help with test results on current fish-in cycle

[Jferrante]

My tank is only like 2 weeks old right now and has 8 rummy nose tetras and a bunch of plants. I'm going to add two more plants in a few days as well.
I've been using, Flourish starter pack, stability, and prime.

Two days ago my ammonia went up to 0.25ppm so I did a 50% water change and added stability and stress zyme by API and prime. Yesterday it was still at 0.25 ppm but just used a dose of prime since I had a superbowl party at my house. I haven't had any nitrite readings at all since I started and my Nitrates were at a steady 5ppm till today. Today my readings for ammonia were around 0.1ppm with nirite at 0ppm and nitrate at like 2.5ppm. I did skip feeding them today however so that might be why the ammonia dropped as well. I've been slowly adding more plants this past week to fill out certain open spaces to that my future community will get along once I add them.This is where I am most confused about the cycle, I'm assuming the number of plants have been lowering the Nitrates since my ammonia went up but is now dropping and my nitrates seems to be half what it was this whole time. My Ph also has gradually dropped from 7.5 to about 6.8 as well.

Is this all a sign that my tank is just about cycled for these 8 Rummy-nose tetras. They seem as healthy as can be and are very active when the lights are on.
Anyways since a fish-in cycle with boosters like Stability can lead to a very quick and faint cycle I just want to makes sure this all sounds appropriate.

Edit: tested tap water PH and Nitrate
PH: 7.5
Nitrate: 0ppm ( could of sworn this was higher when I started the tank but maybe my the two lightly washed filter pads I kept in gave the 5ppm an jump started the cycle.)
More reasons to be unsure if it's actually cycled yet or not haha

 

[Jferrante]

also considering adding 4-5 Sterbai cory cats tomorrow or the day after to keep the gravel free of uneated food. I heard they are hardy and will do well with the set up I have. I have a can of seachem's brine shrimp but don't want to open it till I have a decent load of fish in there. So far just using seachem's premium tropical flakes.
So I'd really like to know if it's a good time to add these fish. I figure 8 rummy nose and 4 or 5 Sterbai cats would be a good for the overall health of the tank for a month before i decide to drop money on the "center piece" fish.

 

[Jferrante]

nobody? I'm just trying to get some solid advice on this by midday tomorrow because I would like to add those cory cats to keep top to bottom in check. The Sterbai cory cats variety are expensive too so I don't want to drop 50 bucks just for them to die unexpectedly

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

Hello Jf...

Here's the basic procedure for cycling a tank with fish. Follow it and the tank will cycle in a month. Don't add more fish. Test the tank water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test for either, then change 25 percent of the water and replace it with treated tap water. Feed a little flaked food every other day.

Just test the water and change a quarter of it when necessary. When you have several daily tests with no traces of the above toxins, the tank is cycled. You can add fish at this point, but slowly. The bacteria colony must grow to use the extra waste, so slow is best.

B

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi Jf.
If you have uneaten food then you are over feeding. Try adding a TINY amount of food. If it all goes add another tiny amount. If any reached the tank floor then that's your limit. Better to feed more often but much smaller amounts.
I have 30 years experience of fish keeping and still I over feed occasionally but this is really important when cycling.


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