When can I start testing for Nitrate?

[jessibell]

It's day 18 of a fishless cycle on a ten gallon and I finally have a 0ppm ammonia and my nitrite has gone down from 2 ppm to 0.25. (I use API testers for these ones) my nitrate tester is a Hagen one. It says "high" levels if nitrite will interfere with the nitrate reading - how high is high? I did my first nitrate test tonight and it reads somewhere between 10 and 20.

About how many drops of ammonia should I be adding each day to keep the tank "fed" now? What ammonia reading should I be aiming for?

Thanks!

 

[jessibell]

Kay, I did a bit of reading on other posts and may have answered some of my questions - am i correct in that once the ammonia goes below 1ppm, to add ammonia until it reaches 3-5 and then to keep it within that range?

The last time I added ammonia to the tank, I added 40 drops and it went from 0.25 to 2 ppm, so I added 50 drops this time and will test in about an hour.

Am I correct in thinking that the tank is fully cycled when the added ammonia is completely eaten within an hour or two, and the nitrites also eaten up in about the same timeframe?

 

[Deep Seven]

If you want to fully stock your tank from the start, they recommend 4-5ppm ammonia, test 24hrs later and if you get zero ammonia, zero nitrites then you're ready to stock with fish. Do a large water change with treated water to get the nitrates down and test again to make sure everythings good, then stock it with fish.

 

[fishguy1]

I don't recommend fully stocking the tank from the start. While the biofilter may be able to handle it, there are all kinds of things that can go wrong with such a plan. IMO it's best to do one species at a time, and to quarantine all new fish. And no, throwing 20 fish made up of 5 or 6 different species into an empty tank in not quarantining. Quarantine is about isolation.

 

[jessibell]

I'm only planning to put either one figure eight puffer or 2 dwarf puffers in it, and no other species or additional fish down the line so I won't have to worry about quarantine (the dwarf puffs are all in the same tank already at the lfs, as are the f8s) I might have to stick with the dwarfs because I always assumed my tank was a 15 but then I measured it and it is, in fact, a ten! And people reccomend a f8 gets at least 15 gallons. (the lfs told me I could put a green spotted puffer in a ten gallon!! :/ )

 

[fishguy1]

Yes, the dwarf puffers are a better choice for the 10. You would not need to quarantine them.

 

[tyspot1000]

+1 on the puffer choice.

You dont have to quarantine them if they are both put in at them same time from the same tank, but If from different tanks, I would most defiantly. Most Fish store puffers are often wild caught and often come in with parasites.

 

[Deep Seven]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I understand, the figure eight puffers need brackish water or they die young.

Dwarf puffers are the only true freshwater puffer available. They will suffer from brackish water with reduced lifespan.

 

[jessibell]

yes you are right about f8s, they need brackish. The ones at the lfs are in fresh, of course, but I was planning on gradually increasing the salinity in the tank after I brought the fish home... but I think now I will stick witht he dwarfs so I won't have to bother.

 

[Deep Seven]

I'm so jealous. I don't have my aquarium set up yet, but I'm planning on a dwarf puffer tank

 

[jessibell]

I know right? I've been cycling for almost two weeks and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm so excited! My pond snails have laid some eggs today too (I have a few in a one gallon container fitted with a little sponge filter and submersable heater)

 

[Filbey]

Jessibelle is the fish in your avatar a guppie?? What's the strain called ?? It's fantastic colours !!! VMT

 

[tyspot1000]

Jessibelle is the fish in your avatar a guppie?? What's the strain called ?? It's fantastic colours !!! VMT

It is a betta, looks to be a halfmoon.