No fish cycle

[Fizzler]

I’m in week 3 of a no fish cycle. I have 4 different kinds of Java fern in my tank for a little over one week now. The water level in my 29 gallon tank has dropped about a inch and a half. Should I add water or just let it continue to cycle ? And if I add water can I leave tap water out for 24 hours and it will be safe and not kill off any of my good bacteria I’ve built up ?

[SaraB]

Yes you can add water, have you been doing water changes?
Always treat the water with a dechlorinator before adding it to your tank. Leaving it out for 24 hours dosen't do much if anything.

[Flyfisher]

Hi Fizzler,
Are you adding an ammonia source to the tank ? The bacteria need ammonia to eat.

Leaving water out for 24 hours does not work anymore. Not like it did years ago . Let’s just say the chemicals that are put into water these days are different from the past.

[Fizzler]

I’ve been adding fish food flakes. I’m not sure how often I should be doing this. My tank test low for ammonia but very high for nitrites and about 40ppm nitrate. What should I do to top off my tank then? Not water straight from the tap ?

[SaraB]

You use tap water with a dechlorinator. I use seachem prime (because I have a bigger tank). It's a water conditioner, it removes the bad stuff from your tap water.

[Flyfisher]

The chlorine in tap water not only kills fish it kills all bacteria.
All water going into a tank need a conditioner/ de chlorinator. Conditioners work instantly. After two minutes the temperature matched water is ready to add to your tank.