Starting a New Tank

[ksgriff88]

Hey guys looking for some help on setting up/cycling a new tank. (Sorry for the length).

I had a 10 gallon tank with guppies that was great for over a year until last week where right after a water change the ammonia shot up and I was unable to save the fish in time.

I am setting up a new 29 gallon tank. The substrate in the tank is from a previously established tank and has been sitting stagnant for about a month and a half in a small amount of water. The decorations were taken from the 10 gallon tank a a few things from another established (over 2 years) tank.

I filled the 29 up on Sunday and added some API Quick Start. I tested everything Monday evening and ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates were all down to 0. I had assumed that I would see ammonia and nitrite shoot up with the cycling process but am wondering if I already have the bacteria.

Do you think the tank is safe for fish at this point? I was probably going to start with a few danios or tetras.

Thanks for all the help!


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[keegster803]

I would recommend getting some ammonia to dose. And when you dose it, and it goes from 20ppm to 0 in 24 hours then you have bacteria. But you also have to wait for your nitrite spikes


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[ThangaMean]

I would recommend getting some ammonia to dose. And when you dose it, and it goes from 20ppm to 0 in 24 hours then you have bacteria. But you also have to wait for your nitrite spikes


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Did you mean to say 2 ppm rather than 20 ppm?!

 

[Fresh2o]

I think 2 ppm, prolly a typo.


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[keegster803]

Yeah thanks for catching that lol. And you should dose 3-5ppm of ammonia. Just dose it and wait til it drops to 1ppm then bring it back up to 5ppm. I would also getting a API test kit. As it is very accurate, and is 2x better than the test strips


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[ksgriff88]

I'll have to pick up some ammonia today then. I am using the API Master Test kit not strips as well.


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[ThangaMean]

Test strips are a costly joke. I don't know how come they are still able to market it!!!

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[treemanone2003]

Test strips are a costly joke. I don't know how come they are still able to market it!!!

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Newbies=profit.


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[Fresh2o]

I'll have to pick up some ammonia today then. I am using the API Master Test kit not strips as well.


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Just make sure the ammonia is free of dyes, perfumes, detergents, and surfactants. Check the label. If you shake the bottle, it should not create any foam.


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[ThangaMean]

Yeah double check. I bought clear ammonia with jus ammonium hydroxide and no other ingredients listed. But after cycling for 3 days I found out that it has soap in it. I'd to cleanup everything with vinegar and start all over again.

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[cliffhart74]

Need help I started a 55 gal salt tank any good ideas it's been cycling for 3 days I have a few live rock and some brain corral to help the cycle what can I do next please,say fish


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[treemanone2003]

Need help I started a 55 gal salt tank any good ideas it's been cycling for 3 days I have a few live rock and some brain corral to help the cycle what can I do next please,say fish


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It would be best to start your own thread. List all of what you've got. Tank, equipment, lights, etc. You'll get more responses that way.


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[Fresh2o]

Yeah double check. I bought clear ammonia with jus ammonium hydroxide and no other ingredients listed. But after cycling for 3 days I found out that it has soap in it. I'd to cleanup everything with vinegar and start all over again.

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Ouch, that stinks. Hope it works out.


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[ksgriff88]

Thanks everybody for the awesome responses. I added some ammonia last night and will test this afternoon to see where everything is!


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[ksgriff88]

I tested again after the addition of the ammonia. Everything still tested out at all 0s.

I went to my LFS this morning and they suggested adding some guppies (also one of the planned fish in the tank). I added 5 guppies and will continue to monitor tonight.

I'm still confused on what exactly happened with this but am starting to think that the decorations I took out of the established tank had enough BB to cycle the tank.

Also what do you guys think would help grow bacteria more, the filter/circulation/tank turnover or just time? The filter I have on there has way more filtration than what is needed for a 29.


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[ThangaMean]

Everything including nitrates?! If your cycling is complete then you should see some nitrates depending on the amount of ammonia you added originally. Did you tested for ammonia after adding it? How much was it?

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[stooker]

I had a 10 gallon tank with guppies that was great for over a year until last week where right after a water change the ammonia shot up and I was unable to save the fish in time.

Were you able to figure out why the ammonia shot up like that? I'd be concerned about that happening again in the future. You shouldn't see that if the water changes were done right.

 

[ksgriff88]

Ammonia was at 3 ppm when added. And yes ammonia nitrite and nitrate all at 0 currently.


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[stooker]

Ammonia was at 3 ppm when added. And yes ammonia nitrite and nitrate all at 0 currently.


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EDIT: nevermind, read the post wrong.

ThangaMean is right, you should see some nitrates if cycled properly.

And I would still try to find out why your 10g's ammonia suddenly spiked before you started the 29g. That shouldn't have happened if it was established for over a year as you said. If it were mine, I would want to know why that happened so it doesn't repeat in the new tank.

 

[ksgriff88]

When I took everything down from the 10 gallon I did find some fish bones that got stuck in the back under neath the cave and I am assuming that is the reason it had shot up.

My water changes are about 40% every other week.


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