Fish-in cycle help!!

[hannah0]

I have a 20-gallon aquarium and I put 4 rosy minnows in there 2 days ago to start a fish-in cycle. I am using an API test kit and today I have still no signs of ammonia. Should I wait a couple more days and test again? I just assumed that I would at least have a little bit of ammonia.

Any help/advice is really appreciated!

 

[Fatcatmatt]

Hi there!

Though I’m pretty new, I’m proud to say I completed a fish in cycle that is finally done after close to 2 months. Happy to share my small thoughts, again, I emphasize, I’m still new.

At least for me. The ammonia will take a while, just feed them lightly. Thing is once it comes, it’s a huge steep curve, so you gotta keep up with the water changes, to at least have it below 0.2ppm. (I remembered a week where I had to do a WC each 3-4 days). Then of course, the nitrite spike.

Is your tank planted? Cause that lowers the ammonia a little (which is also a good thing).

I had Seachem Prime by my side and it’s a good protection for the fishes which I dose every 1-2 days. I attempted to speed it up a little with Seachem stability as well.

Also since the fishes are new, are they eating well/regularly? Otherwise they probably have not started to really produce waste yet.

 

[hannah0]

thank you for the reply! my tank only has 2 moss balls in it and i also have prime. my fish are also eating regularly (i feed them a tiny bit when i wake up) and all 4 seem to be eating regularly and i can see fish poop so i know they are using the bathroom. i don't know i just feel like i'm impatient

 

[Fatcatmatt]

Seems about right. Well at least that how it began for me. Besides it’s a small population for a bit amount of water. Which is a good thing for cycling! So give it time. . Check in another 2 days =) it will sure to appear eventually. Till then.. meditation works lol.

 

[hannah0]

i just hope mine doesn't take 2 months!

 

[Tankereasy]

Its takes awhile, best thing you can do is keep dosing beneficial bacteria daily, this will help get the colony established. Aside from waiting to see ammonia readings meaning you'll start to see nitrites rise, you're also looking for the water to get very cloudy, this will be your bacterial bloom which is a good sign during the cycling process. Ammonia isn't going to spile right away, so just be patient, test regularly so you know where your waters at, and be ready to do a water change to bring the levels down. Or just be ready to dose prime and let the cycle run its course. The last tank I cycled took almost two months and was also a fish-in. I tried to keep water changed to once a week so I wouldnt stall the cycle.

 

[hannah0]

thank you! this is the first tank I have ever cycled and I have read a lot about it I just get really paranoid I'm doing things wrong!