Best way to cycle new 5.5g tank

[Caliban07]

Just do one water change a week 25% the fish will be fine if you feed responsibly.

 

[Mebbid]

Just do one water change a week 25% the fish will be fine if you feed responsibly.

I wouldn't say anything as static as a single water change a week as being okay. You will need to play your water changes by ear. You'll likely end up needing 2 50% water changes weekly. It could be more, but it could also be less. Just test and do water changes accordingly.

I would also continue with water changes even when dosing prime. It's not a safe crutch to use for dealing with ammonia.

 

[RRiley774]

Tested water yesterday ...

Amm - o

Nitrite - o

Nitrate - o

Is my tank finished cycling??

 

[RRiley774]

Anyone?

 

[apr28]

Anyone?

No. You need some measurable nitrates, preferably between 5ppm and 20ppm

 

[threnjen]

Do you have plants in the tank?
It's possible that with just a single guppy that the plants are eating the nitrates.

 

[RRiley774]

Ok, I need to give an update to better help y'all out. I took the guppy out 4-5 days ago bc he acted to lethargic for me so I took him back to the store. Meanwhile, I picked up a product called Fritz Zyme Super 700 from my lfs, this is a cycling bacteria that is professional grade. It will cycle your tank in 48 hours. Not many people on here have heard of this product on this site but it is legitimate in what it does and I encourage anyone who isn't familiar with it to google it for further reading. I am fortunate enough for my lfs to be the most highly rated in the Atlanta area and is second to none in quality and knowledge. They recommended this to me as they use it to get their own tanks up and running. Regardless, back to the details of my tank. I put a piece of drift wood in my tank over the weekend. I was looking to get some tannins out of my water so I did a 30% water change Saturday and a 40% change Sunday. I tested my water Sunday and my readings were the same as every time I have tested it over my 2 week stretch.

Amm - .25ppm
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate - 5ppm

Monday ( yesterday ) I tested my water again and my readings were solid 0's across the board. I do have 1 ghost shrimp that has been in the tank since the beginning but other than that their are the facts. Am I cycled?

 

[threnjen]

Without a fish in there, you need a source of food for the bacteria, otherwise there is honestly no way to know. The bacteria may well have used up all the ammonia in your tank but it doesn't mean it's cycled without adding more "food" to check.
If you have an Ace Hardware nearby you can pick up a small bottle of ammonia for like $2.xx to "feed" the bacteria and test that you're cycled.
It's really hard to say if you're cycled with no active food source for the bacteria.

 

[RRiley774]

Tested again tonight when I got home

Amm - less than .25ppm

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 20ppm

What do you think now?

 

[apr28]

Tested again tonight when I got home

Amm - less than .25ppm

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 20ppm

What do you think now?

I would test this time tomorrow night after dosing your ammonia back up to 2-4ppm


If your ammonia drops back down to less than .25ppm you may considered cycled.

 

[threnjen]

* Are you saying that over the past 3 days your nitrAtes have been 5/0/20?
* What have you been doing to add an ammonia source to the water after you took back the guppy?
* What are the levels for ammonia and nitrAte from your tap water?

It doesn't sound cycled to me but who can say if there is no ammonia source for the bacteria.

The only thing that is going to tell us anything is adding an ammonia source to the water and seeing if it disappears within 24 hours. That is the ONLY way to know for sure that you are cycled.

That means dosing to some amount (1ppm if you have a shrimp), waiting 24 hours, and checking your levels. If the levels are then 0 amm, 0 nitrItes, x nitrAtes then yes you are cycled.