cycling with fish and no readings?

[kazz]

Hello all! I know everyone here is all for the fishless cycling, but cycling with fish is what I grew up with and my father has always had great success. However, I started a new tank last week, and still have no ammonium or nitrite readings. PH is at 7.8. I have 6 fish in a 33 gallon half hexagon tank. They seem happy, swimming around checking everything out, picking at the rocks at the bottom of the tank. Just wondering what could be going on?

 

[jetajockey]

Just give it time and keep testing. Was the filter completely new? Did you use any bacteria boosters?

 

[kazz]

Just give it time and keep testing. Was the filter completely new? Did you use any bacteria boosters?

filtration was brand new. Its a penguin 200 biowheel.

The only thing I've added to the water is Stress Coat+ which I added to the water when I filled it per instructions.

 

[jetajockey]

It may just be that the bioload is small, I'd just give it some time and keep testing. Using a liquid test kit right?

 

[kazz]

yes and it is a new kit. I'll give it some more time. Everything I've read about cycling tanks with fish say I should have seen a jump in ammonia by now. Hopefully My fish stay happy!

 

[jetajockey]

yes and it is a new kit. I'll give it some more time. Everything I've read about cycling tanks with fish say I should have seen a jump in ammonia by now. Hopefully My fish stay happy!

It depends on water volume, if it's a few small fish in a large tank combined with a fishkeeper that feeds lightly then it may take a while to see any substantial readings.

You aren't using any ammonia removing products in your filter right?

Fish-in cycling is often made out to be a lot harder than it really is, if you stock very lightly it can be a cake walk.

 

[kazz]

It depends on water volume, if it's a few small fish in a large tank combined with a fishkeeper that feeds lightly then it may take a while to see any substantial readings.

You aren't using any ammonia removing products in your filter right?

Fish-in cycling is often made out to be a lot harder than it really is, if you stock very lightly it can be a cake walk.

The fish I have stocked are in my signature.

I am not using any ammonia removing products, and I feed once a day, usually when I wake up in the morning.