So on the 8th i started cycling my 30G.
I have fake plants, gravel, filter, heater, air stone, etc etc etc.
I couldn't get clear ammonia so i used flake food and fry food. The ammonia rised a lot and the nitrite readings were dark purple. The ammonia started dropping - then on the 12th i completely forgot you can add filter media from any running tank, so i added a big sponge from my 20G filter to the 30G filter. I also used Nutrafin Cycle for 5 days to help the cycle (the bottle was brand new).
Since then nitrite is at 0ppm and the nitrate level increased. I cleaned the tank to get rid of all the gunky food and the ammonia went down a lot but there is still food in there i couldn't get without syphoning the tank dry, so there is still a bit of ammonia left.
My only problem is, i was on different aquarium sites, and i cannot get a right answer.
Do these readings mean my tank is cycled? I've been told "YOU CANNOT USE FOOD TO CYCLE A TANK, USE CLEAR AMMONIA". Ok, i get that. You can cycle a tank with food, it just takes longer. I don't care about the wait.
But someone told me that if i add filter media from one tank to another it will auto cycle the tank. So i mean, i don't really know what to do from here.
I get my pay this weekend (i'm part time and in school) and if the tank is cycled i was going to buy the 3 Yellow Labs and sand, more rocks, etc.
But if the tank isn't cycle then i'm obviously not getting the fish and just getting other things i need because it's a 1 time trip to the pet store for me.
Could someone just help me? lol i'm getting told lots of different things and it's annoying
I have fake plants, gravel, filter, heater, air stone, etc etc etc.
I couldn't get clear ammonia so i used flake food and fry food. The ammonia rised a lot and the nitrite readings were dark purple. The ammonia started dropping - then on the 12th i completely forgot you can add filter media from any running tank, so i added a big sponge from my 20G filter to the 30G filter. I also used Nutrafin Cycle for 5 days to help the cycle (the bottle was brand new).
Since then nitrite is at 0ppm and the nitrate level increased. I cleaned the tank to get rid of all the gunky food and the ammonia went down a lot but there is still food in there i couldn't get without syphoning the tank dry, so there is still a bit of ammonia left.
My only problem is, i was on different aquarium sites, and i cannot get a right answer.
Do these readings mean my tank is cycled? I've been told "YOU CANNOT USE FOOD TO CYCLE A TANK, USE CLEAR AMMONIA". Ok, i get that. You can cycle a tank with food, it just takes longer. I don't care about the wait.
But someone told me that if i add filter media from one tank to another it will auto cycle the tank. So i mean, i don't really know what to do from here.
I get my pay this weekend (i'm part time and in school) and if the tank is cycled i was going to buy the 3 Yellow Labs and sand, more rocks, etc.
But if the tank isn't cycle then i'm obviously not getting the fish and just getting other things i need because it's a 1 time trip to the pet store for me.
Could someone just help me? lol i'm getting told lots of different things and it's annoying