New aquarium, need help cycling

[HopeGR]

I upgraded to a 20 gallon tank 3 weeks ago. Just got into this hobby over the summer. Took water to be checked yesterday, said it was perfect. Tested myself, ammonia hovers around .25, ph is around 7.6 and Nitrite and Nitrates are zero.

I have my 8 guppies and 2 balloon mollies male/female, and a few baby guppies. I was told not to do a water change, and to only do it once a month for a 20 gal, according to the people at the pet stores I frequent. But i noticed there is a lot of waste in the gravel. I was told to syphon the water as a way to clean the gravel, which is what I want to do now, but told not to. Is this correct? I just swish around the gravel for now. I have an Aqueon filter for up to 40 gallons. How do I deal with the fish waste, which I guess will increase the ammonia. The water looks crystal clear.

 

[Aiken Drum]

If your nitrates are 0ppm your tank is not cycled and your fish store is absolutely wrong to say your water is perfect for adding fish.

Now you have fish you need to be doing a fish in cycle, and the fact you have so many fish will make this a more difficult task. You normally start a fish in cycle with 1 small fish per 10g.

Get your own test kit, preferably a liquid test kit like API master test kit. Test the water daily. If your ammonia + nitrite combined is 0.5ppm do 25% water change. This might be daily. If your combined ammonia + nitrite gets higher, say 1ppm then you need to do 50% water change. When you are consistently seeing 0ppm ammonia + nitrite and your nitrate is steadily rising, then the tank is cycled for your current stocking and you can look to add some more.

You can assist the cycle by either.

- Using some established filter media from a cycled tank. Perhaps you have a friend who keeps fish who could let you have some?
- Use bottled bacteria if you cant get established filter media. For example Dr Tims One and Only or Fluval Cycle. This can be a little miss results wise, but is better than doing nothing.

When you are cycled you need to do weekly water change, at least 25% change, but enough to keep nitrates from going above 40ppm, preferably not above 20ppm. If weekly 50% water changes dont keep them below 40ppm then you are overstocked and either need to take out some fish or get a bigger tank.

 

[HopeGR]

Re:

Thanks so much for your help. It makes sense to me.
Quick question though - I was introduced to the API brand by the pet store when I started this, so I pretty my bought a gallon of the following, thinking I'll need it for the tank:

- Quick start
- Stress Zyme
- Stress Coat
- Tap Conditioner

I believe I need to use Quick Start, Tap Conditioner, Stress Coat with every cycle, is this correct? And Stress Zyme once a week.

My friend who actually introduced this to me over the summer has only goldfish. Advice is appreciated, thank you.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Quick start is bottled bacteria. This can help with getting the cycle up and running. Personally i think these products are a bit hit and miss, but i will use them because i dont see them doing any harm and can help. Some people also add this whenever they do a water change, and i think the manufacturer advises this. Probably just so they can sell more product. If you arent having problems with your cycle i wouldnt add this at every water change, but its up to you. Personally ive never used quick start, so i cant comment on that specific product.

Stress Zyme eats mulm. Mulm is the sludge that can build up on the bottom of the tank, in your filter, and pipe runs etc and can contribute to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the tank. This shouldn't be an issue if you have good filtration and a cycled tank and mulm can benefit your tank in other ways. I think you are supposed to add this weekly. Personally i don't use this, its an extra expense. If you arent having a problem, its not something i would recommend, but again its up to you.

Stresscoat + is a water conditioner that has added benefit of a slime coat additive. You should use this whenever you add chlorinated water into the tank. They also recommend adding this when you add new fish, which is probably a good idea. I use this as my water conditioner, it works fine.

API tap water conditioner is a water conditioner same as stresscoat, but doesnt have the slime coat additive. I presume its cheaper than stresscoat because it treats 10 x more water for the same amount of additive? You dont need both. If you are using stresscoat as a water conditioner then dont also use tap water conditioner. Of the 2 i would go for the stresscoat because it has the slimecoat additive.

Of the 4 products, only the quickstart is of benefit to the cycling process, although you will need to use water conditioner whenever you add in chlorinated water. Stresszyme probably wont benefit your tank during a fish in cycle because it takes a few weeks or months before you will see any noticable reduction in mulm. Its more of a long term treatment rather than something that will benefit your tank short term during a cycle.

 

[HopeGR]

Thanks for the elaborate explanation. I'll do the cleaning in a few hours after I check the water.

Needless to say, on another aquarium board the API brand was harshly bashed. They pushed Seachem Prime. I think the ingredients are the same. As a newbie, obviously I rely on what I am told by the reps at the pet store, and the 3 store near me that I frequent are overstocked with this brand.