ABCDemily

Basically I'm setting up a fry tank to allow them to mature away from the parents in my larger aquarium. I have converted it from a coldwater to tropical but adding a heater and some LED's.
It's a six gallon, or so it claims to be.
Either way, now I'm rambling. It has been a very succesful small goldfish tank for the last eight years, however since my last Fantail died ten months ago, the water has been sitting being stagnant in there. They nitrogen cycle has been performed many times, so I'm wondering, since I set it up a week ago, has it cycled already?
The water readings are: Nitrates-0 PPM
Nitrites-0 ppm
ammonia-0 ppm
Does anyone think that I'm just getting ahead of myself, or that it's already cycled itself.
(I've used Stress Zyme to aid the bacterial growth)

Thank you!

agabr123

unfortunately no, since it's been 10 months since there were fish there was no source of ammonia so all of the bacteria will have died off. also, since the water was sitting stagnant for all that time I would go ahead and do a 100% water change and start from scratch, and also because you used stress zyme. stress zyme is one of those many bacterial additives that claim to speed up the cycle, but all they really do is prevent it from ever happening. they use terrestrial bacteria instead of aquatic bacteria, so it drowns after a short period of time which is why it needs to be added weekly for the entire life of the tank.

at this point, again i'd recommend that you change 100% of the water and rinse the filter media and start from scratch without the stress zyme present. what you can do to speed things along if you have another tank (which i'll assume that you do cine this is for fry) is to put all of your filter media from that tank into another tank that is already cycled and just leave it there for a couple weeks and then transfer it back into the 6 gallon. add your fry or some source of ammonia, and watch your levels to make sure that there's enough bacteria to handle the bioload.

ABCDemily

I did a total 100% water change, changed the substrate and everything. Basically set it up as a brand new tank.
Thanks

agabr123

you're welcome congrats on the fry!

ABCDemily

Yeah, fry really are just shooting out of everyhwere at the momentt, I've had thirty in the last week! (after a year of having none.) I'll make sure I don't add any Stress Zyme
(And I set it up a week ago with 100% new water etc etc, darn, I really shoulda mentioned that)

Shawnie

do you have any other tanks up and running that are established? (im assuming you do as you have babies from somewhere right? LOL ) you can use some of that subtrate, decorations, and cut off some of the filter media, to cycle the new fry tank ...its like an immediate cycle where you can add the fry with all that stuff as well...you can hang some of the subtrate in a nylon in the back ...

EDIT: I just said exactly what alex said LOL ...sowwwy ...gotta love my brunette moments

ABCDemily

My other tank has a crazy filter set up, somthing involving 'AquaCrystals' and 'BioStars' (deary me, I do hate all these stupid gimmicky names!) And I'm hoping that one of these things should do the trick!
And I have many, many brunette moments, nothing to worry about!

ABCDemily

UPDATE:
Tonight I am adding substrate hanging in a rinsed nylon, along with some of the filter media from other tank, then I shall add my babies tomorrow. I'll leave the substrate in there for two more days to make sure it's cycled enough.