Cycling my new tank

[moore93]

Hi I've used this forum to help me a few times and I'm very impressed with the community spirit and help you give to people. But I've only just registered today to get involved and to learn a lot more about the hobby when I first considered getting my first tank a little I've 4 month ago I didn't even know you had to use dechlorinator never mind cycling.

I am currently cycle my new 6ft tank and I was wondering if this is a normal reading.

Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0.25ppm
Nitrate 5.0ppm

Tank temp 24-25
Ph 7.4

Fish in the tank
6 silver tip tetra
4 neons
2 mollies
Kuhli loach
Bgk

Sorry about the poor English :/

 

[thehowards]

The tank needs to cycle before you put the fish in there those 3 ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all lethal to the fish.

 

[moore93]

What would you say is the best thing to do?

 

[thehowards]

If you could take them back It would be the safest for the fish. Then keep an eye on the levels until they finally all drop off to zero. Look up how to cycle freshwater tanks that should give you more info than I can.

 

[moore93]

There from my other tank all the fish are acting normal ATM how long will it take for the cycle to complete

 

[thehowards]

That's hard to say what has to happen is there is good bacteria that has to build up its numbers that eats and converts those 3. Did you use water from the other tank if the other tank is older.

 

[moore93]

That's hard to say what has to happen is there is good bacteria that has to build up its numbers that eats and converts those 3. Did you use water from the other tank if the other tank is older.

Yeah I used water from the old tank I also placed a fluva u4 in my old tank for 2-3 weeks which is in the new tank I was also thinking about using some of the gravel from the previous tank.

After the test I also did a 20% water change and added some general tonic also.

 

[thehowards]

Using the old water is a huge plus, i would keep an eye on the levels and see if they dropped in a couple hours. Water change is good and the treatments should help but keep in mind the longer you use the treatments the longer for the full cycle.

 

[moore93]

Thank you the help will post further results later

 

[threnjen]

Hi there,

Let's go back to the beginning.

The basics of the cycle are:
Fish produce ammonia
Bacteria eat ammonia and produce nitrite
Other bacteria eat nitrite and produce nitrate

This is the end of the cycle. nitrAtes in a tank constantly increase and are removed through water changes by the aquarist. They are not harmful and certainly not lethal except in high quantities and keeping them below 40 or better yet 20ppm is best. Most aquarists do a 50% water change each week as standard practice and maintenance.
NOW. nitrAtes are not your relevant concern here in a new tank.

Put all of the fish except the mollies back in the other tank. Some of your fish are sensitive and if they die during the cycling process you will be sad.

good work running your filter on the other tank for a few weeks. Was that a well-established and cycled tank? If so, anything you can take from it will speed up establishing your new tank. Gravel, ornaments etc.
Taking water from the old tank will be irrelevant, the bacteria live on surfaces not in the water.

Here's the article for you to read to get through the cycle
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

What is "general tonic"?

 

[moore93]

5 month now I also have put a few of the smaller decs from my other tank and some plastic plants I also have some live plants that are growing really quick.
What sort of plant is this at first I thought it was elodea densa but not sure

 

[BBradbury]

Hello moore...

Fish in tank cycling isn't a bad thing. Hopefully, your fish are a tough species, because the waste produced by the fish can be deadly unless daily water changes are performed. The idea of the fish in tank cycle is to test the tank water every day for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test, you remove and replace enough of the tank water to keep the water safer for the fish and to give the bacteria enough food so they grow in
numbers high enough to maintain good water conditions. When I cycled my tank with fish, I removed about 25 percent of the tank water every day.

When you have several daily water tests with no trace of ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. The time needed is about 30 days.

B

 

[moore93]

That's the thing I've test once today and the test came up

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5

Is there any chance the previous results were wrong

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

That's the thing I've test once today and the test came up

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5

Is there any chance the previous results were wrong

Hello again moore...

You have a large tank, so any wastes a few fish produce may be diluted in all the water. I would check to make sure your test kit hasn't expired and review the testing steps. It's possible to make a mistake until you're completely familiar with the testing process.

B