cycling and adding fish

[scrmom]

My nitrites and ammonia are zero. My nitrates are staying at 20. I know once everything is zero, I can add fish. I don't want to add fish until we get back from vacation which will be end of sept. Should I be adding something to tank now so when I add the fish there won't be another cycle?

 

[Charlie]

IMO, 3 weeks or more is a loong time to have no ammonia produced in the tank. Bacteria levels clime or decline based on the load. Your load may be near zero.

I'd guess that you will have to cycle again unless you have a constent ammonia source while you're away.

 

[mar_att1]

i have the same problem...

i just got ready cycling my tank, however i dont have enough money to buy the lighting for the tank. So i decided to leave the fish for my next pay, which is approximately in 3 and a half weeks.

do you think the fish fill survive without a light source except indirect sunlight?

if not, then i'll just have to cycle again....

 

[melosu58]

You wont have to cycle again just add a few flakes to your water and they will produce enough ammonia to keep your cycle going. IME I did this when I first started nine years ago and I did not add fish for the first 3 months.