@LibraryGirl: By "attempt", I mean that I thought I had a cycled tank during the my previous fish-less cycle, but now I'm not so sure. Thank you for the tip on checking the ammonia level by testing spring water; it did indeed show that my ammonia level is .25

Good news today. My nitrates has risen to 5.0ppm, and my nitrites remains at 0ppm.